Does Lion’s Mane Improve Gaming Performance?

I have been gaming online since the Halo 2 – Xbox Live era, and even back in those early days, before BIG money was up for grabs, gamers were looking for ways to get a leg up on the competition in matchmaking and their performance. 

Fast forward to 2020 and the world of competitive gaming is growing exponentially with millions of fans, and billions of dollars up for grabs worldwide if you can make it into the big leagues. 

The competition for gamers to improve on their acquired skills has never been more important, resulting in many looking for different ways to get the edge on their competition.

If you’re reading this post it is likely you’ve already heard of the cognitive benefits of taking Lion’s Mane Supplements as a nootropic and wondering if it may improve your gaming performance. I grow my own Lion’s Mane at home, so I have an abundance of high-quality Lion’s Mane which I supplement daily during my gamine escapades so I have it on good authority that Lion’s Mane can improve your day-to-day life and gaming.

So…..

Does Lion’s Mane Improve Gaming Performance?

Lion’s Mane Mushroom has a number of properties which could improve your gaming performance. The main benefits I have experienced are improved focus, reduced levels of anxiety and an overall feeling of wellbeing. Since Lion’s Mane is a natural substance it isn’t banned from competitions and doesn’t negatively affect your sleep or mood as other stimulating nootropics can. 

What makes Lions Mane beneficial for gaming?

Studies have shown Lion’s Mane mushroom can reduce anxiety, improve focus, improve memory, repair nerves quicker and be used to prevent degenerative brain disorders in mammals. However, the main benefits which translate over to gaming performance will be:

Reduction in anxiety

Ever get to extra time in rocket league and your heart starts pounding, your hands become sweaty and next thing you know you’ve rushed out of goal and missed the ball. 

Well, that was anxiety and it causes you to make rash decisions which you otherwise wouldn’t have made with a level head. Lion’s Mane helped me keep my tact under pressure, I feel like I am in control of what I give my attention to and everything else is just noise, during gaming, this can really make a difference when it comes to win or lose.

Multiple [1] [2] have shown that just consuming Lion’s Mane in your diet for 4 weeks can reduce your stress and anxiety levels and I can attest for this myself.

Improved Focus

I’ve noticed increased focus when using Lion’s Mane, especially when playing for long periods of time. I think this comes down to Lion’s Mane greatly reducing inflammation and increased anti-oxidation.

Reduced inflammation increases blood flow, which increases the volume of oxygen reaching the brain resulting in better brain performance[3].

I wouldn’t say I feel tunnel vision focus which I typically would with other stimulants like high doses of caffeine but It feels more like a clean focus which, for me, is more beneficial as it doesn’t come with added side effect such as smashing my controller in an uncontrolled rage cause I’m overstimulated.

Neuroprotection

Lion’s Mane has shown a lot of promise as a neuroprotectant [5], in some studies, it has been suggested that it could help prevent neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimers.

In rats, it also increased NGF levels which increased their ability to grow new brain cells and form new connections. So if you want to stay on the top of your game for longer it might be worth adding Lion’s Mane supplements to your gaming stack.

Evidence shows most gamers like athletes begin to decline as they age, reaction time, accuracy, etc all depend on good cognitive function.

Studies on gaming cognitive-motor functioning [4] have shown that our brains’ reaction times peak at the age of 24, the descent is slow but nonetheless steady from here, which is bad for the first generation of online gamers as most of us are over the hill.

Which Lions Mane Product do you Recommend?

If I was going to choose a product off amazon i would go with this one. I actually tried this commercial Lions Mane product recently and it was definitely potent. Some of the effects came on a lot faster (hours) than the Lions Mane tinctures i make for myself which I was pleasantly surprised at.

What is the recommended dose of Lions Mane?

The typical dose of a Lion’s Mane Supplement is between 500-3000mg per day. The higher dose levels provided in studies were more likely to produce nootropic, neuroprotectant and anxiolytic effect in the brain and body [6], so I would suggest taking a dose somewhere in between that range.

Commercial products will vary in strength but I recommend ensuring you get a dual extract or alcohol extract-based product as this will contain Erinacine (the main nootropic compound).

Alternatively, you could read the tutorials on this website and learn how to produce your own Lion’s mane in jars by following this link here.

How Long Before I see results with Lions Mane?

In all the studies that Lion’s Mane Mushroom was used to produce positive outcomes in humans, it was used for a minimum of 4 weeks. Personally, I feel it a week or so after starting.

What time should I take Lion’s Mane?

Whenever you feel most comfortable, I have never had issues sleeping when taking Lion’s Mane and most common protocols report morning and afternoon dosages.

Are There Any Side Effects?

There are currently no reported side effects from taking Lion’s Mane. In clinical studies against mammals very high dosages were tolerated. Some anecdotal reports online claim that itchy skin is a side effect which is a result of increase NGF levels however I have not witnessed these.

Are There Alternatives Nootropics To Lion’s Mane For Gaming Performance?

If you’re looking for something more physically stimulating than Lion’s Mane I would suggest checking out Rhodiola Rosea. 

Rhodiola Rosea rumoured to have been used in experiments by the Soviet Union for decades who were searching for energy-enhancing plants that would help their Olympians, as well as their soldiers and astronauts, perform better. [7]  [8] 

The herb has a very similar profile of benefits as Lion’s Mane with two added benefits:

• Single Dose Benefits – you won’t need to take this supplement for weeks to see results.
• Increased Energy through physical stimulation of the HPA(Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal).

So if you’re looking for immediate, more stimulating results and don’t mind being kept up until the early hours of the morning gaming check it out.

Conclusion

Lion’s Mane Mushroom provides a range of studied benefits which could improve gaming performance, especially if you’re a gamer who tends to get a bit hot under the collar when placed under pressure.

Overall Lion’s Mane is a good supplement for staying on top of your game for longer due to its neuroprotective properties. It provides me with improved focus without any stimulating feeling, which has the added benefit of letting me use it in the afternoon and still get to sleep.

It has also generated positive outcomes in other areas of my life and as I have described in this post. Lion’s Mane is tolerated well at high dosages and can be bought legally across the globe. 

If you enjoy DIY projects you can look at my tutorial on how to grow Lion’s Mane Mushroom at home as I do. Otherwise, I recommend getting yourself a dual extracted supplement as these have been proven to produce the maximum benefits.

Finally, If you are looking for something which will give you instant results and a bit more energy I recommend using Rhodiola Rosea instead.

Both are natural legal herbal remedies which can be added to your gaming stack to improve focus and performance.