Alpha GPC and Lion's Mane

Alpha GPC and lion's mane are two ingredients that users have used for different potential benefits, from aiding with nerve and brain health to helping them with mental tasks like focusing, recall, and memory.

However, what are their specific benefits, and can they work in tandem? Or is it safer to consume each separately? In this small guide, we’ll go through both of these ingredients, how to consume them, their differences and similarities, and what’s the best way to take them. 

So sit back and relax as we explore if alpha GPC and lion's mane are truly a power couple or if they should take different paths as dietary supplements.

Key Takeaways

• Alpha GPC is a compound that produces choline, a precursor of a compound that can potentially aid certain brain functions like memory, recall, and even focus.
• Some key benefits of alpha GPC include supporting the health of your nervous system, supporting cognitive abilities, and even boosting athletic performance through improved mood and energy levels.
• Lion's mane is a mushroom used by traditional medicine systems that has plenty of minerals and nutrients and has a pretty similar look to a lion’s mane.
• This fungus can potentially provide benefits such as supporting nerve growth, providing minerals and nutrients to your body that can help with fatigue, and providing aid to digestive system problems.
• While both products are similar in helping how the brain functions, they work through different pathways in our body and complement each other’s effects. 
• The best way to try these two nootropics is through a state-of-the-art powdered drink like VYU’s TUNE IN, with just the perfect amount of each compound to provide the support you need.

What is Alpha GPC?

Let’s start by examining alpha GPC first. This compound, also known as L-Alpha glycerophosphocholine, is currently one of the most innovative dietary supplements so far when talking about mental performance and other brain functions. It is considered a nootropic, which is basically a compound that can modify and boost certain brain functions.

To put it simply, alpha GPC is a chemical made from choline, which is a precursor of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. This compound is key in several brain functions, including memory formation, recall, and even focus.

Because of this, alpha GPC has been used by users to help them improve daily tasks, from aiding with physical activity, potentially increasing memory and learning, and even aiding with progressive cognitive decline and acting as a neuroprotective agent. 

Let’s take a deeper dive into the effects and benefits it could have on the human body.

Effects & Benefits

Now, there are a few positive and potential benefits from using alpha GPC, mainly in supporting brain blood circulation, elevating your cognitive abilities, or boosting your athletic performance.

Through aiding with blood flow, you can maintain an overall healthy nervous and brain system, aiding with certain tasks like focus and creativity. Studies like this one suggest that alpha GPC may aid in protecting the damage from toxins, supporting healthy growth, and even improving cognitive functions in subjects that might suffer from cerebrovascular disorders.

Now, choline is an essential compound for your brain to work. Think of it as a gas additive to your car; it can boost the levels of certain neurotransmitter production (like serotonin and dopamine). 

Lastly, alpha GPC has been shown to support athletes with their mood, energy,  cognitive function, speed, and overall physical performance. This study even compared caffeine with alpha GPC, and it showed a strong benefit for athletes tested, helping them with specific physical and mental performance tasks.

How to Consume

The best way to consume this compound is through a dietary supplement, whether it is a powdered pill or drink or in a mix of different compounds. You can take it in the morning or as a pre-workout supplement; just make sure to check the required dosage and manage your supplement as you see the effects.

Now, getting alpha GPC on its own can be a little difficult or costly, so you might want to take a look at products that use several nutrients that complement and synergize with each other.

That said, always consult with your healthcare provider first before starting any supplement to see how it fits best with your lifestyle and general diet. And make sure to start with smaller dosages with small increments to check how long these effects last in your body.

What is Lion's Mane?

The second compound we will take a look at today is lion's mane, a mushroom known in several ancient medicine practices for its potential effects. From aiding with stomach issues, a potential pain management aid, and even as nerve protection and brain functions ally, it has the potential to support daily tasks.

A very singular trait of this shroom is how it looks. Usually, this food grows in trees in a big white shape that looks almost like a lion's mane, with a fur-like texture. However, don’t let its looks deceive you. 

This mushroom is not only a delicacy; it’s full of nutrients and vitamins that help with certain health benefits, like niacin, thiamine, riboflavin, potassium, and zinc. Let’s take a look at how these can potentially support your body.

Effects & Benefits

One of the main uses people give to this mushroom is to help with brain health. This study showed how this superfood could help with potentially encouraging the growth of nerve cells and helping with your brain’s overall health.

The researchers also specified it could help motor and cognitive decline, helping with quality of life and recognition memory over time, but more studies on this specific benefit are needed to determine therapeutic treatment.

Another key benefit of this mushroom is the potential to aid with general discomfort and pain. There’s evidence that suggests lion's mane could play a role in supporting symptoms from a certain diagnosis like arthritis by reducing pain and inflammation and even helping with certain problems like blood sugar levels.

