Last modified on January 3rd, 2023
The use of mushrooms as supplements is popular right now, and one of the top products is called Genius Mushrooms, from the Genius Brand. The claim is that Genius Mushrooms may boost your brain health, so we look at what the reviews say and what you should know.
Key Takeaways
- Genius Mushrooms may help support natural energy and mental clarity
- The reishi mushroom might help the immune system
- Includes lion’s mane to help with memory, mood, and cognition
- Top-rated memory and brain health supplement on Amazon
What is Genius Mushrooms?
Genius Mushrooms is a supplement from The Genius Brand. Genius Mushrooms may support brain and mental health. It contains a combination of three well-research mushrooms, and it has no caffeine or stimulants.
Specific benefits of this supplement might include:
- Mental clarity
- Boosted immune function
- Natural energy support
- Improved memory and focus
- Mood-boosting benefits
- Liver detox and support
- May help improve oxygenation, particularly when working out
- Supports healthy blood pressure
What Ingredients are in Genius Mushrooms?
This supplement has a blend of three different mushrooms. We’ll go over some of the details of each type, but to sum it up, the reishi and cordyceps combined can help improve your body’s stress response and boost your natural energy production. These two mushrooms also help your immune system.
Lion’s mane is considered a potent nootropic that helps improve brain health and functionality. It can stimulate the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF).
Benefits of Reishi Mushroom
One of the three types of mushroom in this supplement is reishi. Reishi is incredibly popular in holistic health and the supplement world right now, but it’s long been used in Eastern medicine. Reishi, in fact, is native to humid, hot Asian locations.
There are molecules in reishi mushrooms that are responsible for the health benefits. These include triterpenoids, polysaccharides and peptidoglycans. You can eat reishi mushroom fresh, but most people use them as a powdered supplement or extract.
Immunity
One of the primary reasons people use reishi supplements is to boost their immune system.[1]
Test-tube studies have shown reishi has positive effects on white blood cells, which are a critical part of your immune system. There’s also evidence that reishi may impact inflammation pathways located in white blood cells.
Research among cancer patients has found molecules in reishi mushrooms might increase natural killer cells, which are white blood cells that combat cancer and infections.[2]
One study indicates reishi increased white blood cells in people with colorectal cancer.
There was another study showing that reishi improved lymphocyte function, which can help fight cancer and infections.
There was a study of 4,000 breast cancer survivors that found 59% used reishi mushroom. There have also been test-tube studies showing reishi can lead to death of cancer cells.
Energy
Reishi may reduce symptoms of fatigue and naturally boost energy levels. For example, in a group of breast cancer survivors, fatigue and quality of life were improved after four weeks of using a reishi powder supplement.[3]
Reishi, in preliminary studies, has shown promise in helping reduce anxiety and depression too.
Cardiovascular Health
There was a 12-week small study with 26 participants that found reishi mushroom increased good cholesterol while lowering bad cholesterol. However, some studies have found mixed results, so more research is needed to show positive benefits of this type of mushroom supplement on heart health and cholesterol levels.
Blood Sugar Levels
Studies in animals have shown the potential of reishi to decrease blood sugar levels.
Benefits of Lion’s Mane Mushroom
Lion’s mane mushroom is perhaps the ingredient in Genius Mushrooms most geared toward brain health and cognitive health.
Lion’s mane is used in cooking but also medically in Asian countries. There are bioactive substances in these mushrooms that are beneficial for brain, heart, and gut health.
Specific benefits of lion’s mane may include the following.
Protection Against Dementia
As we age, our brain’s ability to form new connections starts to decline. We see older adults with reduced mental functioning.
There are two compounds in lion’s man that may help stimulate brain cell growth. These are hericenones and erinacines.
Animal studies have found that lion’s mane could protect from Alzheimer’s, a brain disease leading to progressive memory loss.[4]
In mice, lion’s mane extracts have reduced symptoms of memory loss. Animal studies have also shown lion’s mane can prevent damage from amyloid-beta plaques. In Alzheimer’s, these plaques accumulate in the brain.
In a study of older adults with mild cognitive impairment, it was found that taking three grams of powdered lion’s mane mushroom a day for four months improved their mental functioning significantly. The benefits subsided when they stopped taking the supplement.[5]
Depression and Anxiety
Chronic inflammation is thought to be one of the factors contributing to anxiety and depression. Lion’s mane extract has anti-inflammatory properties that might reduce anxiety and depression in mice.[6]
Lion’s mane may also help improve the functioning of the hippocampus and regenerate brain cells. The hippocampus is an area of the brain that processes emotional responses and memories.
When hippocampus functionality is improved, it may play a role in reducing anxious and depressive behaviors.
A small study of menopausal women found taking lion’s mane daily for a month reduced self-reported anxiety and irritation symptoms.
Ulcers
Ulcers can form in the digestive tract, and they’re often caused by either an overgrowth of H. pylori bacteria or damage to the stomach’s mucous layer caused by long-term NSAID use.
Lion’s mane may help prevent stomach ulcers by preventing the growth of H. pylori and also by protecting the lining of the stomach from damage.[7]
Cancer
Lion’s mane may have cancer-fighting abilities. In test-tube studies, lion’s mane caused cancer cells to die at a faster rate. These test-tube studies have shown similar effects with liver, colon, blood cancer, and stomach cells. There’s also evidence suggesting lion’s mane can slow the spread of cancer.
