What Is Mushroom Stacking and How We Chose Ours
Some supplements do amazing things on their own. However, mix them together, and you get something with much more targeted and efficient effects. It’s kind of like the functional equivalent of combining peanut butter and bananas or coffee and chocolate.
In this article, we’ll discuss mushroom stacking and how to take a mushroom stack. We’ll also discuss which mushrooms we chose to stack, why we chose them, and what other ingredients we combine them with.
First, What Is Stacking?
Let’s start with the basics. Supplement stacking is just a fancy way of saying that you’re mixing and matching your vitamins and herbs to unlock even greater benefits.
It’s not about taking random stuff and hoping for the best. Smart stacking means choosing supplements that complement each other, like ones that support the same body system or that boost each other’s effects.
People do this all the time with nootropics (AKA brain boosters) and adaptogens (the stress fighters). The idea is synergy. With the right stack, you should be able to say, “Whoa, my brain fog is gone, and I remember what I came into the kitchen for.”
But — and this is big — not all stacks are created equal. It’s important to choose combos that are backed by real research and actually play nice together in your body.
What Is Mushroom Stacking?
Now that we’ve covered supplement stacking, let’s zoom in on mushroom stacking. This practice has exploded in popularity, and no, it’s not simply tossing a bunch of shiitakes into your salad. Mushroom stacking is the art of combining different functional mushrooms — like lion’s mane, chaga, reishi, cordyceps, and turkey tail — to target different systems in the body at once.
Each mushroom does its own thing. Lion’s mane supports brain function, while chaga is a free radical-fighting antioxidant machine. Reishi chills you out, while cordyceps can help you reach a higher PR in the gym. When you stack them, you get a little bit of everything, plus some new things that show up only when you hit the right combo.
Lion’s Mane and Chaga: The Ultimate Stack Hack
So, let’s get into the two mushrooms that we personally have chosen to stack in our Mushroom Coffee+: lion’s mane and chaga. On their own, these two mushrooms are magical. But together, they’re downright out of this world.
Promotes Brain Health
Lion’s mane is loaded with compounds like hericenones and erinacines. These compounds have been shown in studies to support the body’s production of nerve growth factor (NGF), a molecule that helps grow and protect neurons. Basically, this means lion’s mane can support memory, focus, and overall brain function.
Meanwhile, chaga is rich in antioxidants, especially polyphenols and superoxide dismutase (SOD). These compounds can protect your brain cells from oxidative damage, which is a major risk factor for brain fog and cognitive decline. That means while lion’s mane is busy building, chaga is keeping your progress locked in.
Supports the Immune System
Your immune system isn’t just chilling in your lymph nodes and white blood cells. In fact, a huge chunk of it lives in your gut (nearly 70%, in fact). And that’s where lion’s mane and chaga come in handy.
Let’s start with chaga. This mushroom is packed with beta-glucans, which can help support immune function and encourage your white blood cells to do their jobs. Some studies suggest chaga might also support intestinal barrier function, helping keep your gut lining tight and strong.
Lion’s mane, meanwhile, can also promote the growth of the intestinal mucosa, or the lining of your digestive tract. It may also help support communication between your brain and gut microbiome. And, as if that wasn’t enough, this mushroom can also encourage a healthy balance of bacteria in your gut, which can indirectly support your immune system.
Encourages Skin Health
While serums and toners have their place, true skin health starts in your cells. Luckily, these two mushrooms are serious about their jobs.
Chaga is loaded with melanin — yes, the same pigment that gives your skin, hair, and eyes their color. However, beyond being just a pigment, melanin is also a powerful antioxidant. By fighting off free radicals (the kind that contribute to aging, dullness, and redness), Chaga can support skin resilience and may help support the skin’s defenses against UV damage on a cellular level.
Then there’s lion’s mane, which brings the glow from within. Its soothing properties and gut-supporting effects can help your skin look smoother and clearer. This is because the gut microbiome and the skin microbiome (AKA, your skin’s first line of defense against acne) are closely connected.
Why Did We Choose These Two?
Our founder, Jack Savage, spent two decades relying on Adderall to manage his ADHD, only to face high blood pressure and the dreaded coffee jitters when he tried to switch to traditional coffee for symptom management. Determined to find a cleaner energy source, he dove into biohacking and nutrition, where he discovered lion’s mane and chaga.
Lion’s mane has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for hundreds of years, and there are many studies that have begun to confirm these benefits. Chaga, meanwhile, has been used for centuries in Siberian and Eastern European folk medicine. Thanks to its incredibly high antioxidant levels, this mushroom is also the subject of scientific curiosity and study.
Meet the Rest of Our Functional Stack
Although they’re some of the main ingredients, our Mushroom Coffee+ isn't just about lion’s mane and chaga. Our formula also contains three other benefits-packed ingredients to help support the benefits we talked about earlier.
For instance:
- L-Theanine: An amino acid found in tea leaves, L-Theanine promotes relaxation without drowsiness and works synergistically with caffeine to help you feel more focused and reduce the jitters.
- Collagen Protein: Sourced from grass-fed bovine, collagen supports skin elasticity, joint health, and gut integrity.
- Low-Acidity, Low-Caf Coffee Extract: We use a premium coffee extract that boasts the rich taste of coffee while being gentle on the stomach (and your stress levels).
How To Take a Mushroom Stack
Sure, you could buy a bunch of capsules, powders, and tinctures. But unless you’re into filling a weekly pill organizer and measuring stuff with a food scale, we’ve got a better way.
Mushroom coffee is hands-down the most delicious delivery system for your daily stack. While pills and extracts can get the job done, they’re not always absorbed as efficiently, and let’s face it, they’re not exactly tasty.
With our coffee, you’re not just getting your lion’s mane and chaga in one go. You’re also getting L-Theanine, collagen, and a smooth coffee experience without the side effects. Plus, since all you need to do is drink a cup of coffee a day (which you’ve probably already been doing), you probably won’t miss a Dose.
The Bottom Line
Everyday Dose started with one guy’s mission to feel better, and now it’s your daily ritual for calm energy, brain support, and feeling like your best self. Lion’s mane and chaga might be buzzwords, but they’re also powerful, time-tested ingredients backed by tradition and science.
Our stack goes beyond mushrooms, combining five smart ingredients that actually work together. Even better, you can find these ingredients in three amazing blends. Check out our collection today to find a flavor that works for you!
Sources:
If you want to boost immunity, look to the gut | UCLA Health
Therapeutic properties of Inonotus obliquus (Chaga mushroom): A review | PMC
Melanin: A promising source of functional food ingredient | ScienceDirect
The Gut Microbiome as a Major Regulator of the Gut-Skin Axis | FrontiersIn
