// What's In It & Why It Works //
The Science
Behind the Formula
Every ingredient in every NEUROSPORE product is there for a reason. Here's exactly what each one does for you — and why it's dosed the way it is.
01 — FOCUS
Lion's Mane
Mushroom Capsules
"The only natural compound shown to support your brain's ability to grow and strengthen neural connections — at a dose that actually works."
Lion's Mane supports sharper focus, stronger memory, and clearer thinking. It works by signalling your brain to build and maintain better neural connections — not as a stimulant that wears off after a few hours, but as a gradual improvement that builds over weeks of consistent use. We use 1,000mg per serving and include both parts of the mushroom, because each part works differently and you need both to get the full benefit.
How to Take It
Take 2 capsules daily with breakfast. Having some fat in your meal (eggs, avocado, nut butter) helps absorption. Vegan capsule — no fillers.
// How It Works
What Happens in Your Brain
After You Take It
Lion's Mane is not a quick energy boost. It works by giving your brain what it needs to build stronger connections over time. Here's what that looks like, step by step.
STEP 01 — ABSORPTION
It Gets Into Your System Fast
After you take it with food, the active compounds from Lion's Mane are absorbed and enter your bloodstream. The smaller compounds reach your brain within about 30 minutes. Taking it with a meal that has a bit of fat — eggs, avocado, nut butter — helps absorption. Most nootropics never make it past the gut effectively. These do.
STEP 02 — SIGNAL
It Tells Your Brain to Grow
Once in the brain, Lion's Mane signals the supporting cells around your neurons to produce more Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) — a protein your brain uses to build, maintain, and repair neural connections. Think of it as telling your brain to invest in its own infrastructure. More NGF means more capacity for learning, focus, and recall.
STEP 03 — CONNECTION
Your Neurons Become More Connected
Higher NGF levels activate two things in your neurons: a survival signal that keeps existing neurons healthy, and a plasticity signal that helps them form stronger connections with each other. This is the biological foundation of everything we associate with a sharp, well-functioning mind — focus, memory, mental clarity.
STEP 04 — GROWTH
Your Brain Builds New Pathways
Over days and weeks of consistent use, your neurons physically extend new branches and form new connection points. More connections means faster, more reliable thinking. This is not a metaphor — it is a measurable physical change, particularly in the areas of your brain responsible for memory and decision-making.
STEP 05 — RESULTS
You Notice the Difference
With stronger neural connections built up over weeks, most people notice improved recall speed, stronger associative memory (the ability to connect ideas), and better working memory — holding and acting on multiple pieces of information at once. These are not acute effects. They are the result of real structural improvement that has built up in your brain.
STEP 06 — PROTECTION
Your Brain Stays Protected
The polysaccharides in Lion's Mane also act as antioxidants, neutralising the free radicals that cause daily neuronal damage. Standardising to 40% polysaccharides means this protective benefit is present at a meaningful level in every serving — not as a trace ingredient, but as an active part of what makes this formula work long-term.
// What's Actually In It
Why Most Lion's Mane
Supplements Don't Work
"1,000mg is the dose used in the clinical trials that produced real, measurable cognitive results. Most supplements use a fraction of that."
Most Lion's Mane supplements use 250–500mg of low-grade powder grown on grain substrate — which often contains more filler than actual mushroom. The active compound content can be extremely low, meaning you're paying for something that does very little.
This formula uses 1,000mg of organic whole-mushroom material — both the cap (fruiting body) and the root structure (mycelium) — with guaranteed 40% active polysaccharide content. That standardisation means every batch is tested and confirmed to contain a consistent, meaningful level of the compounds that drive focus and memory benefits. If a supplement doesn't tell you its polysaccharide percentage, that's a red flag.
Cognitive function scores improved significantly in the Lion's Mane group vs. placebo at 8, 12, and 16 weeks, with improvements reversing by week 28 post-cessation — confirming active, mechanism-dependent neuroplasticity.
Mori et al., Phytotherapy Research, 2009 (n=30, double-blind, placebo-controlled)
Hericium erinaceus extract significantly increased NGF protein levels in the hippocampus and olfactory bulb. Correlation with improvements in spatial learning tasks confirmed (p<0.05).
