In its first record over 300 years ago, cordyceps have been used in traditional Chinese medicine as a remedy for multiple ailments.
Reports reference The Pharmacopoeia of the People’s Republic of China (2005) stating that cordyceps had been “used for the treatment of fatigue, cough, hyposexuality, asthenia after severe illness, renal dysfunction, and renal failure.”
About 750 cordyceps-related species have been identified.
The genus of fungus grows on the larva of insects. It’s always fascinating to think about the development of the medicinal use of mushrooms. Somewhere along the way, an individual had to see cordyceps growing on the larva of various insects and decided to consume it…gross!...but we’re glad they did!
In this article, we’ll review the types of cordyceps mushrooms, the potential health benefits, some of the top studies for cordyceps, as well as dosage information and possible side effects.
Let’s dive in!
While hundreds of species have been identified, cordyceps sinensis (also referred to as caterpillar fungus) is the only one that is listed as an herbal drug in the Chinese Pharmacopeia.
However, cordyceps sinensis is extremely rare. It’s found in the mountains (high altitude regions) of Tibet, Nepal, India, and Bhutan. It’s one of the most famous species in traditional Chinese medicine, not only for its purported benefits, but because of the price it demands. Because of its rarity and decreasing yield, in 2007, a kilo of it was priced at $25,000 USD!
Clearly, this isn’t a feasible option to sell commercially, which is why the consumer products you’ll see available will often be listed as cordyceps militaris, a natural substitute that can be successfully grown on a larger, commercial scale. You can read the full article about the difference between them here.
As noted, cordyceps (sinensis and militaris) have been studied for many potential health benefits, including enhanced physical performance, improved energy, blood pressure, fatigue, anti-aging and anti-tumor properties. And benefits listed in the Chinese Pharmacopeia.
Below, we discuss 9 health benefits that cordyceps may support.
One of the most widely purported benefits of cordyceps is its ability to boost athletic performance and energy.
While this dates back centuries in traditional Chinese medicine, it hit mainstream news back in 1993, when a group of Chinese olympic runners broke numerous records and credited their success to supplementing with cordyceps. However, it was later revealed that doping was linked to their success, but this shouldn’t fully discredit the benefits of cordyceps, as numerous studies have been done to further discover its potential. If anything, it may have just helped speed up the process of discovery.
What we see here is the need for continued research. Exercise performance in cordyceps studies have been linked to increased VO2 max which essentially is the amount of oxygen your body uses while exerting as much effort as possible. The more oxygen you can get into your lungs, the better, and is often considered to aid in physical performance. While one study reported that VO2 max increased by 7% in 30 healthy older adults, and another study on 28 young adults reported an increase in Vo2 max by 11%, one study reported no change.
With limited studies done, the overall consensus seems to be that more research is needed on the duration of the study as well as the dosage, with this report stating, “greater benefits may be elicited with longer supplementation, with potential improvements in oxygen consumption, ventilatory threshold, time to exhaustion, and relative peak power output at a dosage of 4 g·d−1. Future studies should aim to establish dosage for maximal ergogenic benefits.”
The groundwork has been laid for more research into the potential benefits cordyceps has on physical performance, but with not enough substantial evidence to support the how, why and what factors ultimately influence the outcome of the study.
Even with the few studies available, cordyceps popularity has grown rapidly for this potential benefit. The thought that this natural remedy could improve physical performance and energy is the primary reason why many consumers have started supplementing with cordyceps, often adding it to their coffee or before workouts.
For more on getting the most out of your cordyceps supplement, check out this article.
We all want that post-coffee feeling. But what if there was a way to get some of that feeling without the actual coffee? According to one study done on mice, cordyceps could be used to help fight fatigue.
Many mushrooms, including reishi and turkey tail have been evaluated for their potential benefits for those with high blood pressure. Cordyceps show similar potential benefits.
Much of the link for cordyceps to potentially provide “anti-aging” benefits are its antioxidant properties. Antioxidants are substances that can prevent or slow down the damage to cells caused by free radicals.
While there have been multiple animal studies on the potential anti-aging benefits of cordyceps, more research is needed, especially in the form of human trials.
Cordyceps have a long history (centuries, in fact!) of being used for improved libido and sex drive.
We talk more about mushrooms and libido here.
Much of the studies done on cordyceps on its potential health benefits have been conducted in vitro (test tube) or on animals (typically mice). The need for human studies is imperative to understand the full potential. The same holds true for the ability for cordyceps to potentially slow tumor growth and deliver anti-tumor properties.
There are a growing amount of animal studies on the use of cordyceps and its potential to aid in type 2 diabetes support, with the primary potential to reduce blood sugar/glucose levels.
