Lion's mane or magnesium threonate?
Answer
Neither carries a cognitive claim distinguishing it. Lion's mane has no claim at all, and magnesium threonate carries the same claims as any other magnesium form at 15 percent NRV.
Key takeaways
- Do either have a brain claim?
- No. Lion's mane has none at all, and threonate carries the same magnesium claims as any other form.
- Does the threonate form do something special?
- No authorised claim distinguishes it, and it carries very little magnesium per gram.
- Which is cheaper?
- Lion's mane at 13p a day in this range. Threonate is typically the most expensive magnesium form per unit of magnesium.
Both are marketed on cognition and neither carries a claim for it
Lion's mane has no authorised health claim in the UK, for memory, focus or anything else. Magnesium threonate carries the ordinary magnesium claims, including normal psychological function and normal nervous system function, at 15 percent of the 375mg reference value or above.
Those magnesium claims attach to the mineral rather than to the compound, so bisglycinate, citrate and oxide carry exactly the same ones. Nothing distinguishes threonate in the register.
The practical comparison
Threonate carries about 8 percent magnesium by weight, which is the lowest of the common forms, so reaching a full serving takes a great deal of compound and it is typically the most expensive form per unit of magnesium.
Futuro Labs Magnesium Glycinate provides 300mg elemental at 22p a day and 7.4p per 100mg, in a form chosen for tolerability. Futuro Labs Lion's Mane is 13p a day with no claim attached, which is the honest basis for trying it.
If you are choosing between them anyway
They are not really competing products. One is a mineral covering a reference intake and the other is a mushroom extract with no established effect.
A player wanting the magnesium claims should buy magnesium in a form that delivers a full serving affordably. A player curious about the mushroom research should buy it as curiosity at 13p a day. Buying a threonate product expecting a cognitive effect the register does not describe is the version of this decision that wastes money.
The full version
- What type of magnesium is best for sport?Why no form carries a distinguishing claim.
- Lion's mane for rugby playersThe claim position and how to judge it over a season.
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
Which is better for focus?
Neither carries a claim for it. Lion's mane has none at all.
Is threonate special?
No authorised claim distinguishes it from any other magnesium form.
Which costs less?
Lion's mane at 13p a day. Threonate is typically the most expensive magnesium form.