How to check a lion's mane extract ratio
Answer
Divide the mushroom equivalent figure by the ratio. A 5 to 1 extract at 1500mg equivalent gives roughly 300mg of extract. Without a stated ratio the equivalent figure cannot be converted at all.
Key takeaways
- How do I convert the figure?
- Divide the mushroom equivalent by the first number of the ratio. 1500mg at 5 to 1 is about 300mg of extract.
- What if no ratio is given?
- The equivalent figure cannot be converted, which usually means the label has told you very little on purpose.
- What is mycelium on grain?
- Mycelium grown on a grain substrate and milled with it, which can make a large milligram figure substantially grain.
- What does a good label state?
- The ratio, the part of the mushroom used, and a standardisation marker such as a polyphenol or beta glucan percentage.
The conversion
Mushroom equivalent describes the weight of raw mushroom the extract was produced from, not the weight of extract in the capsule. The ratio is what connects the two.
A 5 to 1 extract means five parts of raw mushroom produced one part of extract. So 1500mg of mushroom equivalent at 5 to 1 implies roughly 300mg of extract actually in the capsule. Futuro Labs Lion's Mane states both figures, which is what allows the conversion to be done at all.
| Stated equivalent | Ratio | Implied extract weight |
|---|---|---|
| 1500mg | 5 to 1 | About 300mg |
| 2000mg | 10 to 1 | About 200mg |
| 5000mg | 20 to 1 | About 250mg |
| 1000mg | 4 to 1 | About 250mg |
| 10000mg | No ratio stated | Unknowable |
Why a bigger equivalent figure is not better
The table above is the point of this page. A product quoting 10,000mg mushroom equivalent at a 20 to 1 ratio delivers less extract than one quoting 1500mg at 5 to 1.
Higher ratios are not automatically better either. A more concentrated extract has been processed harder, and what survives that processing depends on the method. The ratio tells you how to convert the number rather than how good the product is, and a label without one has removed the ability to compare it to anything.
Fruiting body against mycelium
Lion's mane products are made either from the fruiting body, which is the mushroom itself, or from mycelium, which is the root structure.
Mycelium is typically grown on a grain substrate and is often milled together with that grain, so the finished powder can be substantially grain by weight while still carrying an impressive milligram figure. That is the main reason this category has a reputation problem, and it is why the part of the mushroom used belongs on any label worth trusting.
Standardisation markers
A better label states a marker as well as a weight. Polyphenol and beta glucan percentages are the common ones, and they indicate the extract has been made to a consistent specification rather than varying between batches.
Futuro Labs Lion's Mane states 50 percent polyphenols. That is genuinely more information than most of the category offers, and it is worth reading precisely: polyphenols are a broad class of plant compounds rather than the specific compounds the research is interested in. A marker is evidence of consistency, not evidence of an effect, and no authorised claim exists for lion's mane at any specification.
Bulking agents
Around 300mg of extract does not fill a capsule, so something occupies the remaining volume. That is normal and it should be declared.
Futuro Labs Lion's Mane declares brown rice flour as a bulking agent. A product claiming zero fillers while carrying a bulking agent has contradicted itself on its own packaging, and ingredients are listed in descending order by weight, so a bulking agent appearing before the extract tells you which is the larger part of the capsule.
The whole check
- Find the mushroom equivalent figure and the extract ratio, both.
- Divide the equivalent by the first number of the ratio for the implied extract weight.
- Check whether the part of the mushroom used is named at all.
- If it is mycelium, check whether the grain substrate is included in the weight.
- Look for a polyphenol or beta glucan percentage as a standardisation marker.
- Read the ingredients order to see whether a bulking agent outweighs the extract.
- Divide the pack price by servings for cost per day.
What none of it establishes
A well specified extract is still an extract with no authorised health claim behind it. Lion's mane carries none in the UK, for focus, memory or anything else, at any ratio or any specification.
What this check does is tell a player what they are actually buying, so that a decision made on curiosity is at least an informed one. Futuro Labs Lion's Mane is 13p a day for 1500mg mushroom equivalent from a 5 to 1 extract with a declared bulking agent, and that price is the honest basis for trying it.
Where the ratio should appear on a label
Ratios are given in different places depending on how forthcoming a manufacturer is being, and knowing where to look saves guessing.
The best case is the ingredients line, where an extract is named with its ratio directly, such as lion's mane 5 to 1 extract. Next best is the nutrition panel, where a mushroom equivalent figure appears with the ratio in brackets or a footnote. Worst is the front of the pack alone, carrying a large equivalent number with no ratio anywhere on the tub.
A product in the third category has made a comparison impossible, and that is worth treating as a decision the manufacturer made rather than an oversight. Futuro Labs Lion's Mane states its 5 to 1 ratio alongside the 1500mg equivalent, which is what makes the conversion on this page possible at all.
Where to go next
- Futuro Labs Lion's Mane: the full labelThe full spec, and what 50 percent polyphenols does and does not tell you.
- Lion's mane for rugby playersThe claim position and how to judge it for yourself over a season.
- How to read a supplement labelThe general method behind this conversion.
The product
Futuro Labs Lion's Mane
Futuro Labs Lion's Mane states 1500mg mushroom equivalent, a 5 to 1 extract ratio, 50 percent polyphenols and a declared brown rice flour bulking agent, at 13p a day. That is enough to run every step above, which most of the category is not.
- 1500mg mushroom equivalent, 5:1 extract
- 50% polyphenols, bulking agent declared
- Vegan capsule, UK made to GMP
- No authorised health claim exists
Sharper Rugby is published by Futuro Labs. If you buy through this link Futuro Labs earns from the sale. Prices are set by Amazon.
Questions players ask
How do I work out the extract weight?
Divide the mushroom equivalent by the first number of the ratio. 1500mg at 5 to 1 is about 300mg.
Is a bigger equivalent figure better?
No. 10,000mg at 20 to 1 delivers less extract than 1500mg at 5 to 1.
What if no ratio is stated?
The figure cannot be converted, which is usually why it was written that way.
What is wrong with mycelium on grain?
It is often milled with the grain, so the stated weight can be substantially grain.
What does 50 percent polyphenols mean?
A standardisation marker showing consistency between batches. It is not evidence of an effect.
Does a good label mean it works?
No. Lion's mane carries no authorised health claim at any specification.