Gwella, a Toronto-based wellness startup founded in 2020, is one such company. Last year, Gwella launched a gummy derived from ingredients in lion's mane, one of a handful of functional mushrooms used in traditional Chinese medicine along with reishi and turkey tail.

Peter Reitano, the founder of Gwella, said he's been growing functional mushrooms for about a decade. He said Gwella's chief science officer, Daniel Sanders, began experimenting with lion's mane while he was in school to replace Adderall as a "study aid." It gave them the idea to explore the potential of lion's mane as a natural alternative to improve cognition and increase focus, Reitano added.

Adderall is a widely prescribed drug that combines amphetamine and dextroamphetamine, two stimulants, to improve focus for people with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. While stimulants seem to be effective for about 70% of patients, Adderall can come with serious risks like addiction and worsening of existing heart conditions. 

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