Woman who replaced coffee with mushrooms for 10 days reveals the impact it had on her daily life

Are mushroom drinks really as stress-reducing and brain-boosting as they make out?

Self-dubbed one of the most anxious and attention-sporadic people on the planet, I decided to find out.

First off, if you think I'm exaggerating, think again. I overthink when to press the ‘Stop’ button on the bus - if I dare press it too early, they may then forget it’s been pressed, or too late, and they go soaring past.

Trying to fall asleep? Ha, not without getting lost in my thoughts about something I said 10 years ago to a girl in school. And focusing on a task? Prepare for my brain to predict five different ways it could go wrong before procrastinating right up until 10 mins prior to the deadline.

But a growing number of 'functional mushroom' drink brands promise to tackle that when used as a coffee alternative, with one brand - Myco - recently releasing two drinks to help with focus and calm.

It’s fair to say the brand had met their toughest contestant yet. I am to Myco what the big red balls are to Total Wipeout contestants - I may look bubbly, buoyant and bouncy on the outside but my anxiety has ricocheted even the strongest CBD drops from calming my mind.

So, how will 1000mg of lion’s mane mushroom, 500mg of Panax ginseng and 50 mg of natural caffeine do? Well, you might be surprised.

Smiling but dreading the week without coffee... (Supplied)

The science behind Lions Mane and Panax Ginseng

Not simply leaping into glugging down lion’s mane willy-nilly, it’s important to note there is some actual research into lion’s mane, which suggests it carries multiple health benefits.

Some studies have shown it can help reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression - sign me up. Others have suggested it may help boost the immune system and also protect against Alzheimer’s disease, however, more studies are required.

Lion’s mane is thought to potentially improve the speed of recovery, alongside reducing inflammation, prevent tissue damage and treat inflammatory diseases and ulcers in the digestive tract. Oh, and it could reduce the risk of heart disease, help manage diabetes symptoms and help fight cancer.

Panex Ginseng ‘is often promoted as a general tonic to improve well-being or cholesterol health. It’s also sometimes taken for inflammatory conditions or to help lower blood sugar in those with diabetes,’ Verywell health notes.

"Though touted to help with several health conditions, there is not enough high-quality research to provide clear recommendations for Panax ginseng’s use," it cautions.

But what about Myco's specific blend?

Myco's focus drink contains 1,000mg of lions mane (Myco)

Potential benefits to Myco and whether I felt them

Myco drinks themselves claim to boost cognitive function boosting memory, focus and mental clarity, stimulate neuron growth for faster brain cell repair, increase BDNF improving mood and banishing stress, enhance myelin production for faster brain signals and reduce inflammation in the brain.

The Myco 'focus' drink in particular? It says it helps improve your recall and retention in terms of your memory, ‘enhances concentration and mental clarity, helping you stay on task without jitters or the typical energy drink crash’ and ‘enter a state of flower to power through work.'

Now, during my 10 days drinking Myco - drinking one to two of the cans per day depending on how much I was flagging - I did feel like my memory was more focused. However, it’s probably important to note I also wasn’t drinking alcohol during this period either.

I found myself better at remembering things such as my colleague asking me to grab them a Coca Cola and was able to pencil in plans in my head without having to immediately reach for my phone to add it to my calendar or set an alarm reminder. That being said, I didn’t find myself any more focused on work or immediate tasks at hand.

Granted, I had no coffee jitters or crashes, but how did Myco compare to the energy I used to get from a coffee with two shots of espresso in?

Coffee vs. mushroom drinks? Who wins (Supplied)

Do functional mushroom drinks truly work?

I definitely didn’t feel as tired overall and didn’t crave a caffeine hit as much as I did before - able to smoothly sail the wave of the natural caffeine rather than getting itchy feet after but an hour in the office.

The taste of Myco? Brilliant. Refreshing and not too sweet.

Alas, I did find myself missing not just the high of caffeine but the taste too - nothing quite beats it, right? Thankfully, decaf exists, but similarly to no-nicotine vapes, it just felt wrong.

My sleep quality definitely improved over the 10 days of drinking Myco - not even having to pop my nightly magnesium tablet. And saying my sleep improved is no easy feat when you’re talking about someone who typically finds it impossible to get to sleep and then wakes up five times a night with night terrors.

My Garmin showed body battery highs of over 80 - which for someone who's dipped to about eight is a miracle.

How much do Mycos drinks costs?

For £1.87 to £2.25 - depending on how many you buy in bulk - Myco drinks are certainly cheaper than if you buy a coffee out - London prices as high as a shudderable £4.50 and they're set to launch in the US soon.

Ultimately for me, it comes to down to whether you can give up that sweet taste of caffeine and the rush that follows - and that's for you to decide.

It’s also important to note lions mane and panax ginseng do have various safety concerns around them.

Lions mane is reported as potentially causing digestive issues alongside allergic reactions as well as potentially interacting with other medications.

And panax ginseng has queries surrounding prompting insomnia, menstrual problems, pain in the breasts and mood changes, alongside how it can potentially interact with other medications.

So, if you’re looking to incorporate them into your diet, do so after talking with a medical professional to check they won’t interact with any underlying issues.

Buy from mycodrink.com