Have you ever thought about what the term ‘functional’ means? 

In the last ten years or so, functional has become quite the buzz word - in my social media feed alone, I see ads and information daily regarding functional medicine, functional herbs, functional health, functional coffee, etc. 

So, what is this popular preface?

By itself, functional refers to how something works, what a thing’s intended purpose is, or how a thing can be useful or effective. 

Combine this with medicine or health, and you’re looking at what the body’s purpose is, how it’s intended to work, or what it’s capable of with proper balance. 

Sounds simple enough, right? 

But, what about coffee? 

We already know coffee is a superfood, and because of this, regularly drinking clean, healthy coffee can provide a wide range of benefits to your body. 

So, wouldn’t this make coffee a functional item in and of itself? 
Coffee’s antioxidant content alone can aid in your body’s ability to combat oxidative stress which reduces your risk of multiple diseases. 

Coffee also has a protective effect when it comes to the health of your brain. 

To add, coffee is a clean source of energy - and, these boosts only scratch the surface!

So, why are some coffee companies, including Lifeboost, now offering functional coffee? 

We know that Lifeboost Coffee is among the best coffee grown in all the world, free of pesticides, fertilizers and other harsh chemicals, grown at high elevations in the shade, single origin, organic, third party tested for mycotoxins, mold, heavy metals, and 400+ other chemicals. 

Clearly, a coffee of this caliber is prime fuel for your body, so how could your cup get any more functional than this? 

Well, as great as Lifeboost coffee is, it’s (obviously) not the only functional food/drink. 

Can you even imagine the potential of a brew boosted by the addition of other items found in nature that serve your body as well coffee? 

Well, that’s what functional coffee is! 

Cognition Mushroom Ground coffee

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Functional coffee is coffee that contains adaptogens, typically a specific variety of mushrooms, for the sole purpose of better fueling your body for optimal functioning, health, and wellness. 

No worries though, as unappealing as coffee with a side of mushrooms sounds, I can promise you, at least concerning Lifeboost’s functional coffee, that this brew is just as delicious as every other indulgent, decadent sip you enjoy from your favorite Lifeboost Coffee selection. 

But, what about those benefits? 

What can functional coffee really do for you? 

In other words, just how functional is functional coffee? 

Let’s find out…

Functional Coffee Ingredients and Benefits

Functional coffee is ground coffee that also contains adaptogens. 

Broadly speaking, “adaptogens are plants and mushrooms that help your body respond to stress, anxiety, fatigue, and overall, well-being…adaptogens bring your body back to a steady balance by managing both physical and mental stressors.” 

In other words, adaptogens help your body to properly adapt to life’s stressors, allowing your body to maintain balance no matter what life throws your way. 

Because let’s face it, no matter how ‘chill’ your life is, we all experience, or rather our bodies experience, stress in some form or fashion. 

From environmental stress to physical and mental stress, exposure to this potential health-harmer is inevitable. 

Unfortunately, too much stress can cause imbalance, and this is where our bodies truly suffer. 

We began our discussion today by describing the word ‘functional.’

And, for the human body to function as intended, serving you well physically, mentally, etc., it needs balance. 

Without balance in the body, or homeostasis, we cease to thrive.

Without balance, our sleep cycles are off, our hormones are out of whack, illness occurs more frequently, our mental capacity suffers, we’re fatigued, stressors affect us in greater ways, and ultimately, we’re more susceptible to disease. 

So, in blunt terms, your body needs balance to survive! 

When your body is balanced, your cells, tissues, and organs function as intended, keeping your body stable, even when you experience external instability for any number of reasons. 

Of course, as you can imagine in today’s world, external stress is practically unavoidable, and this is why the adaptogens commonly included in functional coffee have been in the limelight. 

The most common adaptogenic, medicinal mushrooms being added to brews these days include:

• Chaga
  
• Lion’s mane
  
• Reishi
  
• Cordyceps
  
• Maitake 

And a few other, non-mushroom, adaptogens you may see in similar products include: 

• Ashwagandha
  
• Holy Basil
  
• Rhodiola

Some of the herbs listed above specifically target the body’s stress responses, thereby aiding in stress reduction, sleep quality, physical performance, and mental clarity. 

But, when it comes to coffee, a clean brew (such as Lifeboost) already brings powerful benefits to both physical performance and cognitive functioning, and this is why functional coffee typically focuses on additions of adaptogenic mushrooms.

At least, that’s what we’ve found as a recipe for success in our Cognition Coffee. 

Lifeboost Cognition Coffee is our functional coffee selection made with a powerful combination of lion’s mane and chaga adaptogenic mushrooms. 

Of course, we would never want to add anything to our clean, healthy coffee that could potentially undermine the purity of our brew, so these additions are certified organic, sustainably grown and sourced, and you’ll never have to worry about any chemical contamination. 

These quality assurances and more mean you’re getting the highest levels of beta glucans and triterpenoids in these added adaptogens, bringing you the best, most potent, benefits for your body. 

Which leads us to the following question(s)...