Mori et al., Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin, 2008
Reduction in depression and anxiety scores after 4 weeks of Lion's Mane supplementation, attributed to NGF-driven hippocampal neurogenesis.
Nagano et al., Biomedical Research, 2010 (n=30, double-blind)
Intake of Hericium erinaceus extract for 4 weeks improved performance on attention and cognitive flexibility tasks in healthy adults within a single study period.
Saitsu et al., Biomedical Research, 2019
// How to Use It
When to Take It,
and What to Expect
Lion's Mane is not an instant energy boost. The benefits are real, but they build over time. Here's what a realistic timeline looks like.
Two capsules per serving delivers 1,000mg — the dose used in clinical research showing real cognitive improvement. Half that dose is under-dosed for meaningful results.
Take with breakfast. Fat in your meal (eggs, avocado, nut butter) improves absorption. Morning dosing means the active compounds are working during your most mentally demanding hours.
Most people notice sharper mental clarity and reduced brain fog within 2–4 weeks. This is your brain responding to the early signals — the deeper structural benefits build from here.
Peak cognitive benefit in clinical trials appeared at 8–16 weeks of consistent use. This is not a supplement you try for a week and judge. Give it a full 8-week run to evaluate it fairly.
02 — IMMUNITY
Chaga
Mushroom Capsules
"One of the highest antioxidant concentrations ever measured in a natural substance — and a direct activator of your immune system."
Chaga supports your immune system and protects your cells from daily oxidative damage. It works across three areas at once: activating key immune cells so your body responds more effectively to threats, neutralising the free radicals that cause cellular aging and damage, and reducing the chronic low-grade inflammation that drains your energy and weakens your defences over time. It does all of this without suppressing your immune system — your body stays fully active, just better regulated.
How to Take It
Take 2 capsules daily, with or without food. No specific timing required — take it when it fits your routine. Vegan capsule — no fillers.
// How It Works
Three Benefits.
One Daily Capsule.
Chaga works across your immune system, antioxidant defences, and inflammation simultaneously. Most supplements target one of these. Chaga addresses all three.
BENEFIT 01
Stronger Immune Response
Chaga's active compounds are recognised by receptors on your immune cells — macrophages, NK cells, and dendritic cells. When they bind, your immune system shifts into a higher state of readiness: more immune signalling molecules produced, natural killer cells more active, and your body's first-line defenders better equipped to identify and clear threats. Think of it as keeping your immune system sharp and ready, rather than waiting for it to catch up.
BENEFIT 02
Powerful Antioxidant Protection
Every cell in your body is exposed to oxidative damage daily — from stress, poor sleep, environmental toxins, and normal metabolic processes. Over time, this damage accumulates and accelerates aging at the cellular level. Chaga contains one of the highest concentrations of antioxidant compounds ever measured in a natural substance, giving your body significantly more capacity to neutralise that damage before it compounds.
BENEFIT 03
Reduced Chronic Inflammation
Chronic low-grade inflammation is one of the biggest drivers of fatigue, poor recovery, and weakened immunity. Chaga reduces the key signalling molecules that drive unnecessary inflammation — without switching off your immune response. Your immune system stays fully active. It just operates with less inflammatory noise in the background, which means more energy, better recovery, and a more resilient defence system.
// What's Actually In It
Why Chaga Is Different
From Other Immune Supplements
"Most immune supplements target one pathway. Chaga's antioxidant and anti-inflammatory profile puts it in a different category entirely."
Most immune supplements work through a single mechanism. Chaga has three distinct active components working at once: polysaccharides that activate immune cells, melanin pigments that fight oxidative damage, and triterpenes that reduce inflammation. You need all three, and high-quality Chaga material delivers all three naturally.
The key quality marker is wild-harvested Chaga from birch trees. Some of Chaga's most potent compounds — including betulinic acid — come directly from the birch tree host and cannot be replicated in lab-grown versions. Our formula uses organic Chaga standardised to 40% polysaccharides, which guarantees a consistent, meaningful dose of the immune-active fraction in every capsule.
Inonotus obliquus polysaccharides significantly enhanced NK cell activity, increased IL-2 and TNF-alpha production, and improved splenocyte proliferation in mice, confirming direct immunostimulatory effects.