There was a study in mice that found lion’s mane extract reduced cancer spread to the lungs by 69%.[8]
A separate study in mice found lion’s mane was better than even traditional cancer medicines at slowing tumor growth.
However, these studies haven’t been conducted in humans yet.
Inflammation and Oxidative Stress
Lion’s mane has been shown beneficial for chronic inflammation and oxidative stress, both of which are linked to many chronic illnesses and autoimmune diseases.
In animal studies, lion’s mane extract has reduced inflammation markers and may be particularly useful for managing inflammatory bowel disease, stroke, and liver disease.
Lion’s mane may also help reduce obesity health risks since they can lower how much inflammation is released by fat tissues.
Immune Booster
Animal studies have shown the potential for lion’s mane to boost immunity by increasing your intestinal immune system activity. That can protect you from viruses and bacteria entering the gut through the nose or mouth.[9]
Benefits of Cordyceps
Genius Mushrooms also has cordyceps.
Cordyceps is a type of fungi that has been long used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. In TCM, cordyceps is used for fatigue, kidney disease and to help with low libido.
Potential benefits of cordyceps can include:
Exercise Performance
Cordyceps may boost the production of ATP in the body, which delivers energy to the muscles. This might help how your body uses oxygen, especially when you’re exercising.[10]
Anti-Aging
Cordyceps may have anti-aging effects. In traditional medicine, cordyceps were used to reduce fatigue, boost sex drive, and improve strength. The link to cordyceps and anti-aging benefits may be due to the antioxidants they contain.
In animal studies, cordyceps have been found to help improve sexual function and memory in aging mice.
Inflammation
Cordyceps, like the other mushrooms in this supplement, may help fight inflammation. Again, inflammation is linked to conditions like cancer and heart disease. When human cells have exposure to cordyceps, the proteins that increase inflammation are suppressed.
How to Use Genius Mushrooms
You have some flexibility in how you use this supplement. However, you should aim to take one capsule with at least eight ounces of water three times a day. Take Genius Mushrooms before meals.
The Genius company also encourages “stacking” their supplements. This means you might take your Genius Mushrooms with two Genius Joy capsules up to twice a day. Theoretically, this would provide you with more mood enhancement and stress relief.
If you wanted to be more productive and focused, you might take a serving of Genius Mushrooms with a serving of Genius Consciousness.
If your focus was on improving your athletic performance, you could take a serving of Genius Mushrooms with a serving of Genius Pre, anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes before working out.
What Do Genius Mushrooms Reviews Say?
Genius Mushrooms reviews indicate this is a product customers like. It has more than 12,300 reviews on Amazon. It’s the number one best-seller on Amazon in the “Mushrooms Herbal Supplements” category.
Some of the things that are specifically highlighted in Genius Mushrooms reviews include:
- Genius Mushrooms Reviews say they feel like this supplement has helped them adapt to stress and gives them more energy but cleaner energy that’s not the same as caffeine energy.
- Many reviews say the product helps them focus.
- According to reviews, Genius Mushrooms may help with symptoms of anxiety.
- Some reviews describe this as an Adderall alternative, although milder.
There was only a limited number of one-star reviews, which is uncommon on Amazon when a product has so many overall reviews.
Of the negative reviews, a few people said they just didn’t get any noticeable effects from the product.
A few negative reviews say people got migraines or headaches from using the product.
A few other side effects, according to reviews, included hives and irritability.
However, as was mentioned, the positive reviews far outweigh the negative on this product.
Genius Mushrooms vs. Genius Consciousness
Genius Consciousness is another top product from The Genius Brand, and people often wonder how the two compare.
Genius Consciousness is definitely a cognition and memory supplement, but it has different ingredients. The ingredients are proprietary and not mushroom-based. Ingredients in Genius Consciousness include Dyamine, Neurofactor, AlphaSize, and natural caffeine. However, the supplement does also have lion’s mane.
Genius Consciousness is something you should take when you’re about to start working, studying, or doing something that requires a lot of focus and concentration. Genius Mushrooms, on the other hand, is something you should take every day for the best results.
You could stack Genius Consciousness with Genius Mushrooms for mental energy and brain support.
[1] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16230843/
[2] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12916709/
[3] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22203880/
[4] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24266378/
[5] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18844328/
[6] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26150007/
[7] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25070597/
[8] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23668749/
[9] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28266682/
[10] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28094746/
PROS
- Uses medicinal and therapeutic mushroom ingredients
- One of the most highly rated mushroom powder supplements on Amazon
- May provide cognitive support
- Could help with focus and productivity
- Reishi and other types of mushrooms are good for the immune system
- Can improve athletic performance
- Caffeine-free energy
- Supports healthy stress response
CONS
- Takes consistent, regular use to see maximum effects
- Works best when stacked with other Genius products
- Some people experience headaches
Final Thoughts
If you are looking for a supplement that packs a punch, consider trying Genius Mushrooms. These mushroom powder capsules can help with brain fog, natural energy support, cognition and exercise performance. They’re well-rated and users seem to get a lot of benefits from them. Consider “stacking” them with other Genius products for the best outcome.
Note: This is not a substitute for medical advice. Always speak to a health care professional before taking any supplements.
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