Ergothioneine Ingredient Supports Cognitive Function: Study

A precision-fermented, nature-identical L-ergothioneine ingredient marketed by Blue California as ErgoActive supports measures of memory, cognitive function, and longevity, according to a recent clinical study published in Nutraceuticals.

The randomized, placebo-controlled study evaluated changes induced by the antioxidant, which naturally occurs in mushrooms and other foods, in a population of 147 adults between the ages of 55 and 79 who had subjective memory complaints. They were randomized to take either a placebo or a supplement containing either 10 mg or 25 mg of ErgoActive for 16 weeks.

Assessments included the CNS Vital Signs cognitive domains, subjective memory, sleep quality, plasma ergothioneine, leukocyte telomere length, and safety parameters.

Plasma ergothioneine increased three- to six-fold in the low-dose group, and six- to 16-fold in the high-dose group by weeks 4 and 16, confirming that the ingredient is bioavailable.

Subjective evaluations of prospective memory and sleep initiation appeared to improve in a dose-dependent manner, with positive trends at 10 mg and significant improvements in the 25 mg group.

Reaction time improved in both the high and low dose treatment groups, with some variations over time.

Early within-group increases in composite memory scores were achieved by week 4 in the 25 mg group.

Additionally, in female participants, a within-group increase in telomere length was observed at 10 mg.

The supplement was safe and well-tolerated, with significant reductions achieved in plasma ALT and AST, suggesting improved liver function.

According to the researchers, even though there were high cognitive scores at baseline, and baseline ergothioneine levels above the theoretical threshold proposed to delineate “healthy” from “unhealthy,” meaningful improvements were observed in both subjective and physiological outcomes, highlighting the potential for ergothioneine to benefit high-functioning older adults and supporting the generalizability of these findings.

“This publication reflects years of investment in building the scientific foundation for ergothioneine,” said Linda May-Zhang, VP of science and innovation at Blue California and co-author of the study. “We focused on healthy individuals with subjective memory complaints, a group often considered at higher risk for cognitive decline, yet still within the window for early intervention. These findings offer clinical evidence that ergothioneine supports neurocognitive and physiological resilience in aging humans and provide a strong foundation for future studies in populations with lower ergothioneine status or greater risk for age-related decline.”

“This trial was conducted at Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, and represents a successful example of cross-continental collaboration to advance ergothioneine science,” May-Zhang continued.

Previous studies have suggested that ergothioneine may improve learning performance and neuronal injury biomarkers in older adults with mild cognitive impairment, and improve sleep quality in healthy adults.