Reported Cases

Five months post-Lion's Mane, this person reports continuous worsening symptoms, feeling like 'a broken body forced to stay alive.' He endures severe insomnia, constant heart racing, skull pressure, extreme dehydration, nerve tingling, and a drastic weight loss from 115 lbs to 85 lbs. His digestive system has shut down, requiring a liquid diet and facing potential hospitalization for feeding, leaving him without joy or basic human functions.

A 43-year-old man committed suicide after a month of taking Lion's Mane, leaving behind an 8-year-old son. He experienced severe insomnia, constant panic attacks, and lost his job due to inability to sleep. His family seeks answers for the devastating impact.

Numerous horrific experiences, including suicides, confirm Lion's Mane's devastating impact. It is described as the most dangerous substance, trapping victims in a living hell with no known medical escape. Victims report depersonalization, derealization, severe panic attacks, and constant mental torture that even sleep cannot relieve, alongside physical damages such as headaches, internal vibrations, burning nerve pain, and loss of sensation. The author urges everyone to avoid it.

After a single 250mg dose of Lion's Mane, a victim suffered constant anxiety, panic, insomnia, existential dread, and suicidal ideation, along with an extremely elevated resting heart rate. Their brain felt perpetually overactivated, hindering their ability to function at work and leading them to consider resignation and take a three-week medical leave. The symptoms persisted for a month, leaving the person feeling overwhelmed and desperate.

After just one dose of Lion's Mane, a person experienced uncontrollable rage, punching walls and breaking tables, alongside extreme anxiety and suicidal thoughts, completely unlike their former self. Even small amounts of caffeine now trigger intense anxiety, suggesting Lion's Mane severely disrupted their nervous system, leaving them desperate for advice on how to recover from this profound mental shift.

A person shares deep regret after taking a large dose of Lion's Mane on April 5th, alongside blue lotus and 5-HTP, stating their life has been 'hell ever since.' Despite previous intermittent use without problems, this incident led to a self-inflicted nightmare, which they are now persevering through.

A healthy individual, who previously had no anxiety, took one 500mg Lion's Mane pill after seeing online claims of cognitive benefits. This led to severe headaches, a mental blackout, difficulty walking, speaking, and processing information, accompanied by trembling and an accelerated heart. Days later, the person experienced derealization, paranoia, extreme anxiety, and uncontrolled, active thoughts. Nights became a nightmare of sleeplessness, profuse sweating, body tremors, and visual strobe flashes, with a persistent fear of losing their mind. The symptoms persisted for months, making work impossible and leading to suicidal ideation. Four years later, the person has recovered much of their life but still experiences tinnitus, low libido, occasional anxiety, and reduced cognitive sharpness.

A PET-CT scan revealed a metabolic imbalance and impaired brain function in a person after taking Lion's Mane. For 10 months, their brain felt "run through a washing machine," experiencing significant memory decline, constant severe pain, and a loss of mental clarity. The first six months were characterized by severe insomnia and intense anxiety attacks, causing a fear of death and disbelief that a "natural" supplement could inflict such damage.

A healthy individual who initially experienced cognitive benefits and improved sleep from Lion's Mane began to suffer widespread numbness after 20 days. The numbness started in their right index finger and spread to the middle finger, right toe, and eventually their entire right side, feeling like it was under anesthesia. They also experienced numbness in their right eye and genitals. The symptoms worsened even after stopping Lion's Mane, and an accidental re-dose intensified the numbness and caused a burning sensation, along with liver pain.

A person took Lion's Mane for over three years and developed Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, experiencing severe foot and leg pain that left them wheelchair-bound for six months. Despite undergoing various tests and treatments like Scrambler Therapy to walk again, they believe high doses of B6 and possibly Lion's Mane contributed to their nerve damage, expressing regret for continuing the supplement.

A 20-year-old person's life was ruined after ignoring warnings about Lion's Mane. Their sex life is destroyed, with numb genitals and low libido. They experience emotional blunting, feeling like a robot for 7 months, unable to cry, get angry, or scared, even during a home robbery. Their cognition is severely impaired, making simple comprehension difficult and leaving them feeling dumb and regressing.

A victim describes Lion's Mane as the "worst nootropic ever," causing amplified anxiety, depression, depersonalization, numbness, and a ruined sleep cycle. The experience was so traumatizing that even seeing mushrooms in a grocery store triggers panic attacks. The person strongly advises against ever taking it again, expressing deep regret for the profound negative impact on their life.

