Lion's Mane: Has Science Seen Any Impact on Libido?
Listen, weâre no strangers to getting down and dirty. And by âdown and dirty,â weâre talking about the fabulous world of functional fungi (say that three times fast!). If you thought we were talking about something else, you wouldnât be too far off â thereâs a pretty interesting connection between mushrooms and libido.
Specifically, lionâs mane mushroom may actually help support your libido depending on what knocked it down in the first place. Read on to learn more about lionâs mane and the science behind its libido-lifting potential.
What Is Libido?
When we talk about libido, weâre talking about sex drive. You know, the part of you that sees your partner and gets you thinking about the bedroom.
Libido exists on a spectrum. Some people go at it like rabbits and have sex every day, while others are completely content with intimacy every few weeks.Â
Basically, thereâs no right or wrong amount of sex to have. As long as both people in a relationship are happy, you do you, boo! However, libido can become a problem when two people in a relationship donât see eye to eye. If one person wants to have sex every night and the other is more of a once-a-month type of person, thereâs bound to be a lot of friction (no pun intended).
Some people also use the term âlibidoâ to describe how adventurous they are during sex. This is also a spectrum â some people like to get freaky while others prefer to get down missionary-style. Like frequency, the type of sex you have is totally up to you. However, both people in a relationship need to be on the same page at all times.
How Can Lionâs Mane Affect Libido?
Lionâs mane (Hericium erinaceus) is a fuzzy-looking mushroom that people take because of its ability to support focus. Could there be more to this mushroom than meets the eye?Â
First, letâs dispel a nasty rumor weâve seen circulating the web. Some sources have said that lionâs mane can actually lower testosterone in men, potentially causing a lower libido. In actuality, there is no research to support this conclusion.Â
Thereâs not much research that speaks directly to lionâs maneâs ability to support libido. However, there are plenty of other research-supported benefits of lionâs mane that may encourage libido as an unintended secondary effect.Â
Supports Mental Health
Lionâs mane can encourage feelings of relaxation and relieve feelings of stress. This is one of the biggest ways it can help support your sex drive, as stress is one of the main things that can kill your sex drive.
Think about it â if youâre worried about your job or dealing with family stress, youâre probably not thinking about spending an hour in the bedroom. Stress can not only kill your sex drive, but it can also cause your brain to ruminate on the things youâre stressed about. These thoughts can even come up during the act, which can seriously affect your enjoyment while youâre in the moment.
This mushroom can also relieve feelings of anxiety and depression, which can also have a massive effect on libido. In fact, one of the major symptoms of anxiety or depression is a loss of libido.
Encourages Sleep
When youâre exhausted, whatâs the first thing on your mind? If you said âsleep,â youâre probably in the majority. Most people arenât thinking about spicing up their intimacy when theyâre several hours behind on sleep.
Unfortunately, no matter how much caffeine you throw back during the day, the only thing that can fix a sleep debt is, well, sleep. If youâre trying to increase your libido, a few nights of high-quality sleep could be all you need.
Luckily, lionâs mane mushroom can support healthy sleep. One study showed that supplementing with lionâs mane for eight weeks could support high-quality sleep in depressed individuals.
Supports Gut Health
You might be wondering how gut health can affect libido. Unless youâre bringing food into the bedroom (hey, donât knock it till you try it!), why would your digestive health have anything to do with your sex drive? As it turns out, thereâs a huge correlation.
The human gut microbiome has widespread effects throughout the body. It can affect mental health, mental clarity, skin health, metabolic health, and even the bodyâs energy production. When the gut is out of balance, the body may not be able to absorb all of the nutrients it needs to produce energy.
If youâre looking for a holistic approach to libido, then lionâs mane might just help. This mushroom contains prebiotic fibers that can feed good gut bacteria and support a balanced gut microbiome. If your skin looks great, your energy is high, and youâre not bloated, youâll feel sexier than ever!
How To Enjoy Lionâs Mane
If you want to try lionâs mane, we wholeheartedly support you. Weâve tried it for ourselves, and you have to feel the benefits to believe them.
One of the most important things to keep in mind when looking for a lionâs mane supplement is consistency. Choose a supplement that you know you wonât forget to take. Sure, you could set reminder after reminder on your phone, but wouldnât it be better to choose a supplement thatâs so satisfying you actually canât wait to take it?
Our Mushroom Coffee+ fits the bill. This blend is made using high-quality fruiting body extracts of lionâs mane and chaga mushrooms, as well as L-theanine to support mental health, collagen protein to support gut health, and coffee extract to provide the java taste we all know and love.
Sources:
Low Libido (Low Sex Drive): Causes, Symptoms & Treatment | Cleveland Clinic
Therapeutic Potential of Hericium erinaceus for Depressive Disorder | PMC
Sleep Debt: The Hidden Cost of Insufficient Rest | The Sleep Foundation
