Nootropic Mushrooms Side Effects: Most to Least Common
If you’ve been around the wellness space at all recently, you’ve probably heard of nootropic mushrooms. These mushrooms can have magical benefits ranging from supporting your focus to helping you sleep.
Whether your nootropic stack contains lion’s mane supplements or cordyceps, you probably know all about these benefits (and have felt them for yourself). But how safe are these mushrooms? Are there any side effects you should know about? Read on for everything you need to know.
Why Do People Take Nootropic Mushrooms?
Before we go into possible side effects, let’s clarify one important question: Why do people even take nootropic mushrooms to begin with?
There are many types of nootropics out there, from synthetic compounds to naturally occurring herbs and vitamins. Nootropics may all seem pretty different, but they have many of the same health benefits. Namely, many of them support focus, memory, sleep, and relaxation.
So, why do people take nootropic mushrooms over other types of nootropics? This answer mainly comes down to personal preference.
However, mushrooms typically contain many powerful bioactive compounds and even contain polysaccharides, which act like prebiotic fiber. This means they can support brain health from multiple angles.
Some of the potential benefits include the following:
- Supports Nerve Cells: Lion’s mane mushroom can support the body’s production of nerve growth factor (NGF) in brain cells, which can encourage overall cognitive function.
- Supports Long-Term Brain Health: Some medicinal mushrooms can protect against mild cognitive impairment, supporting brain function for the long term.
- Supports Sleep: Lion’s mane mushroom can encourage a good night’s sleep, which is key for focus and mental health.
- Provides Antioxidant Benefits: Some mushrooms, like chaga, have powerful antioxidant activity that can protect the brain from oxidative stress.
- Encourages Gut Health: By providing prebiotic fiber (the same type found in oats), medicinal mushrooms can encourage a balanced gut microbiome. The gut microbiome can affect everything from brain health and cognition to the immune system and heart health.
- Supports Feelings of Relaxation: Lion’s mane extract and reishi mushrooms may help support neurotransmitters to ease feelings of stress and encourage the nervous system.
What Are the Potential Side Effects of Taking Nootropic Mushrooms?
We’d like to start by saying that medicinal mushrooms are generally safe. After all, they’ve been used for hundreds of years in Asian medicinal systems such as Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Sure, there are some side effects that could happen when you take them, but these side effects are incredibly rare. Most people who take these mushrooms won’t notice these complications. However, it’s good to be aware of them just in case things start to feel a little less than optimal.
Potential adverse effects of nootropic mushrooms include the following:
- Headaches: Some people report experiencing headaches when taking nootropic mushrooms. Researchers don’t know the exact reason for this, but it might have something to do with an uptick in nerve growth factor production.
- Indigestion: Taking extra prebiotic fiber can cause some indigestion at first. Don’t worry, it won’t last forever — just take it easy as your body adjusts and work up to a full dose over time.
- Trouble Sleeping: Some mushrooms (like cordyceps) can increase energy, which may make it hard to fall asleep at night.
- Irritability: If you’re not sleeping and your stomach is hurting, chances are you might feel a little irritable and anxious.
- Blood Pressure Changes: Some mushrooms can affect blood pressure levels, which may be more noticeable in people who already have dysregulated blood pressure.
- Blood Sugar Fluctuations: Similarly to the above, some mushrooms can affect blood sugar levels, which can contribute to many of the above symptoms.
If this is your first time taking nootropic mushrooms, pay close attention to how you feel after taking them. If you start to feel a little weird or notice any possible symptoms, stop taking your supplement and contact your healthcare provider.
It’s also worth noting that if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, it’s worth talking to a doctor before you start taking any new supplement, including nootropic mushrooms. Their benefits might be wins for overall wellness, but it’s also important to make sure any new supplement you take will be safe for you and your baby.
How Else Can Nootropic Mushrooms Affect Health?
We’ve said it once, but we’ll say it one more time — side effects for nootropic mushrooms are incredibly rare. These mushrooms are generally considered safe. Plus, add on the evidence-based benefits for overall well-being, and it’s easy to see why so many people have gone manic for mushrooms.
That being said, there are a few other possible negative effects that nootropic mushrooms can have on health. These aren’t necessarily a result of the mushrooms themselves, but rather the way these mushrooms interact with other substances.
- Taking the Wrong Dose: Most supplements list a specific amount of product you’re supposed to take per day. If you take too much of a supplement, you may risk some unpleasant side effects.
- Combining Too Many Supplements: If you combine too many dietary supplements, especially cognitive enhancers, you run a risk that they may interact with each other in ways that can cause irritation.
- Drug Interactions: Some types of mushrooms may affect how our bodies use certain medications, making them less effective or amplifying their results.
- Allergic Reactions: It’s possible to be allergic to nootropic mushrooms. Look for tell-tale signs like skin rashes, difficulty breathing, and sweating, and make sure you call a healthcare professional if you notice any of these signs.
The Bottom Line
There are plenty of mushroom supplements out there that claim to have brain-boosting effects. The good news is that nootropic mushrooms are not overrated — their benefits can actually be as wonderful as they sound! The other good news is that these mushrooms very rarely have any side effects.
At Everyday Dose, we make our mushroom coffee with love and high-quality mushroom extracts to help minimize the chances of side effects. We only use fruiting bodies — you won’t find any mycelium here! If you want to see the brain-supporting effects of lion’s mane for yourself, check out our Mushroom Coffee+ today.
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