What are beta glucans and triterpenoids? And, what are the specific benefits of Lifeboost’s Cognition Coffee (functional coffee)? 

First, when it comes to adaptogenic mushrooms, beta glucans and triterpenoids are of monumental importance. 

Beta glucans are a type of fiber found in the cell wall of mushrooms. 

And this fiber, in fact, is where most of the health-boosting potential of this plant is found. 

Then, triterpenoids are a class of natural compounds found in mushrooms and other plants which exhibit many beneficial activities such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-cancer, and anti-viral properties. 

But, what about the specific adaptogens we’ve chosen for our functional brew - Cognition Coffee? 

To bring you all the benefits of adaptogens without sacrificing the naturally decadent flavors of Lifeboost Coffee, we’ve included chaga and lion’s mane in this brew.

So, let’s take some time to see what these balance-bringing adaptogens have to offer…

Lion’s Mane

1- Brain Booster

One of the reasons we’ve chosen the name Cognition Coffee for our functional brew is due to the potent benefits these mushrooms have on the brain. 

Lion’s mane contains two compounds that stimulate the growth of brain cells while also protecting against memory loss (especially that which is associated with aging). 

Lion’s mane has also shown promising lab results pertaining to protection against Alzheimer’s disease, particularly as it has been successful at preventing neural damage caused by plaque accumulation in the brain. 

2- Cancer Fighter

There has been much research surrounding lion’s mane and cancer. 

Most of this has centered around cancer treatment, as “lion’s mane mushroom has been found to potentially slow the progression or reverse the spread of leukemia, gastric, lung, cervical, liver, colon, and breast cancers.”

Aside from slowing the spread of some cancers, in lab studies, when lion’s mane extract was mixed with human cancer cells in a test tube, the extract caused the cancer cells to die faster.

Even better, these findings have been consistent across multiple studies with several types of cancer.

3- Immune System Boosts And Gut Protection

When your immune system is weakened, you’re not only more susceptible to viruses and other infections, but your body also struggles to fight against greater disease(s), especially those linked to your gut. 

Studies have shown lion’s mane to be beneficial to immune health as this adaptogen increases the activity of the intestinal immune system. 

Of course, more than 70% of your immune system is housed in your gut, aka your intestines!

Here, lion’s mane provides beneficial changes to gut bacteria which then stimulate the immune system, and in doing so, they provide the added benefit of protecting your gut from other intestinal woes. 

In lab studies, supplementing with lion’s mane “nearly quadrupled the lifespan of mice injected with a lethal dose of salmonella bacteria.” 

Still, other studies found lion’s mane to be a potent aid for those suffering with ulcerative colitis, inflammatory bowel disease, and gastritis.

4- Mental And Emotional Health Aid

Closely linked to lion’s mane’s gut health and immune system benefits are the rewards this adaptogen brings to mental health. 

Your gut and brain are highly linked as they are in continual communication through what most refer to as the gut-brain axis. 

This means that the health of your gut directly affects the health of your brain, specifically in regards to mental health. 

And, this is why lion’s mane is thought to bring such potent benefits regarding stress, depression, and anxiety. 

In other words, by promoting gut health, your brain is helped. 

But, lion’s mane also possesses powerful anti-inflammatory benefits which translate to relief for anxiety and depression. 

And this, combined with lion’s mane’s ability to improve hippocampus functioning is thought to provide benefits regarding emotional health.

5- Supports A Healthy Heart

Researchers have found lion’s mane extract to be beneficial at preventing LDL (bad) cholesterol increases. At the same time, it’s also been successful at increasing good cholesterol while lowering triglycerides in the bloodstream. 

Then, according to the Department of Cellular Signaling (Tohoku University, Japan), lion’s mane may also be able to prevent blood clots, thereby reducing the risk of stroke. 

Another boost for heart health, lion’s mane extract has also been shown to improve fat metabolism, a weight management benefit that also rewards your heart.

6- May Help Manage Diabetes Symptoms

For diabetes patients, studies surrounding lion’s mane have proven to be promising as scientists have found this adaptogen to significantly lower blood sugar levels. 

This benefit comes from the ability of lion’s mane to block the activity of alpha-glucosidase, which breaks down carbohydrates in the small intestine. 

Because of this, the body doesn’t absorb carbs as effectively, thus lowering blood sugar levels. 

Then, lion’s mane has also been found, in animal studies, to reduce diabetic nerve pain experienced in the hands and feet. 

7- Inflammation Fighter

Chronic inflammation is deadly, plain and simple. 

Both chronic inflammation and oxidative stress are now considered to be the primary causes of most modern diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, multiple cancers, and more. 

But, the anti-inflammatory and potent antioxidant benefits of lion’s mane have been shown to reduce the impact of these diseases due to its ability to combat oxidative stress and reduce inflammation throughout the body. 

One 2012 study found lion’s mane to have the 4th highest antioxidant activity out of 14 adaptogenic mushrooms, convincing researchers of this particular mushroom’s disease and inflammation fighting superpowers!

Chaga

1- Inflammation Reduction

In folk medicine, chaga has been used for centuries to relieve digestive distress and discomfort while promoting overall digestive health and wellness. 

