Lion's Mane and its Activity Against Diseases

• Cancer (gastric, leukemia, liver, colon, and breast cancer cells)
• Cognitive Impairment
• Nervous System Degeneration  
• Depression and Anxiety
• Alzheimer's / Dementia
• Diabetes
• Gastric ulcers / H. pylori infections
• Heart Disease (High Cholesterol and Obesity)

Heart disease generally refers to conditions that involve narrowed, blocked or damaged blood vessels that can lead to heart failure. There are many risk factors that can lead to damages in the heart, so we'll just name the few in which studies have found positive results in consuming Lion's Mane extracts: 

A study done on mice found that consuming an extract of this fungi reduced total cholesterol by 32% along with harmful LDL cholesterol at 45.4% and triglycerides by 34.3%, while also increasing the good HDL cholesterol by 31%. (1) Due to the proliferation of healthy cholesterol and an inhibition of bad cholesterol, decreased weight gain and body fat were observed in mice when given a high fat diet. As a result, a significant improvement in metabolism was observed.

Another animal study was observed in rats that were fed a high-fat diet while simultaneously being given daily doses of Lion’s Mane extract. In just 28 days, rapid results showed 27% lower triglyceride levels and 42% less weight gain. (2)

There is a strong correlation in Lion's Mane and the ability to decrease the risk of cardiovascular issues. In vitro studies have also shown its ability to help prevent the oxidation of cholesterol in the bloodstream. Oxidation is very damaging to the cholesterol cells, and Lion's Mane may improve circulation by inhibiting platelet aggregation and preventing the thickening of arteries, characteristic of atherosclerosis (the build-up of fats, cholesterol, and other substances in and on the artery walls). (3) Reducing oxidation is a key factor in reducing heart conditions.

Inhibitory effects of hericenone B, a compound found in the fruiting bodies of Lion's Mane ethanol extract, have also shown to decrease the rate of blood clotting, a major risk of heart attack or stroke. The in vitro study concludes hericenone B as having strong anti-platelet activity and may be a novel compound for anti-thrombotic therapy, an agent for reducing the formation of blood clots. (4)

Click on other conditions in this page to continue exploring studies done on Lion's Mane:

• Multiple Sclerosis 
• Parkinson's disease
• Wound healing

References: 

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12843656

2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20622452

3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24959591

4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20637576