Lion's mane has a long history of use in traditional Chinese medicine. The benefits associated with it are wide-ranging—including everything from cancer prevention to boosting energy, weight loss, and improving symptoms of depression. The majority of the most widely purported benefits are related to possible neuroprotective benefits. 
 
May Help Overcome Dementia
As you age, the ability of your brain to form connections reduces along with its capacity to form new brain cells called neurons, and this leads to diminished mental functioning in elderly people. Studies have found that lion’s mane mushrooms, though, are a good source of hericenones and erinacines, two chemicals that accelerate the growth of brain cells.