Of the 400 species of Cordyceps that have been found and categorized two have come under the spotlight in terms of health studies.
Cordyceps sinensis and Cordyceps Militaris
Cordyceps Sinensis is a species of parasitic fungi called that develops on the larvae of insects. It has long, slender stems that grow outside the host's body when these fungi fruit.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the insect and fungal remains have been manually gathered, dried, and used for centuries to treat fatigue, illness, kidney disease, and low sex desire.
Cordyceps Militaris has a more recent history of cultivation. Starting in the 1930’s it was determined that this species can be grown in a lab on rice. As Cordyceps Militaris is a comparable species that is easy to cultivate, has many of the same compounds, offers the same health advantages, and is much more widely available and environmentally sustainable. It’s use as a supplement has drastically increased since the 1980’s.
Due to the numerous alleged health benefits of cordyceps, supplements and products containing it are becoming more and more popular.
- May Improve Athletic Performance
The creation of the chemical adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is necessary for supplying energy to the muscles, is thought to be increased by cordyceps.
This might enhance how efficiently your body uses oxygen, especially when exercising (1, 2).
In one study, using a stationary bike, researchers examined their effects on the ability of 30 healthy adults to exercise. For six weeks, participants were given either a placebo pill or 3 g per day of CS-4, a synthetic strain of Cordyceps.
By the end of the study, participants who had taken CS-4 had increased their VO2 max by 7%, whereas those who had received the placebo had not. (VO2 max is a measurement used to assess fitness level) (3).
Another investigation looked at how a combination of mushrooms containing cordyceps affected young people' ability to exercise (4).
In comparison to a placebo, the subjects' VO2 max had increased by 11% after three weeks.
However, current study indicates cordyceps are ineffective at enhancing trained athletes' exercise performance (5, 6).
- Anti-Aging Qualities
Historically, cordyceps has been used to increase sex drive, increase strength, and combat tiredness.
According to researchers, its antioxidant concentration may account for their anti-aging effect (7).
According to several studies, cordyceps increases antioxidants in mice, which helps with memory and sexual function (8, 9, 10).
Antioxidants are molecules that protect cells from oxidative stress by scavenging free radicals, which otherwise promote illness and ageing (11, 12, 13).
- Possible Anti-Tumor Results
The ability of cordyceps to inhibit tumour growth has attracted a lot of attention lately.
The fungi, according to researchers, may have anti-tumor effects in a variety of ways.
Studies in test tubes have demonstrated that cordyceps can suppress the growth of a variety of human cancer cells, including those that cause liver, skin, lung, and colon cancers (15, 16, 17, 18).
- Might Aid in Managing Type 2 Diabetes
A unique kind of sugar found in cordyceps may aid in the treatment of diabetes.
When you have diabetes, your body produces either too little or too much of the hormone insulin, which is responsible for delivering the sugar glucose to your cells for energy.
Glucose cannot enter the cells when insulin is not produced in sufficient amounts or is not properly metabolised by the body, therefore it remains in the blood. Over time, major health issues might result from having too much glucose in the blood.
As a result, it is crucial for diabetics to maintain tight control over their blood sugar levels.
It is interesting to note that Cordyceps may work similarly to insulin in regulating blood sugar levels.
Studies on diabetic mice have demonstrated that cordyceps lowers blood sugar levels (19, 20, 21).
- Potential Heart Health Benefits
The advantages of these mushrooms are becoming more and more clear as new research on Cordyceps and heart health emerges.
In fact, cordyceps has been approved in China to treat arrhythmia, a disorder characterised by an irregular, too fast or too slow heartbeat (22).
The adenosine concentration of Cordyceps, according to the researchers, is what caused these results. A naturally occurring substance called adenosine has heart-protective properties (24).
- Might Aid in Fighting Inflammation
Cordyceps may aid the body combat inflammation.
Although some inflammation is beneficial, excessive amounts can result in conditions like cancer and heart disease.
There are studies that suggest, when cordyceps are exposed to human cells, specific proteins that cause inflammation are repressed (25, 26, 27, 28).
Because of these potential outcomes, experts think Cordyceps could be an effective anti-inflammatory supplement (29).
Check out the Cordyceps Mushroom Tinctures in our shop:
30 mL / 1oz bottle | Fungo Mini
118 mL / 4oz bottle | Fungo Original
