Tell me about Collider, a 'non-alcoholic beer infused with functional mushrooms and botanicals'

[editor]

They claim that the infused "functional mushrooms and botanicals" will help me relax without the need for alcohol.

And WTF are 'functional mushrooms'?

Collider | Mood-Boosting Beer, Without The Alcohol

Collider is non-alcoholic beer infused with powerful mood-boosting adaptogens, nootropics and functional mushrooms. Brewed with the same ingredients as regular beer but with innovative brew processes and adaptogenic enhancement, our beer relaxes the drinker without the need for alcohol.

www.drinkcollider.com

 

[Saul Goodman]

And WTF are 'functional mushrooms'?

Marketing wank.

 

[Epona]

It's just a lion's mane drink with wanky marketing and a website that's going to induce seizures in those who are photosensitive

 

[gentlegreen]

If the random fungi successfully made it taste the same as alcoholic beer I would be all for it.

 

[RevolutionSound]

If it worked, it would be illegal under the 2016 Pyschoactive Substances Act

 

[Mrs Miggins]

Snake oil

 

[ouirdeaux]

I wrote about all this on New Year's Day. Using 'curious' too often.

I went to that website to find out what they meant by nootropics. After all, that could mean a wide variety of substances, including caffeine. Also, I was curious as to whether these functional mushrooms were the sort of thing that would arouse the curiosity of those tasked with enforcing the law of the land. The website didn't tell me, or at least I didn't manage to find the part of it which did, because it's one of the most irritating sites I've seen in many, many years of looking at awful websites.

 

[story]

They claim that the infused "functional mushrooms and botanicals" will help me relax without the need for alcohol.

And WTF are 'functional mushrooms'?

Collider | Mood-Boosting Beer, Without The Alcohol

Collider is non-alcoholic beer infused with powerful mood-boosting adaptogens, nootropics and functional mushrooms. Brewed with the same ingredients as regular beer but with innovative brew processes and adaptogenic enhancement, our beer relaxes the drinker without the need for alcohol.

www.drinkcollider.com

Like Saul says, it’s marketing wank.

Mushrooms are really faddish right now. They have real and really interesting benefits, but ultimately they’re just mushrooms so they need to get the whistles and bells bolted on in order to make this product better than that product,

Started with reishi , then it was chaga, now it’s lion’s mane, next will be cordyceps.

Shitake and supermarket mushrooms and any other easy to buy mushrooms have broadly similar and comparable benefits. Different mushrooms have specific things that make them special, but unless you specifically need those specific benefits, any old edible mushrooms will do.

Given that mushrooms have a distinctive flavour that doesn’t necessarily sit well with beer or whatever, they either have to disguise the taste or there’s only a little bit in there.


Lion’s mane does have some benefits for the nervous system, but nothing that would help to calm down the NS. Ashwganda, astragalus, Siberian ginseng and other adaptogens are more suited for that.

On the subject of which, adaptogens are the new Thing, so keep an eye out for that. And there’s ready a huge amount of bullshit and nonsense and garbage being peddled about adaptogens. Including some ludicrously inaccurate AI generated books.

 

[skyscraper101]

I've tried 'lions mane' tea and 'coffee' and can honestly say I've felt nothing. It seems like there's a lot of these products advertising their credentials with mushrooms or CBD like it's going to give you a real buzz but it's surely just nonsense.

 

[JimW]

Functional mushrooms can hold down a job, keep their personal hygiene up to scratch and rarely say anything too embarrassing at social events.

 

[Fez909]

I wrote about all this on New Year's Day. Using 'curious' too often.

"Unwind BlendTM includes Lion's Mane, Ashwagandha and L-Theanine to give you that relaxing one or two beer feeling whilst improving focus."

 

[gentlegreen]

If it worked, it would be illegal under the 2016 Pyschoactive Substances Act

Or have been analysed and standardised, perhaps synthesised and made available as medicine.

