Genius Mushrooms Review – Nootropic Mushroom Supplement

Genius Mushrooms is a blend of 3 types of mushrooms that have clinical evidence for boosting immunity, cognition, energy, and physical performance. Here we’ll examine its properties and effects.

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In a hurry? Here are the highlights:

• Genius Mushrooms is a blend of 3 types of medicinal mushrooms from The Genius Brand.
• The 3 types of mushrooms in Genius Mushrooms are Cordyceps, Lion’s Mane, and Reishi.
• The mushrooms in Genius Mushrooms have clinical evidence for boosting immunity, cognition, energy, motivation, and physical performance.
• The mushrooms in Genius Mushrooms are analytically tested for beta-glucan content. They are guaranteed to have at least 15% beta-glucans.
• Genius Mushrooms is organic, non-GMO, and grown in the USA.
• Genius Mushrooms is currently only available in capsule form.

What is Genius Mushrooms?

Genius Mushrooms is an organic mushroom extract supplement from The Genius Brand. It is organic, non-GMO, and grown in the USA. Genius Mushrooms is comprised of the following 3 mushroom types:

• Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum)
• Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus)
• Cordyceps (Cordyceps militaris)

Here’s the back of the packaging with the nutrition label:

Benefits of Genius Mushrooms

In summary, Genius Mushrooms should boost immunity, cognition, and energy levels. Clinical evidence abounds for the 3 types of mushrooms in Genius Mushrooms. Let’s briefly look at each mushroom specifically.

Reishi

Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) is referred to as “the mushroom of immortality.” It is praised for its support of the immune system and its ability to improve sleep and reduce stress by promoting calmness via GABAergic effects^​1–3​. It is a potent immunomodulator^​4,5​. As with Chaga, much of the recent research on Reishi has been devoted to investigating its anti-cancer properties^​6–10​.

Lion’s Mane

Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus) is famous for its cognition-boosting and antidepressant properties, and is thus popular in nootropic supplement blends. It is neuroprotective, and is studied primarily for its potential efficacy for combating neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s^{​11–19​}.

Cordyceps

I discussed Cordyceps and its ergogenic effects in a post about PeakO2®. Cordyceps militaris appears to contain comparatively more bioactive compounds than its brother Cordyceps sinensis. As such, most supplements you see nowadays will contain the militaris species. In a nutshell, Cordyceps improves oxygen capacity and oxygen utilization, thereby improving cardiovascular function, increasing exercise capacity, boosting energy, and reducing fatigue. It also appears to upregulate the dopaminergic system via enhancing tyrosine hydroxylase expression^{​20–22​}.

About The Genius Brand, the Creators of Genius Mushrooms

The Genius Brand was born out of a need for and a movement toward a more science- and research-backed approach within the supplement industry. I’m a fan of that.

The CEO of The Genius Brand, Robert Oliver, is a huge proponent of trust and transparency, and wants to exemplify that in the company’s products.

Genius Mushrooms Review

As I pointed out in the Thrive 6 review, we’re always looking for whole fruiting bodies (the real mushroom) over mycelium or myceliated grain, due to the former having a much higher beta-glucan content. Beta-glucans are the bioactive compounds responsible for all the great benefits we’re seeking.

One of the mushrooms in Genius Mushrooms (Cordyceps) is mycelium, while the other two (Lion’s Mane and Reishi) are from fruiting bodies. Still, The Genius Brand claim that each mushroom type contains at least 15% beta-glucans and no more than 5% starch (alpha-glucan). Note that this is much lower than that of Thrive 6.

Also, Genius Mushrooms doesn’t source from Nammex, the premier source for real mushrooms in North America. I actually can’t find any information on where specifically they source their mushrooms, which is ironic considering the brand is supposed to be all about transparency and honesty in labeling. I contacted them and asked about the supplier and this was their vague response:

“Our mushrooms are sourced from a private farm here in the United States!”
– Genius Brand Customer Support

Mushrooms are one supplement where I actually prefer a powder form so I can just toss it into coffee, smoothies, soup, etc. Genius Mushrooms only comes in capsule form. Sure, you can open up and empty out the capsules, but that’s an extra step.

Note that Genius Mushrooms, as the name suggests, is primarily focused on cognition, and not so much on immunity as with other mushroom supplements. Sure, you’ll get a little immunity boosting from the Reishi, but the product is mainly geared toward cognitive effects relative to other blends like Thrive 6, 5 Defenders, and Sacred 7, which are more well-rounded in their mushroom type offering. This can be a pro or a con, depending on what you’re aiming for. Genius Mushrooms also appears to be more expensive per serving than the aforementioned options.

Genius Mushrooms Supplement – Capsules

You can find the Genius Mushrooms supplement in capsule form from The Genius Brand on Amazon here.

Medical Disclaimer:  While I love diving into and extracting useful information from clinical research related to health, fitness, supplements, and more, I am in no way a medical expert. The content on this website is for informational purposes only; it is not professional medical advice, nor is it a substitute for professional medical advice. None of the statements on this website have been evaluated by the FDA. Products mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Read my lengthier medical disclaimer here.