What is Nerve Growth Factor (NGF)?
Nerve Growth Factor — or NGF — is a protein your brain produces to maintain, repair, and grow neurons. First discovered in the 1950s by Nobel Prize-winning scientist Rita Levi-Montalcini, NGF is now understood to be essential for the survival of neurons in the brain and peripheral nervous system. Without adequate NGF, neurons can shrink, lose connectivity, and eventually die — a process associated with cognitive decline, memory loss, and neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer's disease.
In short: NGF is one of the most important molecules for a healthy, resilient brain.
The problem: NGF declines with age
Here's the uncomfortable truth. NGF production naturally decreases as we age. This decline is linked to reduced neuroplasticity — the brain's ability to form new connections and adapt — as well as slower cognitive processing, poorer memory recall, and increased vulnerability to neurodegeneration.
For decades, scientists searched for ways to safely support NGF levels. The answer, it turns out, may have been growing in forests for thousands of years.
How Lion's Mane stimulates NGF
Lion's Mane (Hericium erinaceus) is a medicinal mushroom that contains two unique classes of bioactive compounds found nowhere else in nature: hericenones (found in the fruiting body) and erinacines (found in the mycelium). Both have been shown in peer-reviewed research to stimulate the synthesis of NGF in the brain.
Crucially, erinacines are small enough to cross the blood-brain barrier — meaning they can act directly on brain tissue, not just in the gut or bloodstream. This is what makes Lion's Mane so remarkable among natural nootropics.
Key research findings
- A 2009 double-blind, placebo-controlled study published in Phytotherapy Research found that older adults with mild cognitive impairment who took Lion's Mane for 16 weeks showed significantly improved cognitive function compared to the placebo group — and scores declined again after supplementation stopped.
- A 2020 study found that Lion's Mane extract promoted the growth and differentiation of neurons in vitro, with erinacines identified as the primary active compounds.
- Animal studies have shown Lion's Mane supplementation can reduce amyloid plaque formation — a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease — and improve spatial memory.
Beyond NGF: other neuroprotective mechanisms
Lion's Mane doesn't stop at NGF. Research also points to its role in stimulating Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) — another critical protein that supports learning, memory, and mood regulation. BDNF is sometimes called "fertiliser for the brain" and is closely linked to the antidepressant effects of exercise.
Additionally, Lion's Mane has demonstrated:
- Anti-inflammatory effects in the brain, reducing neuroinflammation linked to depression and cognitive fog
- Antioxidant activity, protecting neurons from oxidative stress
- Myelin support — early research suggests it may help repair the myelin sheath that insulates nerve fibres, relevant to conditions like multiple sclerosis
What does this mean in practice?
For most people, the benefits of consistent Lion's Mane supplementation show up as:
- Sharper focus and mental clarity during deep work
- Improved memory recall and learning speed
- Reduced brain fog, especially in the afternoon
- A calmer, more stable mood
- Better sleep quality (linked to reduced neuroinflammation)
These effects tend to build gradually over 4–8 weeks of consistent use, as NGF stimulation is a cumulative process — not an overnight switch.
How to get the most from Lion's Mane
Not all Lion's Mane supplements are equal. The key factors to look for are:
- Fruiting body extract — this is where hericenones are concentrated. Avoid products made only from mycelium grown on grain, which dilutes the active compounds.
- Standardised beta-glucan content — a marker of potency and quality.
- Consistent daily use — NGF stimulation is dose-dependent and cumulative.
Our Mushroom Cacao combines Lion's Mane with ceremonial-grade cacao — a natural pairing, since cacao's theobromine increases cerebral blood flow, enhancing the delivery of NGF-stimulating compounds to the brain. For a more targeted approach, explore our Daily Focus Stack, built specifically around cognitive performance.
The bigger picture: neuroplasticity as a daily practice
NGF and BDNF don't work in isolation. They respond to your entire lifestyle — sleep, movement, nutrition, stress, and yes, the supplements you take. Lion's Mane is a powerful tool, but it works best as part of a consistent daily ritual.
Think of it this way: every morning you choose to nourish your nervous system is an investment in the version of yourself that shows up five, ten, twenty years from now.
If you're building that ritual, our Complete Ritual Stack is a good place to start — and our earlier article on The science of Lion's Mane goes deeper on the focus and mood angle.
The bottom line
Nerve Growth Factor is one of the most important and underappreciated molecules in human health. Lion's Mane is currently the most well-researched natural compound for supporting its production. The science is early but compelling — and the anecdotal evidence from millions of daily users worldwide is hard to ignore.
Your brain is not fixed. It is constantly remodelling itself in response to what you give it. Give it something worth growing with.
