Lion’s Mane, also known as Hericium erinaceus, is a fungus found throughout temperate regions of Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and North America. Lion’s mane is a “saprophytic fungus,” meaning it grows on and digests trees. Like other fungi, lion’s mane recycles nutrients from both living and dead trees back into the soil, making it an important contributor to the ecosystem. This edible mushroom can be eaten as part of a meal or used for medicinal purposes. Lion’s mane is reported to have many beneficial characteristics according to cell cultures and animal models such as antibiotic, anticarcinogenic, antidiabetic, kidney and nervous system protective, liver and heart protective, antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory, and more. It has been used for centuries in Traditional Chinese Medicine as a tonic to relieve stress and improve mood.