 

[JimW]

Collider also not the best name for something you could drink before driving.

 

[bcuster]

I use lion's mane and drink kombucha. The benefits I've derived: from's lion's mane: better clarity and focus. From kombucha: improved immunity and gastro health

 

[story]

I've tried 'lions mane' tea and 'coffee' and can honestly say I've felt nothing. It seems like there's a lot of these products advertising their credentials with mushrooms or CBD like it's going to give you a real buzz but it's surely just nonsense.

Lion's mane wil never give you any kind of buzz.

The reason it's hyped like this is because it (seems to) helps the NS to stay healthy. It has shown some uses for staving off dementia and help with recovery from neurological damage.

Yes there's proper hard core gold standard science for this.
I'm not advocating, not peddling, not selling, not suggesting. Do your research, do due diligence, check your sources. Refer to your doctor. Talk to a fully qualified medical herbalists. Don't stop taking your meds. Don't believe a word of it etc and so on.

 

[gentlegreen]

I so love data anecdote in the area of medicine.
What standard tests do people use to evaluate these effects ?
Some days I struggle with WORDLE, but I'm not labelling it "brain fog"...
I eat a shit tonne of mushrooms and one day hope to grow several varieties - but ones that taste good.

 

[story]

"Unwind BlendTM includes Lion's Mane, Ashwagandha and L-Theanine to give you that relaxing one or two beer feeling whilst improving focus."

The ashwaganda might do that a bit.

The L-theanine might also do it a bit.

If they're in there in significant volume.

Lion's mane won't.

 

[skyscraper101]

Lion's mane wil never give you any kind of buzz.

The reason it's hyped like this is because it (seems to) helps the NS to stay healthy. It has shown some uses for staving off dementia and help with recovery from neurological damage.

Yes there's proper hard core gold standard science for this.
I'm not advocating, not peddling, not selling, not suggesting. Do your research, do due diligence, check your sources. Refer to your doctor. Talk to a fully qualified medical herbalists. Don't stop taking your meds. Don't believe a word of it etc and so on.

Oh I'm sure it's based on evidence - I'm just also sure they put in the lowest grade, miniscule, most cost-effective amount possible to get away with being able to market these things to seem akin to a magic potion.

 

[story]

Or have been analysed and standardised, perhaps synthesised and made available as medicine.

Just for information:

Fully qualified medical herbalists are permitted by law to prescribe plant based medicines, including fungi. They're allowed to do so for plants that have not been signed off by science. They don't use synthesised medicines.

They're also legally permitted to diagnose, and to make medicines for their patients.

 

[gentlegreen]

medical herbalists

Which conditions would escape standard tests and send one there rather than a medical doctor ?
For the record, with all my health metrics "ideal", it is my life ambition to never consult a health professional of any variety.

 

[story]

Oh I'm sure it's based on evidence - I'm just also sure they put in the lowest grade, miniscule, most cost-effective amount possible to get away with being able to market these things to seem akin to a magic potion.

Exactly as I've been saying.

 

[story]

Which conditions would escape standard tests and send one there rather than a medical doctor ?
For the record, with all my health metrics "ideal", it is my life ambition to never consult a health professional of any variety.

Your own choice.

Some people go to see health care professionals - including and maybe especially non-orthodox practitioners - in order to support and maintain existing good health.

We all need tweaks as we use our body over the years. Top level athletes refer to trainers, dietitians etc even while at peak fitness.

Not saying you or anyone else should. Just suggesting why some people do.

 

[kalmatthew]

Just for information:

Fully qualified medical herbalists are permitted by law to prescribe plant based medicines, including fungi. They're allowed to do so for plants that have not been signed off by science. They don't use synthesised medicines.

They're also legally permitted to diagnose, and to make medicines for their patients.