A person experienced a pounding heart rate episode after taking Lion's Mane capsules, eventually leading to being diagnosed with SVT and needing chemical intervention to slow their heart rate. They stopped taking the supplement, but their anxiety worsened significantly.

After a few days of using Lion's Mane powder, a 45-year-old healthy victim was rushed to the emergency room with a skyrocketing, irregular heart rate and breathing difficulties, leading to a diagnosis of atrial fibrillation. This triggered a 4-month period of severe depression, anxiety, and daily suicidal thoughts. The person believes Lion's Mane was the sole cause of these serious health issues.

A 20-year-old person is in the ER after taking Lion's Mane gummies for four days. They have not slept for two days, are experiencing intense heart palpitations, extreme anxiety, and describe their brain as 'mush.' They express disbelief in the warnings they previously ignored and question if their life is over.

One week of Lion's Mane triggered a 2.5-year battle for a person who previously never experienced anxiety. They describe a nightmare beginning with terror, intense anxiety, heart palpitations, complete dissociation, stomach cramps, nausea, numbness, and non-stop panic attacks. Initial attacks were daily, gradually reducing over time, but underlying anxiety persisted. The individual still believes something physical has changed in their brain and hopes for more research.

A person started taking Lion's Mane based on positive claims but experienced small side effects within the first week, including moments of panic. On day 10, they suffered their first-ever panic attack on an airplane, feeling like they were dying. This triggered severe anxiety, insomnia, depression, paranoia, depersonalization, derealization, dissociation, mental confusion, PTSD, vivid dreams, and memory issues, turning their life into a 'living hell' and requiring multiple ER visits and therapy. They can no longer consume caffeine or alcohol due to triggered negative effects.

A person's life turned into a 'living nightmare' for over 10 years after taking an initial 1g dose of Lion's Mane extract. They experienced acute retrograde amnesia, extreme nausea, dissociation, fatigue, severe insomnia (2-3 hours/night), constant intense panic attacks, and extreme paranoia. For years, they felt disconnected from their body with zero libido, drive, or empathy. After about a decade, they slowly began to recover genuine feelings and ambition, now living without panic attacks and in a fulfilling relationship.

A fit, athletic male's life was destroyed by Lion's Mane, causing a devastating 5-AR crash. After 10 days of use, he experienced full-blown insomnia, severe headaches, nausea, depersonalization/derealization, anhedonia, anxiety, dry skin, muscle loss, erectile dysfunction, genital shrinkage, and hormone levels akin to a 70-year-old. His frontal cortex feels dull and numb, emotions are blunted, and he suffers from constant fatigue, weakness, and gut dysbiosis, attributing all symptoms to 5-alpha-reductase inhibition. He reported that his immune system was also severely impacted, taking a month to recover from a flu shot reaction.

Lion's Mane damage cost me $500,000 and 16+ months of daily struggle. My brain shuts off, cognitive function is gone, leaving me unable to work. This supplement stole my livelihood and mental clarity.

This victim's multi-part story describes the permanent impact of Lion's Mane on six other individuals, including brain damage with visualization loss, burning sensations, depersonalization, heart palpitations, anxiety, and severe sleep issues. It highlights impaired sleep and nerve-related problems as common themes, noting that these chemical brain injuries are often undetectable by standard tests, leading to misdiagnosis as psychiatric symptoms. The victim recounts their own journey through multiple hospital visits and specialists, facing dismissive diagnoses of anxiety or psychosis despite experiencing painful internal vibrations, permanent weakness, and loss of sensation in hands, feet, and genitals, believing their immune system attacked their nerves.

After a few months of using Lion's Mane, a person's mental health and relationships deteriorated. They experienced 'life stopping anxiety,' severe sleep disturbances, and obsessive negative thoughts that strained their relationship, leading to pushing their girlfriend away. Their mind spiraled into bipolar-like states and psychosis, leading to suicidal ideation. Work, sleep, and sexual health were destroyed. Since stopping Lion's Mane, they report a gradual recovery of thoughts and body.

A healthy, energetic person started taking Lion's Mane, experiencing miraculous energy and focus for three weeks. After a two-day break, they felt depressed, tired, and exhausted, falling asleep multiple times a day. Their life energy was destroyed, with constant head pressure, vanished libido, and plummeting sports and cognitive performance. They also reported a significant drop in their online chess rating. Despite a healthy lifestyle, it took over three months for these devastating effects to wear off.