And, this benefit is attributed to chaga’s powerful anti-inflammatory properties as well as its high levels of antioxidants. 

By reducing gut inflammation specifically, chaga aids in fighting against harmful gut bacteria while also reducing symptoms of irritable bowel disease and other gastric concerns such as ulcers, and more. 

2- Blood Sugar Balancer

While lion’s mane has been studied for its ability to reduce high blood sugar levels, chaga has been found to help both reduce those levels as well as maintain balanced blood sugar levels. 

For those with diabetes or high blood sugar, this proves helpful in avoiding blood sugar spikes and improving insulin resistance. 

In animal studies, scientists have found chaga to reduce blood sugar levels by up to 31%.

3- Lowers Bad Cholesterol Levels

Due to chaga’s high levels of antioxidants, this adaptogen has been found to reduce LDL, or bad, cholesterol while also lowering triglycerides, and overall cholesterol levels. 

Consuming chaga is associated with an overall increase in antioxidant levels, and this has led scientists to believe this mushroom’s powers may also (with its cholesterol benefits) improve the overall health of the arterial walls of the heart.

4- Supports Allostasis

Homeostasis is a term used to describe a state of balance in the body. 

Allostasis describes how your body responds to stress in order to remain in or regain homeostasis. 

And, chaga powerfully supports your body’s ability to remain balanced in the face of stress or change. 

In other words, chaga is a fuel for allostasis. 

One of the most studied aspects of chaga’s effect on allostasis concerns physical activity. 

Even though it’s tremendously healthy, a true need for whole body wellness, exercise still puts the body under stress. 

And, chaga has been found to improve the way the body is affected by physical activity. 

For the most part, this has translated to chaga’s ability to improve endurance and aid in glycogen storage, but it has also been shown to reduce levels of lactate in the blood, preventing or improving symptoms of muscle fatigue. 

However, coming from someone who’s body seems to walk a tightrope of “how much is too much” when it comes to exercise, this allostasis benefit, or rather the ability of chaga to protect the body from the stress of physical activity is what excites me the most about this powerfully healthy mushroom!

5- Cancer Fighter & Immune Booster

Slows the growth of cancer cells…

Resulted in a 60% reduction in tumor size…

Prevented the growth of cancer cells in the liver…with similar results seen in lung, breast, and colon cancers…

The above statements are all taken from studies concerning chaga’s effects on cancer. 

And, it’s no wonder this adaptogen has such powerful benefits in regards to cancer, as the immune boosting properties of chaga (and anti inflammatory properties) prove it to be highly beneficial in aiding the body’s natural way of fighting against invading pathogens and ultimately disease. 

In fact, chaga’s ability to support your body’s immune system is considered one of its most potent benefits.

6- Improves Skin Health

There are several things that contribute to aging skin concerns. 

Oxidative stress, UV exposure, and more can not only accelerate aging, but these can also contribute to DNA damage and disease. 

The beta glucans in chaga have been shown to slow down the oxidative stress-related effects of aging, and chaga’s melanin content “is believed to protect human skin against DNA damage by absorbing UV radiation.” 

Other studies have shown chaga to be a powerful free radical scavenger, meaning it’s a potent fighter against the effects of aging most noticeable in your skin. 

7- Supports A Health Brain

Lastly, chaga, like lion’s mane, supports healthy brain functioning. 

Here, studies have shown chaga to significantly improve learning and memory, a benefit that is thought to be linked to chaga’s powerful ability to combat damage done by oxidative stress.

Coffee, Chaga, And Lion’s Mane - Cognition Coffee

Lifeboost Cognition Coffee is a blend of single origin, low acid, shade and elevation grown, specialty Arabica coffee and lion’s mane and chaga adaptogenic mushrooms…and this incredible combination isn’t just a delicious cup of coffee!

Lifeboost Cognition Coffee brings you the same clean coffee, the same great taste, and the same antioxidant-rich health benefits compounded by the addition of everything we’ve detailed here today - the powers of lion’s mane and chaga mushrooms. 

This combination not only brings individual benefits to various areas of whole-body health and wellness, but this cup also prioritizes a strong, healthy body even in the face of the stresses we commonly encounter throughout life. 

Boosts for brain, heart, skin, and immune health - protection against inflammation, oxidative stress, and disease - functional coffee truly changes the game, and it’s as easy as pie…or coffee…just one sip after the other!

Check out Lifeboost Coffee French Vanilla Cognition Mushroom Coffee.

Medical Disclaimer
This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of such advice or treatment from a personal physician. All readers/viewers of this content are advised to consult their doctors or qualified health professionals regarding specific health questions. Neither Dr. Charles Livingston nor the publisher of this content takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons reading or following the information in this educational content. All viewers of this content, especially those taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement or lifestyle program.

Becky Livingston Vance Content writer

Becky is a mother, educator, and content writer for Lifeboost Coffee. She has had three years’ experience as a writer, and in that time she has enjoyed creatively composing articles and ebooks covering the topics of coffee, health and fitness, education, recipes, and relationships.