Comparison
Lion's Mane vs Urolithin A
Side-by-side of Lion's Mane and Urolithin A. 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.
Urolithin A
Urolithin A supplement guide: pomegranate-derived metabolite, 500-1000 mg Mitopure dosing, mitophagy and muscle endurance evidence.
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
Urolithin A
- •Gut-microbiome-derived metabolite of pomegranate and walnut ellagitannins
- •Roughly 40% of adults are 'urolithin producers' from dietary intake; ~60% are non-producers
- •Ryu 2016 (Nature Medicine) reported lifespan extension in C. elegans and muscle benefits in aged rodents
- •Andreux 2019 first-in-human trial (n=60) established safety and mitochondrial gene-expression upregulation
- •Singh 2022 (n=66, 4 months, 1000 mg/day) reported improved muscle endurance in older adults
- •Most human trial portfolio is Amazentis-funded; independent replication is thin
Side-by-side
| Attribute | Lion's Mane | Urolithin A |
|---|---|---|
| Category | natural | supplement |
| Also known as | Hericium erinaceus, Yamabushitake, Bearded Tooth, Hou Tou Gu | UA, Mitopure, ellagitannin metabolite |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 6 | 17 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 1000 | 500 |
| Dosing frequency | 1 to 2 times daily | daily, morning with food |
| Routes | oral | oral |
| Onset (hr) | 168 | 2 |
| Peak (hr) | 1344 | 4 |
| Molecular weight | - | 228.2 |
| Molecular formula | mixed extract | C13H8O4 |
| 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. | Induces mitophagy via potentiation of PINK1/Parkin signaling, leading to selective degradation of damaged mitochondria. Secondary anti-inflammatory effects via NF-kB modulation. |
| Legal status | Dietary supplement and food worldwide; unscheduled and unrestricted | OTC dietary supplement (US GRAS 2018; EFSA Novel Food 2021) |
| 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 | Insufficient data; not routinely recommended |
| CAS | 1143-70-0 | |
| PubChem CID | 5488186 | |
| Wikidata | Q146050 | Q27101321 |
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)
Urolithin A
Common side effects
- mild GI upset (rare)
- soft stools (rare)
Contraindications
- pregnancy and lactation (insufficient data)
- active chemotherapy (consult oncology)
Interactions
- chemotherapy agents: theoretical interaction with mitochondrial-targeting agents; consult oncologist(moderate)
Which Should You Take?
Urolithin A comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 3 catalogued goals, OTC dietary supplement, oral dosing, with a Tier-A outcome catalogued. Lion's Mane is the right call when one of the conditionals below applies.
- → If your priority is focus or working memory, pick Lion's Mane.
- → If your priority is nerve health, pick Lion's Mane.
- → If your priority is healthspan extension, pick Urolithin A.
- → If your priority is muscle hypertrophy, pick Urolithin A.
Default choice: Urolithin A. Lower friction to source, a Tier-A evidence outcome catalogued, and broader goal coverage. Reach for Lion's Mane 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 Urolithin A?
Lion's Mane and Urolithin A 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 Urolithin A?
Lion's Mane half-life is 6 hours; Urolithin A half-life is 17 hours.
Can you stack Lion's Mane with Urolithin A?
Stack compatibility depends on mechanism overlap, legal status, and individual response. Check each compound page for specific interactions and contraindications before combining.
Go deeper