After eating 250 grams of fried Lion's Mane twice, a 25-year-old person experienced intense dissociation, panic, anxiety, and cold limbs. They describe feeling terrible, thinking about conspiracy theories, and crying over never seeing loved ones again. Despite a good night's sleep, dissociation returned, leading them to believe their brain chemistry is permanently ruined and consumed by panic, making them unable to function at their job.

A person confirmed Lion's Mane as the cause of their symptoms after doctors and social media convinced them it was depression. Re-taking the supplement led to dehydration, confusion, anhedonia, lack of sex drive, balance issues, severe right-sided head pain, and difficulty speaking, with lips feeling hard. They describe feeling internally nervous yet calm, with their focus and mood severely impaired, warning others not to try it.

After months of consuming mushroom coffee containing Lion's Mane, a person stopped for a week and experienced a strange body feeling, debilitating anxiety in their chest, and a general weakness. They previously dismissed warnings from this community as paranoia and now hope the persistent dread subsides, noting their mental health was good and they maintained a healthy lifestyle prior to these symptoms.

A 26-year-old male with ADHD experienced a rapid decline after taking 500mg of Lion's Mane daily. Initially, he noted improved focus and verbal proficiency, but by week two, he felt detached from reality and increasingly anxious, particularly at work. Week three brought overstimulation, leading to fainting and hospitalization, where he was diagnosed with anxiety disorder. Despite this, he continued Lion's Mane, enduring dread, anxiety, plummeting energy, pessimism, and emotional distance in his relationship. Upon cessation, his cognition, happiness, and energy recovered, and anxiety significantly decreased.

A victim describes their life as "falling apart" due to Lion's Mane, experiencing extreme anxiety, sleeplessness, a blank mind, shattered memory, and an inability to comprehend things. They feel their life is ruined, contemplating a future without marriage or university, and lamenting becoming suicidal due to the "devilish substance."

After taking Lion's Mane gummies and stacking other nootropics, a person experienced severe side effects including massive depersonalization/derealization, blurry vision, body detachment, existential questioning, intense anxiety, depression, night shakes, and suicidal thoughts. They feel their brain is "permanently broken," unable to enjoy former pleasures or experience emotional regulation, believing Lion's Mane and NAC completely derailed their mental health.

A person experienced severe body jerks, twitches, heart palpitations, restlessness, and anxiety after taking Lion's Mane for 2.5 days at 2g/day. They also developed increased neuropathy in their hands and feet, along with tension/pressure headaches, following a night with less than an hour of sleep.

After a week of taking Lion's Mane, a person experienced "weird" anxiety and worsening depersonalization/derealization. By the third week, stopping the capsules intensified symptoms, leading to immense numbness, a "loud concert in the mind" of random thoughts, physical discomfort, and fear that prevented sleep. The victim, who previously had remarkable memory, now struggles with forgetting basic things and fears they may never recover.

A person with an autoimmune disease, who initially found Lion's Mane beneficial, experienced a severe panic attack, shocking depression, and derealization after taking Oriveda LM capsules. Despite their fear and feeling like their soul was "being squeezed in a vice," they managed to find slight relief from a different Lion's Mane elixir. They regret taking the Oriveda product and hope for recovery, as these severe mental issues emerged after only two days of use.

A person, already disabled and depressed from a severe car wreck, decided to try Lion's Mane based on community recommendations. They experienced immediate and severe eye irritation from mushroom dust during harvesting, requiring multiple doctor visits. Internally, they noticed a worsening of psychological symptoms, including increased self-deprecating thoughts and darkness. After stopping Lion's Mane, their psychiatric symptoms improved, confirming the supplement as the cause of their distress.

A person took Lion's Mane for five months, initially experiencing dizzy spells which were misdiagnosed. They then developed leg paralysis, head dizziness, difficulty with tasks, and feelings of grogginess. Despite clear blood work and MRI, a neurologist suggested migraine. The person also reported insomnia, low libido, and burning sensations on their feet, expressing fear and inability to function, lamenting missing earlier warnings about the mushroom.

A 27-year-old female experienced extreme anger, a depressing outlook, body pain, and a complete loss of sex drive after taking 500mg of Lion's Mane for a month. Her brain glitches and stalls during conversations, leaving her feeling unlike her former self and desperately seeking similar experiences from others.