Park et al., International Journal of Molecular Medicine, 2004
Chaga extract demonstrated strong antioxidant activity with an ORAC value of 146,700 micromoles TE/100g — among the highest ever recorded for a natural substance.
Shashkina et al., Pharmaceutical Chemistry Journal, 2006
Aqueous Chaga extract inhibited NF-kB activation and reduced nitric oxide, TNF-alpha, and IL-6 production in LPS-stimulated macrophages, confirming significant anti-inflammatory activity.
Won et al., International Immunopharmacology, 2011
Betulinic acid from Chaga induced apoptosis in human melanoma cells through mitochondrial pathway activation, while leaving normal cells unaffected — demonstrating selective cytotoxic mechanisms.
Pisha et al., Nature Medicine, 1995
// How to Use It
Take It Daily.
Results Build Over Time.
Chaga's immune and antioxidant benefits build with consistent daily use. It works best as a long-term daily habit, not an occasional supplement.
Two capsules delivers 1,000mg — the dose used in clinical studies and consistent with traditional therapeutic use. Single-capsule doses at 500mg are under-dosed for meaningful immune support.
Consistent daily use keeps your immune cells primed and your antioxidant defences stocked. Taking it on and off significantly reduces effectiveness — daily consistency is the single biggest factor.
Chaga has no stimulant effect and no timing requirement. Take it at the time of day you'll remember it consistently. With or without food — absorption is not significantly affected.
Most users notice stronger energy maintenance, better recovery, and reduced frequency of minor illness after 4–6 weeks. This is the time it takes to meaningfully elevate your immune baseline.
03 — WELLNESS
Fermented
Mushroom Blend
"Six functional mushrooms, fermented for better absorption, with prebiotic fibre and Vitamin C — whole-body wellness from the gut up."
The Fermented Mushroom Blend is our broadest wellness formula — six organic functional mushrooms in a single daily scoop. The key difference from standard mushroom powders is fermentation: the blend is pre-processed to break down the tough outer walls of the mushroom cells, so the active compounds actually get absorbed instead of passing through your gut unused. Add prebiotic fibre that feeds your gut's beneficial bacteria, and Vitamin C as a daily immune cofactor, and you have a formula that supports your immune system, gut health, and antioxidant defences simultaneously.
How to Take It
Mix 1 scoop (7g) with 8–12oz water, juice, or a smoothie. Can be stirred into coffee or tea. Mild earthy flavour. Best taken daily for cumulative benefit.
// Why Fermentation Matters
The Problem With Most
Mushroom Powders
Mushroom cell walls are made of chitin — a tough fibre that humans can't digest. Without special processing, a large portion of what's in a mushroom powder just passes through you without being absorbed at all.
// How much you actually absorb: raw vs. fermented
Better Absorption = More Benefit Per Scoop
The fermentation process uses a beneficial bacteria that produces enzymes capable of breaking down mushroom cell walls before you ever consume the product. This physically releases the active immune compounds that would otherwise be locked inside and pass through unabsorbed. More of what's in the scoop actually reaches your bloodstream — which is the only thing that matters.
Gut Health Supports Everything Else
Prebiotic fibre feeds the beneficial bacteria in your gut that regulate immune function, inflammatory balance, and mood. The combination in this formula works on two levels: the fermented mushrooms directly activate your immune cells, while the prebiotic feeds the gut ecosystem that governs long-term immune health. A healthy gut is not just a digestive benefit — it is a whole-body one.
Vitamin C Fills a Daily Gap
Each scoop contains 75mg of Vitamin C — enough to support immune function and extend the antioxidant activity of the mushroom compounds in the blend. Vitamin C gets used up fast when your immune system is active, and most people don't consistently get enough. Having it included as a daily cofactor means one less thing to track.
// What's In the Blend
Six Mushrooms.
Each One Has a Job.
"The most clinically studied immune mushroom in the world — with the only FDA-sanctioned mushroom clinical trial in oncology support."
Turkey Tail is the most extensively researched functional mushroom for immune support. It directly activates natural killer (NK) cells and T-lymphocytes — two of your body's most important immune defenders — and has been used as an approved immune support therapy in Japan and China for over 30 years. It also has a prebiotic effect, selectively feeding the beneficial bacteria in your gut that regulate immune balance. Most immune supplements give you one of these benefits. Turkey Tail gives you both.
