Yamabushitake mushroom and thinking skills in people with mild memory problems
What it found
People with mild memory problems who took Yamabushitake mushroom tablets scored better on thinking tests than those taking a dummy pill.
The improvement faded four weeks after they stopped taking the tablets.
What they found
Studies in people
Better thinking test scores
At weeks 8, 12 and 16, the mushroom group scored higher on a thinking test than the dummy pill group. Scores kept rising the longer they took the tablets.
Scores dropped after stopping
Four weeks after the 16 weeks of tablets ended, the mushroom group's thinking scores fell significantly.
Lab tests showed no harm, according to the study
Blood and other lab checks found no bad effects from taking the mushroom tablets over the 16 weeks.
What the authors conclude
- They suggest that taking Yamabushitake mushroom helps improve mild thinking and memory problems in older adults.
How it was done
The authors wanted to see if eating this edible mushroom could help older adults who have mild trouble with thinking and memory.
They gave 30 Japanese men and women aged 50 to 80 either mushroom tablets or a dummy pill for 16 weeks. The mushroom group took four 250 mg tablets three times a day, each tablet being 96% dried mushroom powder. Researchers checked their thinking skills at weeks 8, 12 and 16, then watched them for 4 more weeks after stopping.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- Only 30 people took part, so scientists do not yet know if the same results would happen in a larger group.
- The trial lasted 16 weeks, so it cannot show what happens if someone takes the mushroom for years.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Mushroom Laboratory, Japan
The paper
- Title
- Improving effects of the mushroom Yamabushitake (Hericium erinaceus) on mild cognitive impairment: a double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial
- Type
- Randomised controlled trial
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Mori K, Inatomi S, Ouchi K, Azumi Y, Tuchida T (2009). Improving effects of the mushroom Yamabushitake (Hericium erinaceus) on mild cognitive impairment: a double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial. Phytotherapy research. doi:10.1002/ptr.2634PubMed 18844328DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error