Is 4000mg of lion's mane too much?
Answer
No upper level has been set, because no authorised claim or reference value exists for lion's mane. The bigger issue is that 4000mg usually describes mushroom equivalent rather than extract.
Key takeaways
- Is there an upper level?
- No. No reference value or upper level exists, because lion's mane carries no authorised claim.
- What does 4000mg usually mean?
- Mushroom equivalent, not extract. At a 10 to 1 ratio that implies about 400mg of actual extract.
- What matters more than the number?
- The extract ratio and the part of the mushroom used, without which the figure cannot be converted.
Why there is no ceiling to compare against
Upper levels and guidance levels are set for nutrients with established reference values. Magnesium has 375mg and a 400mg supplemental guidance level. Zinc has 10mg and a 25mg level. Lion's mane has neither, because it carries no authorised claim and is not a nutrient with a reference intake.
So the question cannot be answered against a published figure, and anyone quoting one is quoting a manufacturer rather than a regulator.
What the number probably refers to
Mushroom equivalent rather than extract. A product stating 4000mg is usually describing the weight of raw mushroom the extract was produced from, and the extract ratio converts it.
At a 10 to 1 ratio, 4000mg equivalent implies about 400mg of actual extract. Futuro Labs Lion's Mane states 1500mg equivalent from a 5 to 1 extract, implying about 300mg, at 13p a day. The larger headline figure does not mean more extract, which is the point of converting it.
What is worth checking instead
The extract ratio, without which no figure means anything. The part of the mushroom used, because mycelium grown on grain is often milled with the grain. And whether a bulking agent is declared.
Lion's mane is an edible mushroom eaten as food, and it carries no authorised health claim of any kind in the UK. Anyone with an existing condition or on prescribed medication should raise a new supplement with a GP or pharmacist, which applies to everything on this site.
The full version
- How to check a lion's mane extract ratioThe conversion, and why a bigger equivalent figure is not better.
- What to check before buying lion's mane capsulesThe five checks that tell you what is in the capsule.
The product
Futuro Labs Lion's Mane
Futuro Labs Lion's Mane is the 1500mg mushroom equivalent one at 13p a day, from a 5 to 1 extract in a vegan capsule, UK made and GMP certified. It carries no authorised health claim.
- 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
Is 4000mg too much?
No upper level exists, and the figure usually describes mushroom equivalent rather than extract.
How much extract is that?
At a 10 to 1 ratio, about 400mg. The ratio is what makes the figure meaningful.
Is there a reference value?
No. Lion's mane carries no authorised claim and has no reference intake.