According to a new research review published in April in the journal Antioxidants, an all-natural compound may stave off memory loss linked to aging and Alzheimer’s disease1. The potential secret to unlocking how to prevent dementia? All you need to do to take advantage is to eat more mushrooms.
The new research highlighted ergothioneine, a naturally occurring amino acid commonly found in mushrooms, as a “promising candidate” to ward against the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. According to the new review, population studies have linked low blood levels of the compound with increased risk and progression of a number of age-related disorders, including Alzheimer’s. This suggests that upping your ergothioneine intake may be beneficial for healthspan and longevity.
The Brain-Protective Benefits of Mushrooms
“Ergothioneine seems to act as a multi-target neuroprotectant: as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and protects mitochondria,” explains Dr. Lamees Hamdan, Integrative Medical Doctor & Founder of Timebeam, who was not involved in the study. For Naturopathic Dr. Serena Goldstein, these new findings only cement her understanding of the brain-protective benefits of mushrooms.
“Professionally, I am aware mushrooms have great benefits for brain fog, brain health, energy, stress, immune support, and overall inflammation,” she says, “though I do find it impressive to read about how researchers thought about going in specifically to measure levels of ergothioneine in the blood and correlate it with neurodegenerative diseases.”
How Does Ergothioneine Protect Against Alzheimer’s?
According to the new research review, ergothioneine helps protect against mental decline in a number of ways. Firstly, it seems to help reduce the aggregation (or accumulation) of proteins like tau protein, which is a risk factor linked to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s2. Ergothioneine also seems to enhance mitochondrial function, which experts have found can counteract neurological decline3.
Like other antioxidants, ergothioneine also appears to help mitigate oxidative stress and reduce neuroinflammation. This, Hamdan says, “fits perfectly into what we already know, which is that neurodegeneration is caused or accelerated by oxidative stress, inflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction.” Ergothioneine, she says, “is showing promise in ex Vivo (i.e. test tube/cell culture) studies to target all three.”
How Ergothioneine Differs From Other Antioxidants
Beyond the anti-inflammatory properties common to many antioxidants, ergothioneine seems to stand out in one important way.
“Unlike some other powerful antioxidants, the body accumulates [ergothioneine] for what I believe is a month,” says Hamdan. “Especially in vulnerable tissues like the brain.”
According to Goldstein, the mechanisms that make ergothioneine so effective are linked in large part to its ability to cross the blood brain barrier and be taken up through a transporter called organic cation transporter novel type-1 (OCTN1).
“In the brain specifically, OCTN1 has an elevated expression (seven-fold) in the astrocytes (cells that protect neurons) than in the neurons,” explains Goldstein. “When it comes to cognitive decline, this becomes important as cells may not fire efficiently. Ergothioneine helps reverse this by promoting neurons to survive, assisting in reducing cognitive deficits.”
For Heather Ritter MS, RDN, LDN, CIEC Registered Dietitian, this is an essential mechanism that leads to brain support. “Ergothioneine can enter the brain, which is important for direct protective effects,” she says. Working in tandem with a reduction in oxidative stress, lowered inflammation, and protection of nerve cells, she believes this “may help slow processes linked with cognitive decline.”
Other Health Benefits of Ergothioneine
The same mechanisms that make ergothioneine so beneficial for brain health may also point to other health benefits — particularly related to its anti-inflammatory effects. For example, another recent study found that it could help mitigate period pain4.
And Goldstein notes that some researchers speculate that ergothioneine could even help support the health of the gut-brain axis, benefiting not just memory but mood, mental health, and metabolic health5.
Still, it’s worth noting that this research is in its early days, and the studies evaluated by the researchers did have some limitations. Most were animal studies exploring the benefits of supplementing with ergothioneine rather than relying on whole food sources of the compound.
“It is important to note that this research shows an association, not proof that mushrooms directly prevent Alzheimer’s,” cautions Ritter. “More long-term studies are still needed.”
How to Take Advantage of the Health Benefits of Ergothioneine
Despite the early stage of this research, both Goldstein and Hamdan agree it’s not an unreasonable conclusion to start adding more naturally rich sources of ergothioneine to your diet.
“As an Integrative Medical doctor, I love it when the evidence points to better nutrition will give you neuroprotective outcomes,” says Hamdan. ”It is intuitive that good nutrition based on whole foods, not pills, can help you live healthier.”
To take full advantage of these health benefits, she recommends focusing on mushrooms that are naturally high in ergothioneine like golden oyster, lion’s mane, shiitake, maitake, and porcini. King bolete mushrooms are the richest dietary source, with a whopping 528.14 milligrams per kilogram, as compared to just 0.93 milligrams per kilogram in portabello mushrooms6.
“To extract the best nutrients from mushrooms, don’t eat them raw, cook them well, with a good amount of fat,” suggests Hamdan.
And while mushrooms are typically the richest dietary source of the compound7, they’re not your only option. If you’re not the biggest fan of fungi, you can also find ergothioneine in certain fermented foods, spirulina, and organ meats like chicken liver8.
Mushrooms Are Just the Beginning of a Brain-Boosting Diet
Adding mushrooms to your diet is a great way to boost your memory and protect against Alzheimer’s, but it’s far from the only way that food can be used as a tool for brain health.
Goldstein suggests consuming a diet rich in healthy fats like omega-3s and poly-unsaturated fatty acids (PUFAS), which you’ll find in olive oil, avocado, coconut oil, wild-caught fish, and nuts. She also recommends focusing on other antioxidant-rich brain foods like organic berries, garlic, dark chocolate, turmeric, and dark green leafy vegetables.
Hamdan agrees, adding a recommendation to include fermented foods for gut health, which helps promote brain health through the gut-brain axis. Above all, however, she cautions that focusing too much on just one ingredient is not the way towards a healthier brain.
“This isn’t a miracle molecule — it’s a missing piece in a much bigger system. And that system is still diet, sleep, movement, and metabolic health,” she says. Taking care of your mental health and mastering your stress levels are crucial pieces of the puzzle.
“Like everything in longevity, it’s not one ingredient,” she adds. “It’s the consistency of these habits that keeps the brain resilient over time.”
Sources:
- https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/15/4/519
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/protein-aggregation
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301008222000752
- https://www.newscientist.com/article/2522944-antioxidant-in-mushrooms-may-target-uterus-cells-to-ease-period-pain/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8321864/
- https://academic.oup.com/ijfst/article/59/9/5951/7911694
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9816654/
- https://academic.oup.com/ijfst/article/59/9/5951/7911694
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