As far as I can see there is no legal regulatory body for medical herbalists (in the UK) , and it isn't a protected title. Unfortunately this means that while those who are responsible will be sensible and follow guidelines there is nothing in statute preventing me from calling myself a medical herbalist and doing any or all of the above. Happy to be corrected if I hadn't spotted something and can't remember if your UK based and obviously jurisdictions will vary.

 

[gentlegreen]

For quite a few years I used to indulge moderately heavily in cannabis and now they tell me it's medicinal for every condition under the sun.
Was I self-medicating prophylactically ?

 

[ouirdeaux]

No, you were getting stoned. Nothing wrong with that.

 

[lazythursday]

I'm a total sucker for supplements and I know most of the effect is probably placebo but every now and then I come across something that I think actually has an effect, for me anyway. And one of those is cordyceps, which definitely seems to give me an energy boost.

But these drinks never have enough of the active ingredient to really achieve anything - and many of these supplements / adaptogens need you to be doing them daily for a while to have any effect anyway.

 

[story]

As far as I can see there is no legal regulatory body for medical herbalists (in the UK) , and it isn't a protected title. Unfortunately this means that while those who are responsible will be sensible and follow guidelines there is nothing in statute preventing me from calling myself a medical herbalist and doing any or all of the above. Happy to be corrected if I hadn't spotted something and can't remember if your UK based and obviously jurisdictions will vary.

That's true. And it's a very vexed topic. Not getting into it here.

Fully qualified medical herbalists have completed 3 or 4 years training up to degree level, have done a minimum of 500 hours of supervised clinical experience, comply with professional guidelines, are insured etc.

That's why I say fully qualified medical herbalist rather than herbalist. Neither is a protected title but the distinction is important imo.

There are three main professional associations in the UK. You can only join if you meet the criteria.

 

[story]

For quite a few years I used to indulge moderately heavily in cannabis and now they tell me it's medicinal for every condition under the sun.
Was I self-medicating prophylactically ?

The claims for cannabis as a Panacea are misleading, misguided, and potentially dangerous.

In my opinion, I think a lot of the perceived benefits as well as the reported ones are based in the fact that we humans have something called the endocannabinoid system, which seems to be geared to be some kind of interface between the material (physiological) functions of the body and the more esoteric (feelings, thoughts, reactions, experiences) functions of the mind (or mind/body complex).

Cannabis seems to meet that bit where our hormonal and nervous reactions (fluids and electricity) responds to exterior stimuli and emotional responses, and translate those into stuff that lands in the body (feelings, reactions etc).

So much illness has an invisible component (stress, grief, fear, loneliness, anger, shock etc) and the place and the mechanics of how that becomes symptomatic is mysterious .

I reckon cannabis helps organise, elucidate, and harmonise that interface so it's less dysfunctional, leading to relief of the physical impact.

Works better /worse for some people, for some conditions, some circumstances etc.

In my opinion.

Not advocating, not suggesting, not peddling, not selling. Refer to your doctor, don't stop taking the meds. Do your research, due diligence. Don't agree with anything I suggest.

 

[story]

As far as I can see there is no legal regulatory body for medical herbalists (in the UK) , and it isn't a protected title. Unfortunately this means that while those who are responsible will be sensible and follow guidelines there is nothing in statute preventing me from calling myself a medical herbalist and doing any or all of the above. Happy to be corrected if I hadn't spotted something and can't remember if your UK based and obviously jurisdictions will vary.

Also, herbalists who haven't completed the training are not legally permitted to diagnose, nor to.prescrbe (they can suggest....).

Also, there are some herbs (hemlock, Bella Donna, colchicine, lily of the valley, ephedra etc ) which medical herbalists are legally permitted to prepare as tinctures and to prescribe. Orthodox medics are not permitted to make their own medicines, and they have no legal access to the schedule 2 herbs.

 

[rubbershoes]

"Unwind BlendTM includes Lion's Mane, Ashwagandha and L-Theanine to give you that relaxing one or two beer feeling whilst improving focus."

Relaxing and improves focus?

Sounds like normal tea