Lion's mane could also be helpful for users dealing with stomach and digestive system complications. This study showed how the fungus helped with ulcers and gastric lesions caused by acid, thanks to its gastroprotective effects. It also showed how lion's mane could provide comfort and reduce the ulcer areas, which could result from recurrent stress or heartburn.

How to Consume

How can you consume lion's mane? Well, this mushroom is a super dietary ingredient that’s been used in many different ways, like being cooked, in tea, or even eaten raw. Some people even try cooking with it as it gives an umami taste to food, which is very popular in certain Asian cuisines like Chinese or Japanese foods.

That said, the best way to consume this type of nutrient is through a powdered supplement, drink, or capsule. Otherwise, you’d go with the trouble of looking at an apothecary or herbalist shop and go through the hassle of cleaning and preparing the mushroom for dietary use. 

If this seems like a hassle, just skip the step and look for a supplement that can help you directly.

Alpha GPC and Lion's Mane: Differences

There are a few noticeable differences between alpha GPC and lion's mane. First of all, their origin. While alpha GPC is a compound that is usually derived from soy or other natural sources, lion's mane is a medicinal mushroom that has a long history within traditional medicine systems, like Chinese herbology.

The second difference is the potential benefits. Alpha GPC is usually associated with helping cognitive functions, improving learning capabilities, and supporting physical performance, while lion's mane is generally believed to help with fatigue, anxiety, and depression, with some brain health and stomach issues.

Thirdly is the mechanism of how they work in our body. Alpha GPC provides choline, which is the precursor essential for memory, learning, and even muscle control. 

On the other hand, lion's mane contains compounds like hericenones and ericines, which affect the nervous system and growth factor. This mushroom also provides nutrients and minerals that are key for factors like fatigue, such as magnesium, zinc, niacin, and potassium.

Alpha GPC and Lion's Mane: Similarities

Now, these two compounds are very similar in other things. Firstly, both have potential neuroprotective properties, aiding either by providing the neurotransmitter choline with alpha GPC, or lion's mane through promoting nerve growth factor.

Both adaptogens are often used to support cognitive functions and enhance memory. They might also help with learning and focus, both through different methods: alpha GPC helps with neurotransmitter production, while lion's mane can help a healthy nervous and brain system by helping with nerve health.

Another similarity between them is their natural origin, as they are all-natural and come from organic places. And thanks to their adaptogenic and nutrient nature, they are easily accessible as supplements, drinks, or pills.

Can You Take Alpha GPC and Lion's Mane Together?

Yes, you can definitely take lion's mane and alpha GPC together. They use complementary mechanisms, which means they don’t compete for both to work in your body. 

Alpha GPC provides choline, a compound that helps with the production of a neurotransmitter that’s sometimes associated with learning, and lion's mane helps with overall health. The combination of alpha GPC and lion's mane can both help with cognitive function, and if they work together, they can potentially support your nervous health. 

Where to Buy Alpha GPC and Lion's Mane Supplements

Want to combine these two compounds? Check out TUNE IN! This drink is full of nootropics and adaptogenic ingredients that can help you focus and get your productivity to new levels.

This drink is perfect if you want to get a stronger focus capacity, keep a healthy general nervous system, aid your learning abilities, and even support getting that extra energy boost to aid with fatigue.

It is as easy as adding a scoop to your favorite water, tea, or juice, mixing them, and enjoying a few sips of this superfood cocktail. Coming in a 20-piece jar, this drink is an easy way to get different nutrients like alpha GPC and lion’s mane with other superfoods like ashwagandha, Rhodiola rosea and more!

Final Thoughts

Alpha GPC is a compound that produces choline, a precursor of a neurotransmitter that can aid memory, focus, and even recall. Lion's mane, in contrast, is a mushroom used in some traditional medicine systems that looks like a lion’s mane.

Both provide different types of benefits. While Alpha GPC can help with brain functions and general nervous system health, lion's mane is known to support nerve growth, aiding with nutrients and minerals to fight fatigue and support digestive problems like ulcers.

They both can work in tandem as they are absorbed through different methods and pathways, which makes them complementary to each other. While one produces more neurotransmitters that aid with brain function, the other provides nutrients and minerals and helps produce other compounds that work with mental functions.

Alpha GPC and Lion's Mane: FAQs

What Can You Not Mix with Lion's Mane?

It is advised not to mix lion's mane with certain medications, like warfarin, antidiabetic medications like metformin, or sedatives as it can potentiate effects.

Who Should Not Take Lions Mane Supplement?

If you are someone who has known allergies to mold, yeast, or asthma, we recommend asking a healthcare professional before taking any mushrooms-based supplement or any supplement for that matter.

Is it Safe to Take Alpha GPC Every Day?

In general, alpha GPC is generally well-tolerated, with over 1,200 mg being the maximum dose per day for six months. Always consult your healthcare provider first to check the dosage recommendations.