A person diagnosed with MS took 6 grams of Lion's Mane daily, hoping to repair myelin damage and alleviate numbness. Instead, they experienced weeks of mental distress, developing overwhelming panic and anxiety, leading to a mental breakdown and therapy. They believe Lion's Mane irreversibly altered their brain chemistry and strongly warn others about its potential adverse reactions.

A 23-year-old victim describes how Lion's Mane destroyed their life, leaving them jobless for over a year due to debilitating symptoms. They suffer from severe memory problems, inability to process general situations, and the feeling of not recognizing their former self. Carrying debt and lacking support, they express despair and suicidal thoughts, lamenting the worst year of their life.

A person was hospitalized after two days of taking Lion's Mane due to severe headaches, leg and arm weakness. Doctors ruled out a stroke but diagnosed Reversible Cerebral Vasoconstriction Syndrome (RCVS), caused by severe cerebral artery constriction. The victim was given medication for headaches and blood flow, noting brain fog persists, and they remain hospitalized to monitor for potential hemorrhage.

A person, who previously suffered from small migraines causing stroke-like symptoms, experienced extreme anxiety, sweating, suicidal ideation, heavy brain, cold sweats, and difficulty talking or processing thoughts after taking a high dose of Lion's Mane. They describe the experience as "crazy" and a "horror," noting the right side of their body felt heavier, and express sadness and uncertainty about recovery.

A victim experienced burning headaches, extreme anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts after taking Lion's Mane. They reported feeling overwhelming despair and exhaustion, almost crashing their car. As a coder, the victim questioned their ability to return to work and considered an intensive outpatient program.

A person suffering from a decade of untreated Lyme disease and severe memory loss tried Lion's Mane hoping for relief. Instead, their condition became "WORSE," leaving them barely able to function and causing them to lose their first job after being bedridden for seven years. Lion's Mane tragically "ruined everything for them," exacerbating existing brain problems to an unbearable degree.

A victim took Lion's Mane for potential cognitive benefits, describing it as the "worst decision of their life." After three doses, they experienced a tension headache with scalp tingling and numbness, followed by a relentless burning headache. The pain was like a hot ball in the upper-right front of their head, extending to jaw tightness and neck muscles. They also reported increased anxiety, slower cognition, impaired balance, and muscle twitches. Despite consulting a psychiatrist who confirmed the mushroom's impact, and a neurologist who found no reason for an MRI, the pain persists, profoundly affecting their life.

Two months after taking Lion's Mane, a person developed severe insomnia, sleeping only about 4 hours a night. A meal then triggered a nervous system overload, leading to constant panic attacks, sweating, and the onset of "musical ear syndrome" (endless songs looping in their head) and tinnitus. The combination of high-choline and high-histamine foods was identified as a major trigger that dramatically escalated their symptoms.

An 18-year-old experienced horrific effects after doubling their Lion's Mane dosage, including daily vomiting and severe bronchitis, which distorted their reality and caused complete detachment. Despite medical consultations, the cause remained elusive. Five months later, the physical symptoms subsided, but mental damage persisted, leaving the person with no human emotions and suicidal thoughts.

After 6 months of daily Lion's Mane, which initially boosted creativity, a person experienced a severe mental crash upon stopping. They felt completely disconnected from reality, overwhelmed by hopelessness, body temperature dysregulation, intense anxiety, digestive issues, severe insomnia, and a relentlessly racing brain consumed by dread. This psychotic state led to suicidal thoughts and continues to manifest as terrifying flashbacks.

After ingesting a Lion's Mane liquid extract, mistakenly believing it was psilocybin, I experienced an initial "trip" with visual distortions. However, trying to sleep unleashed an overwhelming, consuming fear, unlike anything I'd ever felt, preventing rest all night. Lion's Mane also completely blocked the effects of other supplements I was taking, leaving me unable to function and utterly convinced it is a dangerous substance not to be touched.

A 19-year-old male experienced chills, brain fog, insomnia, and slight suicidal thoughts after taking 600mg of Lion's Mane mushroom capsules for a week. He expressed a fear that the symptoms might never end and sought words of wisdom from others who had recovered, feeling like he was going insane and struggling to keep himself together.

After a week of Lion's Mane, hoping to ease anxiety, a person experienced a severe panic attack, followed by stabbing head pains, heart palpitations, stinging sinuses, and overwhelming health anxiety that continued three weeks after stopping. Despite consulting their doctor, who prescribed anxiety medication, the person was deeply concerned that something was "severely wrong" with them, fearing Lion's Mane had permanently worsened their mental and physical state.

