Lionsmane Mushroom

The Cerebral Muse

Brain Food, Backed by Nature.

Lion's Mane has long been revered in Traditional Chinese Medicine and modern nootropic circles alike for its unmatched ability to support cognitive function and neurogenesis. At Fungitarian, we grow it with obsessive care, extract it with scientific precision, and deliver it with liposomal power.

How We Grow It

Our Lion's Mane mushrooms are grown by our team at Windy City Mushroom in Chicago, using a proprietary mix of wild and commercial strains sourced from Illinois.

The cultivation process begins with a 50/50 blend of organic hardwood and soy hull (the shell of the soybean), packed into 10 lb blocks and sterilized inside polypropylene bags with filter patches. Once cooled, they are inoculated in a cleanroom environment, incubated for 14 days, and then transferred into a controlled fruiting chamber.

There, the bags are sliced open to expose the mycelium to fresh air and humidity, initiating primordia formation (the beginning of mushroom growth). Within two weeks, beautiful snowball-like Lion's Mane fruiting bodies are harvested at their peak.

Each block produces a second flush before it is composted. Our mushrooms are harvested daily, dehydrated at low temperatures, and sent directly to extraction within days to ensure maximum potency.

The Ancient Magic of Lion's Mane

Lion’s Mane is a bridge between body, mind, and spirit.

It is native to the Northern Hemisphere and has been well known to people of these regions for centuries. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, Lion’s Mane has been esteemed for its benefits to the nervous system and brain as well as the digestive system (aka our second brain) making it a powerful ally in emotional regulation and digestive health.

The connection between these two areas of our bodies (brain/third eye and gut/solar plexus) is a very important connection in the human body physically, emotionally and energetically. A sense of unity and flow between mind and gut can offer us many layers of clarity, and a general sense of alignment.

Lion’s Mane is also a delicious and versatile culinary ingredient. It can be sautéed, roasted, or simmered in broths to enhance meals.

The regenerative, nourishing and versatile characteristics of this great benefactor can help us to feel grounded and aware, harmonizing our physical and spiritual worlds.

The Future Science of Lion's Mane

To ensure maximum potency and full-spectrum bioavailability, we use a three-phase extraction and delivery process for our Lion’s Mane drops:

Extraction

We use organic ethanol and ultrasonic extraction to draw out fat-soluble compounds from mushroom cell walls through a process called ultrasonic cavitation. Compounds like Hericenones, which support Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), are then extracted freely into the alcohol. Distilled water extraction isolates Polysaccharides and Beta-glucans, which help modulate immune function and promote neurological & gut health.

Reduction

We concentrate the distilled water extract through slow atmospheric evaporation and the ethanol extract under vacuum distillation at low temperatures to preserve delicate active compounds. All ethanol is fully removed, resulting in a zero-alcohol resinous extract.

Liposomal Encapsulation

Our resinous alcohol-free ethanol extract is redissolved into organic, pharmaceutical-grade Vegetable Glycerin. We add pure Phosphatidylcholine to form a phospholipid matrix, then blend it with the water extract at a proprietary ratio. Ultrasonic processing creates a nano-encapsulated liposome designed for optimal bioavailability and absorption into the human body.

Next, we use ultrasonic sonication, a high-frequency sound wave process that breaks the active compounds into nano-sized particles and wraps them in liposomes—microscopic fat-based bubbles that protect the compounds and enhance bioavailability.

Finally, we infuse each batch with phosphatidylcholine, a natural phospholipid that stabilizes the liposomes and enables deep cellular absorption, ensuring your body gets the full benefits—fast.