Precedence has been set for further research on cordyceps sinensis and the potential role it can play in fighting chronic kidney disease. A report summarized a group of 22 different studies, and suggested that it “showed potential promise to decrease serum creatinine, increase creatine clearance, reduce proteinuria and alleviate CKD‐associated complications, such as increased haemoglobin and serum albumin.”
These findings, however, are not conducive, as many studies were not high quality. It was more of a summary of other studies that were done, and the level of control should be noted. However, it does suggest the need for further research and discovery into the potential for cordyceps and its role in kidney function.
Cordyceps mushrooms, among others, have the potential to improve your overall heart health. Check out this article for more details on how you can use mushrooms for your heart.
It’s hard to doubt the potential health benefits of cordyceps, but as is the case with many mushrooms, while research exists, it most often falls under test tube or animal studies with little human studies having been conducted.
Nevertheless, it certainly provides the foundation for continued research, and these studies have paid the way for more significant discoveries in the future that we will be sure to update you on!
Cordyceps dosage depends on the form taken, as it does with all mushrooms.
If you’re consuming raw cordyceps militaris (mycelia or fruiting body), the typical dose is between 4 to 10 grams per day.
In regards to cordyceps extract, the dosage most commonly used in studies is between 1-3 grams or 1000 to 3000mg per day.
Understand that with many mushroom supplements, like cordyceps, official recommended dosage has not been evaluated, and largely comes down to individual factors, including, but not limited to age, weight, and the condition you are looking to help alleviate.
Be sure to speak with your doctor before incorporating any natural supplement into your diet. It’s always smart to start at a lower dose and find what works best for you.
From studies conducted, cordyceps has been relatively considered to be non-toxic with no major side effects.
This study summarizes the pharmacological and therapeutic potential of cordyceps, stating that some reports have noticed possible adverse effects including
Discontinued use resolved these adverse effects.
With any supplement, it’s important to understand your own body and seek medical guidance, and discuss your interest in taking cordyceps with your physician.
If you’re pregnant and/or breastfeeding, it’s best to consult a physician before use. Data surrounding this group is still limited.
It’s also important to note that due to the anti-viral and hypoglycemic properties of cordyceps, those taking anti-viral medications or are using diabetes medications/undergoing treatments should be cautious about supplementation as this could affect the dose of current medications/treatments.
Stated in the same report above, “Cordyceps dosage up to 80 g/kg body weight/day for 7 days was injected intraperitoneally in mice and even then it did not cause any fatality… In another study, rabbits fed through mouth for 3 months at a dose of 10 g/kg/day did not show any deviancy in blood reports, or in kidney, liver functioning.”
High doses were given to evaluate the toxicity of cordyceps in these studies and no extreme, adverse side effects were not noted.
For the full scoop on the known cordyceps side effects, read our blog.
When it comes to buying cordyceps supplements, there are a few things you’ll want to be on the lookout for.
Remember at the very beginning of the article, we discussed cordyceps sinensis and cordyceps militaris.
Cordyceps sinensis is extremely rare, AND expensive. Its yield is decreasing rapidly from over-cultivation. It’s not feasible for a commercial product, so those that are advertising that they are selling authentic, cordyceps sinensis are misleading you. It’s not the wild fruiting body that research has supported, but instead, is likely to be mycelium grown on grain, which doesn’t have studies to support the claims companies are making.
Cordyceps militaris, on the other hand, has been shown to be a natural substitute and can be grown indoors on a nutritious substrate.
This is what you’ll likely see cordyceps consumer products promoting and is often going to be the best product for you.
If you're just getting started, we suggest trying cordyceps coffee. Find out how to make it at home with this step-by-step guide.
In regards to cordyceps fruiting body vs cordyceps mycelium, studies have been done on both. However, when it comes to mycelium, products grown in the wild may have a much different benefit than those grown commercially on grain/rice/oats.
If you’re looking for a cordyceps product, you should be looking for a combination of both (if the company you’re buying from can detail the cultivation practice) or a product that is strictly the fruiting body only.
This assures the mushroom has reached full maturity, and starch concentration will be lower (as opposed to products made from mycelium on grain). For more on the great fruiting body vs mycelium debate, check out this dedicated article.
What we do know from research is that polysaccharides are an important piece to the benefits of cordyceps, often being linked to the anti-viral, anti-oxidant, anti-tumor, and hypoglycemic properties of the fungus. That and cordycepin, which is also present in cordyceps militaris.
Cordyceps benefits from hot water and alcohol (dual extraction), so typically, it’s best to look for companies that do both.
However, the most important thing is that companies can provide lab tests that detail the amount of polysaccharides (beta-glucans) as well as cordycepin, which are two of the most studied bioactives of the fungus.
Assurance from companies on the safety tests and active compounds will help assure you’re getting a quality product. Industry leaders are quick to offer this information on their site or through inquiry.