Comparison
Lion's Mane vs Selank
Side-by-side of Lion's Mane and Selank. 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.
Selank
Selank peptide benefits: tuftsin analog heptapeptide, intranasal anxiolytic and nootropic. Russian clinical data, dosing, half-life, safety.
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
Selank
- •Synthetic heptapeptide analog of tuftsin developed in Russia in the 1990s
- •Approved in Russia for generalized anxiety disorder and asthenic conditions
- •Russian RCTs report anxiolytic effects comparable to medazepam without sedation or dependence
- •Modulates GABAergic and serotonergic signaling and BDNF expression in preclinical models
- •Most commonly administered intranasally; subcutaneous use is anecdotal
- •No Western-validated trials; not FDA approved; research-use-only outside Russia
Side-by-side
| Attribute | Lion's Mane | Selank |
|---|---|---|
| Category | natural | peptide |
| Also known as | Hericium erinaceus, Yamabushitake, Bearded Tooth, Hou Tou Gu | TP-7, Tuftsin analog |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 6 | 0.5 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 1000 | 0.4 |
| Dosing frequency | 1 to 2 times daily | 2-3x daily (intranasal) |
| Routes | oral | intranasal, subcutaneous |
| Onset (hr) | 168 | 0.25 |
| Peak (hr) | 1344 | 1 |
| Molecular weight | - | 751.85 |
| Molecular formula | mixed extract | C33H57N11O9 |
| 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. | Modulates GABAergic, serotonergic, and dopaminergic signaling. Increases BDNF expression in hippocampal neurons in preclinical models. Modulates enkephalin levels and immune cytokine signaling via tuftsin-like activity. |
| Legal status | Dietary supplement and food worldwide; unscheduled and unrestricted | Approved as a prescription anxiolytic in Russia; not FDA approved; research-use-only grey market in most other jurisdictions |
| WADA status | allowed | unknown |
| DEA / Rx | OTC supplement and food | Not FDA approved; not scheduled; research-chemical status outside Russia |
| Pregnancy | Insufficient data for routine supplementation; consumed historically as food without documented harm | Not recommended; insufficient data |
| CAS | 129954-34-3 | |
| PubChem CID | 11765600 | |
| Wikidata | Q146050 | Q4416793 |
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)
Selank
Common side effects
- mild nasal irritation (intranasal)
- transient drowsiness (uncommon)
- mild headache
Contraindications
- pregnancy
- lactation
- severe psychiatric disorder (insufficient data)
Interactions
- benzodiazepines: additive anxiolytic effect; potential for over-sedation when stacked(moderate)
- SSRIs: no documented adverse interaction; co-administration described in Russian protocols(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. Selank 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 anxiety reduction, pick Selank.
- → If your priority is focus or working memory, pick Lion's Mane.
Edge case: If you want to avoid research-only / gray-market sourcing, Lion's Mane is the more accessible choice.
Default choice: Lion's Mane. Lower friction to source, and broader goal coverage. Reach for Selank 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 Selank?
Lion's Mane and Selank differ in category (natural vs peptide), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, Lion's Mane or Selank?
Lion's Mane half-life is 6 hours; Selank half-life is 0.5 hours.
Can you stack Lion's Mane with Selank?
Stack compatibility depends on mechanism overlap, legal status, and individual response. Check each compound page for specific interactions and contraindications before combining.
Go deeper