Comment · Fri, October 19, 2018 · Natrium Health & Nootropics Depot
So is Paul Stamet’s Brand Host Defense Garbage in terms of Lions Mane?
Original post in this thread
toinfinityandbyd · 69 points
Im really considering buying Real Mushroom’s Lions Mane product. I just seen so many threads on this and how Host Defense includes mycelium (root of mushroom) thats turned into grain. I should avoid the latter. Im new to the Nootropics game but Im gonna finish this bottle of Host Defense and grab myself another product. What do you yall think?
What they were answering
mysticnumber · 1 points
OK, so I see the distinction between pure mycelium and myceliated rice now. The rice is basically the growing medium, or substrate, and it may not actually have useful properties, the jury is still out on that. You make a pretty convincing argument in this case, and to me its pretty obvious that using the whole mushroom, without unnecessary filler, would be your best bet for having a high concentration of active compounds in the product.
The rice is not a mushroom, and you have problems with it basically being labeled as one, and that makes sense to me. Unless the rice is very active (doubtful) they are basically selling filler, and at a premium. I like Stamets a lot and I would hope that this is not true, but maybe its not malicious, but more misguided. I'm sure you understand how important he has been to this field, he is THE mushroom guy as far as the public knows (at least this is how I understand it).
So what is your connection to all this? Are you involved in the production of mushroom supplements, or are you a retailer?
u/MisterYouAreSoDumb · Natrium Health & Nootropics Depot
Paul Stamets has arguably done more than anyone else to popularize mushrooms in the west. No argument there. Without his marketing prowess, we likely would not even be having this discussion right now. That does not mean he is infallible. Somone's popularity or standing in the community should not overshadow the science. I would love for what he is saying to be true. I love scientific advancements. The evidence just doesn't do it for me. In fact, all the evidence I have points the opposite direction. I've tested these products in the lab. I have seen the numbers. They all point to it being largely ground up rice.
My connection is both from a scientific research perspective and from a sales perspective. I do sell mushroom extracts now, and have for a couple years. However, I would be here discussing this even if I didn't. I have an in-house lab that we use to analyze things, and we work with a couple other world-class labs doing it as well. The science behind this excites me, and I want to understand it as best I can. I do use that knowledge to sell mushrooms. However, to reduce my involvement to merely that would be cheapening the amount of passion and time I have put into this.