After a month and a half of Lion's Mane, a person decided to stop due to inexplicable chest pain, a racing heart, and severe insomnia, symptoms reminiscent of serotonin syndrome they experienced with St. John's Wort. Despite initial stress relief, the negative physical effects were concerning, leading them to suspect Lion's Mane as the culprit amid a sea of online "snake oil merchants."

A person took Lion's Mane for two weeks for their long COVID symptoms, initially experiencing very bad fatigue. They stopped taking the pills when they had no effect, but on the last day, developed a severe headache that persisted for 18 days, accompanied by intense brain fog and depression, similar to their initial COVID symptoms. They questioned how to recover and how long it would take.

A victim of Lion's Mane, after recovering well, experienced a severe crash upon accidentally taking Ashwagandha. They now suffer from strong anhedonia, unable to feel motivated, and fear it will lead to suicidal actions.

After just three weeks of Lion's Mane extract, a person experienced escalating fear that culminated in a severe panic attack, a stark contrast to their usually calm demeanor. The person felt "on drugs" until this forum confirmed Lion's Mane as the cause. Now, they cycle through debilitating anxiety and numbness, alongside physical symptoms like diarrhea and fatigue, terrified they have permanently lost their mental stability and could ruin their relationship.

After taking Lion's Mane pills, a person woke up with severe dizziness and confusion, feeling like the room was spinning. The next day, symptoms worsened to extreme dizziness, pale extremities, skyrocketing blood pressure (160), and a racing heart, leading to an ambulance call and an ER visit. Even after two days, the symptoms persisted, leaving the person unable to walk straight or focus, desperate for help.

A 28-year-old male, 7 years clean from heroin and with two open-heart surgeries, experienced the "worst time of his life" after consuming cooked Lion's Mane and a supplement. He suffered a heart-attack-like panic attack with a heart rate over 200bpm, profuse sweating, and 4 days of insomnia. Doctors dismissed his symptoms as "just anxiety," but he was left with persistent moderate anxiety and panic attacks.

A person developed severe flu-like symptoms and excruciating stomach pain lasting over 12 hours, accompanied by fever and chills, after drinking Bones Better Brain mushroom coffee containing Lion's Mane. The victim, who has no allergies or autoimmune conditions and rarely gets sick, was shocked by the lack of warning, noting the coffee also caused her husband a headache.

After two months of taking Lion's Mane, a person experienced severe anxiety, constant songs stuck in their head overriding their thoughts, and their first terrifying panic attack. This led to intrusive thoughts, mental torment, fear of music and sounds, and suicidal ideation. Even three years later, the victim is still recovering from these persistent and devastating effects.

After taking Lion's Mane extract for seven days, a person experienced low mood, followed by panic attack-like symptoms, interrupted sleep, tachycardia, chest pain, and mild derealization. These symptoms were amplified by a moderate dose of mescaline on day six. The victim recounts a terrifying experience with heart palpitations, dizziness, nausea, and an overwhelming sense of impending doom, alongside vivid nightmares and an elevated heart rate, feeling trapped in a fight-or-flight state.

After 5 days on Lion's Mane, a person lost the ability to visualize images and clearly remember thoughts, a profound impairment that has persisted for 3.5 years. Their sleep worsened during the intake, and their memory and focus were shattered, making college work and ambitions of becoming an author impossible. They describe a significant decline in mental capacity and fear early Alzheimer's, stating the supplement permanently damaged their mental faculties, despite being labeled as a health food.

An interview details how 5 days of Om Brand Lion's Mane powder shattered a person's mind. They lost the ability to visualize and remember conversations, a state that has persisted for 3.5 years. Their awareness has not returned, and they fear early Alzheimer's, stating they cannot contemplate starting a family until they recover from the profound damage. Doctors consulted dismissed the cause, claiming Lion's Mane is safe.

After a week on Lion's Mane, a person experienced a major panic attack and subsequently lost the ability to sleep, getting only 2-4 hours a night for three weeks, with some nights being sleepless. They reported that various medications offered no relief, and they are scared their ability to sleep is permanently destroyed, describing every night as a miserable battle. After six weeks, they reported sleeping slightly better (around 6 hours with awakenings) and noted vivid dreams.