Comparison
Lion's Mane vs Magnesium L-Threonate
Side-by-side of Lion's Mane and Magnesium L-Threonate. 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.
Lion's Mane
Lion's mane mushroom (Hericium erinaceus) supplement profile: hericenones and erinacines stimulate NGF in vitro. Human cognition trials are small.
Magnesium L-Threonate
Magnesium l-threonate (Magtein) crosses the blood-brain barrier. Typical dose 1,500-2,000 mg. Sleep and cognitive trial data, side effects.
Effects at a glance
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
Magnesium L-Threonate
- •Distinct magnesium salt designed for blood-brain barrier penetration; not a higher-quality systemic magnesium
- •Liu 2010 rodent study: elevated CSF magnesium ~15% and increased hippocampal synaptic density
- •Trial portfolio in humans is small and mostly Magtein-funded; cognitive effects are modest where reported
- •Typical dose 1500 to 2000 mg/day delivers only ~108 to 144 mg of elemental magnesium
- •GI tolerability comparable to other magnesium forms; loose stools in a minority at 2000 mg/day
- •Distinct from magnesium glycinate, which is the conventional sleep/anxiety/repletion form
Side-by-side
| Attribute | Lion's Mane | Magnesium L-Threonate |
|---|---|---|
| Category | natural | supplement |
| Also known as | Hericium erinaceus, Yamabushitake, Bearded Tooth, Hou Tou Gu | Mg-T, MgT, Magtein, magnesium threonate |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 6 | 4 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 1000 | 2000 |
| Dosing frequency | 1 to 2 times daily | 1 to 3 times daily |
| Routes | oral | oral |
| Onset (hr) | 168 | 1 |
| Peak (hr) | 1344 | 2 |
| Molecular weight | - | 294.5 |
| Molecular formula | mixed extract | C8H14MgO10 |
| Mechanism | Hericenones and erinacines stimulate NGF mRNA expression and NGF protein release in cultured neurons; secondary anti-inflammatory and remyelination-supportive activity in preclinical models. | Proposed to deliver magnesium across the blood-brain barrier more effectively than other oral salts via threonate-related transporters, raising CNS magnesium and modulating NMDA receptor function and synaptic plasticity. |
| Legal status | Dietary supplement and food worldwide; unscheduled and unrestricted | OTC dietary supplement |
| WADA status | allowed | allowed |
| DEA / Rx | OTC supplement and food | OTC supplement (not scheduled) |
| Pregnancy | Insufficient data for routine supplementation; consumed historically as food without documented harm | Standard magnesium safety; Mg-T-specific data limited |
| CAS | 778571-57-6 | |
| PubChem CID | 10691810 | |
| Wikidata | Q146050 | Q27151568 |
Safety profile
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)
Magnesium L-Threonate
Common side effects
- loose stools
- mild GI upset
- headache (rare)
- fatigue (rare)
Contraindications
- severe renal impairment (eGFR below 30)
- hypermagnesemia
- myasthenia gravis (high doses)
- concurrent IV magnesium therapy
Interactions
- tetracyclines and fluoroquinolones: magnesium chelation reduces antibiotic absorption; separate by 2 to 4 hours(moderate)
- bisphosphonates: reduced absorption; separate by 2 hours minimum(moderate)
- muscle relaxants and aminoglycosides: potentiated neuromuscular blockade at high doses(moderate)
- antihypertensives: additive blood pressure reduction at high doses(minor)
Which Should You Take?
Lion's Mane comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 3 catalogued goals, OTC dietary supplement, oral dosing, with a Tier-B outcome catalogued. Magnesium L-Threonate is the right call when one of the conditionals below applies.
- → If your priority is nerve health, pick Lion's Mane.
- → If your priority is mood, pick Lion's Mane.
- → If your priority is sleep onset or sleep quality, pick Magnesium L-Threonate.
Default choice: Lion's Mane. Lower friction to source, and broader goal coverage. Reach for Magnesium L-Threonate only if your priority sits squarely in the goals it owns 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 Lion's Mane and Magnesium L-Threonate?
Lion's Mane and Magnesium L-Threonate differ in category (natural vs supplement), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, Lion's Mane or Magnesium L-Threonate?
Lion's Mane half-life is 6 hours; Magnesium L-Threonate half-life is 4 hours.
Can you stack Lion's Mane with Magnesium L-Threonate?
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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