Startup bros, alt-health gurus, and baristas have been trying to reinvent coffee for years. We’ve had bulletproof coffee, turmeric lattes, CBD coffee, and now the mushroom variety. A slew of startups are trying to push this latter trend further, packing more and more supposedly beneficial ingredients into a single cup.
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Their products are often marketed as “functional” or “adaptogenic”—adaptogens being substances purported to help modulate stress. They boast claims of improving focus, promoting calm, and enhancing creativity. Essentially: They promise more from your coffee than just a caffeine buzz.
Adaptogenic substances have been used in many cultures for a long time, but recent Western studies are limited, and the quality of evidence varies. Lion’s mane is one of the best-studied among common mushroom coffee ingredients, with some research suggesting positive effects on cognition and stress.
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Frédéric Meunier, a professor of molecular neuroscience at the Queensland Brain Institute in Australia, recently led a study (in mice) on the impact of lion’s mane on memory. He says he was happily surprised both at the results and the level of public interest—but this doesn’t necessarily mean that mushroom-enhanced beverages on the market will have the same effects.
