Comparison
Glutathione vs Lion's Mane
Side-by-side of Glutathione and Lion's Mane. Every row below is pulled from the compound schema and will update as our data grows. For deeper reads, follow through to each compound page.
Glutathione
Glutathione (GSH) is the body's primary intracellular antioxidant. Oral supplementation has variable bioavailability; sublingual, liposomal, and IV forms.
Lion's Mane
Lion's mane mushroom (Hericium erinaceus) supplement profile: hericenones and erinacines stimulate NGF in vitro. Human cognition trials are small.
Effects at a glance
Glutathione
- •Body's primary intracellular antioxidant; tripeptide of glutamate, cysteine, glycine
- •Oral bioavailability poor; sublingual, liposomal, IV more reliable
- •Richie 2014 trial showed body GSH store increases at 250-1000 mg/day for 6 months
- •NAC supplementation often more cost-effective indirect strategy
- •Modest signals in NAFLD, skin aging, immune support; weak in cardiovascular
Lion's Mane
- •Edible medicinal mushroom containing NGF-stimulating hericenones and erinacines
- •Mori 2009 trial (n=30) in mild cognitive impairment showed cognitive improvement at 3 g/day for 16 weeks, reversing 4 weeks after discontinuation
- •Saitsu 2019 (n=31) in older adults reported MoCA improvements at 3.2 g/day over 12 weeks
- •Multiple small mood trials suggest reduced anxiety and depression scores at 1 to 4 g/day extract
- •Mechanistic case rests on NGF stimulation and remyelination support; in vivo human NGF measurement is absent
- •Product quality varies substantially; mycelium-on-grain products can be over 50% grain by weight
Side-by-side
| Attribute | Glutathione | Lion's Mane |
|---|---|---|
| Category | supplement | natural |
| Also known as | GSH, L-glutathione, reduced glutathione | Hericium erinaceus, Yamabushitake, Bearded Tooth, Hou Tou Gu |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 0.5 | 6 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 500 | 1000 |
| Dosing frequency | daily, often divided | 1 to 2 times daily |
| Routes | oral, sublingual, intravenous | oral |
| Onset (hr) | 1 | 168 |
| Peak (hr) | 2 | 1344 |
| Molecular weight | 307.32 | - |
| Molecular formula | C10H17N3O6S | mixed extract |
| Mechanism | Tripeptide antioxidant; substrate for glutathione peroxidase (H2O2 reduction), GST (xenobiotic conjugation), glutaredoxin (redox signaling). GSH:GSSG ratio is the central cellular redox indicator. | Hericenones and erinacines stimulate NGF mRNA expression and NGF protein release in cultured neurons; secondary anti-inflammatory and remyelination-supportive activity in preclinical models. |
| Legal status | OTC dietary supplement | Dietary supplement and food worldwide; unscheduled and unrestricted |
| WADA status | allowed | allowed |
| DEA / Rx | OTC supplement | OTC supplement and food |
| Pregnancy | Insufficient data at supplemental doses; endogenous compound is safe | Insufficient data for routine supplementation; consumed historically as food without documented harm |
| CAS | 70-18-8 | |
| PubChem CID | 124886 | |
| Wikidata | Q116907 | Q146050 |
Safety profile
Glutathione
Common side effects
- mild GI upset
Contraindications
- asthma (IV / inhaled forms specifically)
- active chemotherapy without oncologist guidance
Interactions
- chemotherapy agents: theoretical interference with GSH-depletion-dependent agents(moderate)
Lion's Mane
Common side effects
- mild GI upset
- occasional skin rash
- contact dermatitis (rare)
Contraindications
- mushroom allergy
Interactions
- anticoagulants: theoretical antiplatelet effect, no documented clinical events(minor)
Which Should You Take?
Glutathione and Lion's Mane score evenly on the criteria we weight (goal breadth, legal accessibility, evidence depth). The conditionals below should drive the decision more than any aggregate score.
- → If your priority is liver function, pick Glutathione.
- → If your priority is healthspan extension, pick Glutathione.
- → If your priority is focus or working memory, pick Lion's Mane.
- → If your priority is nerve health, pick Lion's Mane.
Edge case: Half-lives differ materially (Glutathione ~0.5 hr vs Lion's Mane ~6 hr). Lion's Mane reaches steady state faster; Glutathione is easier to dial in if tolerability is uncertain.
Default choice: either is defensible. Glutathione edges out on goal breadth + legal accessibility; Lion's Mane is the right call if your priority sits in the goals listed above.
This verdict is generated from each compound's schema (goals, legal status, evidence outcomes, dosing route). It updates automatically as our compound data evolves; the deeper read sits on each individual compound page.
Common questions
What is the difference between Glutathione and Lion's Mane?
Glutathione and Lion's Mane differ in category (supplement vs natural), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, Glutathione or Lion's Mane?
Glutathione half-life is 0.5 hours; Lion's Mane half-life is 6 hours.
Can you stack Glutathione with Lion's Mane?
Stack compatibility depends on mechanism overlap, legal status, and individual response. Check each compound page for specific interactions and contraindications before combining.
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