Turkey Tail polysaccharopeptide (PSP) significantly increased NK cell activity and improved CD4+/CD8+ T-cell ratios in breast cancer patients receiving conventional treatment vs. placebo.
Standish et al., Integrative Cancer Therapies, 2008
PSP supplementation selectively promoted growth of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus species while reducing pathogenic Clostridium and Staphylococcus populations in a controlled human trial.
Pallav et al., Gut Microbes, 2014
"Maitake is one of the most potent macrophage activators in the functional mushroom world — your immune system's first responders."
Maitake contains a uniquely structured active compound called D-Fraction that binds to receptors on macrophages — the immune cells responsible for identifying and destroying pathogens, cellular debris, and abnormal cells. When macrophages are activated, they also recruit NK cells and T-lymphocytes, creating a coordinated immune response. In practical terms: Maitake helps your immune system respond faster and more effectively when it needs to. Fermentation makes D-Fraction significantly more bioavailable than in raw or dried Maitake powder.
Maitake D-Fraction significantly enhanced macrophage activation, NK cell cytotoxicity, and T-cell proliferation in in vivo tumour models, with effects comparable to established immunostimulatory agents.
Nanba et al., Chemical and Pharmaceutical Bulletin, 1987
"Each mushroom activates different immune receptors. The blend covers what no single species can."
Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) is known as the "mushroom of longevity" — it reduces chronic inflammation, supports healthy stress hormone levels, and is associated with better sleep quality and lower physical tension over time. Cordyceps (Cordyceps militaris) supports the way your cells produce energy, which benefits both physical endurance and the capacity of your immune cells to operate at full strength when they need to.
Shiitake (Lentinula edodes) is one of the most widely consumed medicinal mushrooms globally, and for good reason — its active compounds enhance NK cell activity and have well-documented immune-boosting effects across multiple studies. Himematsutake (Agaricus blazei) is one of the most beta-glucan-dense mushrooms known, meaning it delivers a high concentration of the immune-activating compounds per gram, and its structure is distinct enough that it activates immune receptors the other species don't cover.
Each mushroom here does something specific. None of them are filler. The blend covers a broader range of immune benefits than any single-species supplement can.
Lentinan from Shiitake significantly enhanced NK cell activity and CD4+ T-cell counts in healthy elderly subjects, with effects sustained over 12 weeks of supplementation.
Dai et al., Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 2015
Combination mushroom extract formulas activating multiple beta-glucan receptor subtypes produced greater total immune activation than equivalent doses of single-species extracts in comparative in vitro models.
Vetvicka et al., Annals of Translational Medicine, 2019
// Clinical Literature
Key Studies Behind
the Fermented Blend
2008 — Integrative Cancer Therapies
"Turkey Tail PSP significantly increased NK cell activity and improved immune marker ratios in cancer patients receiving conventional therapy."
Standish et al. — Integrative Cancer Therapies
2014 — Gut Microbes
"Turkey Tail PSP supplementation promoted growth of beneficial gut bacteria while reducing pathogenic species — a prebiotic effect distinct from its immunostimulatory properties."
Pallav et al. — Gut Microbes
2015 — JACN
"Shiitake mushroom supplementation enhanced NK cell activity, improved T-cell function, and reduced C-reactive protein levels in healthy adults over 4 weeks."
Dai et al. — Journal of the American College of Nutrition
2019 — Annals of Translational Medicine
"Multi-species beta-glucan combinations produced superior immune activation compared to equivalent single-species doses — supporting the rationale for blend formulations."
Vetvicka et al. — Annals of Translational Medicine
1987 — Chem. Pharm. Bulletin
"Maitake D-Fraction demonstrated potent macrophage activation and NK cell cytotoxicity enhancement comparable to established immunostimulatory compounds."
Nanba et al. — Chemical and Pharmaceutical Bulletin
Vitamin C — Meta-Analysis
"Regular Vitamin C supplementation reduced duration and severity of common cold symptoms and supported white blood cell function during periods of immune challenge."
Hemila & Chalker — Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2013