CANADIAN PHYSIQUE ALLIANCE DECEMBER ISSUE | Page 99

Doing this oftentimes leaves
you in an even worse
position of an extremely
overstimulated Central
Nervous System and will
lead to a vicious cycle of
more stress, less sleep, and
needing more stimulants to
function.
What if I told you there are a
group of “drugs,
supplements, and other
substances that may
improve cognitive function,
particularly executive
functions, memory,
creativity, or motivation, in a
healthy individual?” 
Well, this is the actual
dictionary definition of what
nootropics are. Today, we
will specifically speak of one
that comes from the extract
of a mushroom called
Yamabushitake - also known
as Lion’s Mane. This
mushroom has been
consumed in many Asian
countries for centuries
because of its noted
benefits. Many studies show
that Lion’s mane extract can
drastically help improve
Nerve Growth Factor which
plays a huge role in cognitive
function, inflammation,
depression, risk of disease,
and anxiety. 
There are a few human
studies that show it can also
drastically help symptoms of
dementia, depression, and
anxiety.
Although no studies
specifically have been done
on Lion’s Mane use with
athletes and performance,
there is plenty of anecdotal
testimony of how much this
mushroom can help with
focus. Whether you are an
athlete, or just lift weights
with the goal of getting
bigger and stronger, the
better your mental focus -
the better your results will
be.