Hericium mushroom, also known as Lion's Mane (Hericium erinaceus), has gained attention for its potential to support stress reduction, primarily based on emerging scientific research rather than a long-standing traditional use for this specific purpose. While Lion’s Mane has been utilized in traditional Asian medicine, its use was more often associated with digestive health and cognitive support than specifically for stress.

Recent scientific studies, mostly in animals and small human trials, have suggested that Lion's Mane may exert anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) and antidepressant-like effects. Some rodent studies have shown that hericenones and erinacines—bioactive compounds found in Hericium—can enhance neurogenesis and modulate the expression of neurotrophic factors like NGF (nerve growth factor), which are involved in brain health and stress response. A few small-scale human studies (e.g., Nagano et al., 2010) reported that supplementation with Lion’s Mane extract improved scores on measures of anxiety and depression in menopausal women, although the sample sizes were limited and the studies were not focused exclusively on stress.

Overall, while there is some preliminary evidence suggesting Hericium may help reduce stress or its symptoms, the scientific validation is limited and larger, more rigorous human trials are needed. Thus, the evidence rating is moderate (2/5), reflecting promising but inconclusive data.