This is The Guardian.

Hi, Ian here. We're on a break at Science Weekly.

We'll be back with some new episodes for you next week.

But for now, we're going back to some of our favourites from 2025.

As the new Year approaches,

you might be wondering how you can optimise your health.

Perhaps you're thinking of giving that mushroom supplement

you've seen advertised at try.

Well, you're in luck.

In this episode, we break down the science of medicinal mushrooms

and ask, do they actually work? I hope you enjoy it.

Functional fungi products like mushroom powders, drinks and pills have become a multi-billion

pound market.

This is my little collection of mushroom extracts that I take on a daily basis, and genuinely they make me feel better than I have ever felt before.

So I've definitely been on a bit of a mushroom coffee kick recently, trying different brands.

You might have a friend who swears by their morning Lionsman coffee or afternoon Shataki supplement.

A warning about Lionsmane, it will give you a ton of energy.

Lionsman's claim to fame is its ability to bolster and repair nerve growth and protect against dementia.

All of us know how good ratio is for your mental health.

It's an adaptogen,

so it helps your body's response to stress and it limits depressive episodes because of its

adaptogenic properties. Even British retailer, Marks and Spencer is on the trend,

...