Cordyceps Mushroom: The Science and Tradition Behind a Fascinating Fungus

Long valued in traditional Chinese practices, fungi extracts feature in more and more scientific studies. Cordyceps militaris is one of the most widely studied of these mushrooms, and it remains a popular choice among people interested in natural foods.

Cultivating Cordyceps

There are around 400 different species of Cordyceps fungi, and many studies are now investigating this mushroom. It has been used for hundreds of years in traditional Chinese practices, where it was traditionally taken to support vitality.

Cordyceps militaris is a fascinating mushroom, almost like something out of a sci-fi movie. It’s a parasitic fungi that feeds off insects, taking over the host’s body. This glowing orange fungi resembles coral, with long stems sprouting from the host’s body.

The Cordyceps extracts and supplements available on the market are mostly cultivated using non-animal substrates. For example, we use a fruiting body hot-water extract grown on organic barley – no insects necessary.

Bioactive compounds in Cordyceps

Cordyceps contains bioactive compounds that are being explored in scientific studies. One of these is cordycepin, a nucleoside compound similar to adenosine, which is present in all human cells and plays a role in energy storage and transfer.

Cordycepin is structurally close to adenosine, and researchers have studied how it interacts with several biochemical pathways in the body. This has made it a subject of ongoing scientific interest.

Cordycepin has been the subject of various laboratory and animal studies looking at its biological activity. These studies are early-stage research carried out in cells and animals, and they do not establish any effect in people.

While some studies are limited to animal or lab research, Cordyceps continues to be a subject of human trials, and the science is still developing.

Cordyceps militaris in research and tradition

Cordyceps has a long history of traditional use and is a popular choice among people with active lifestyles, including some athletes.

Areas that researchers have explored in studies of Cordyceps include:

• Cellular energy processes
• Antioxidant activity observed in laboratory settings
• Exercise and physical performance
• Markers of oxidative stress and ATP production
• Exercise tolerance in young adults
• Immune markers studied in older men

Let’s take a closer look at some of the research…

Exercise and physical performance research

In the 2020 study, Beneficial Effect of Cordyceps militaris on Exercise Performance, researchers examined how Cordyceps relates to ATP (adenosine triphosphate) production in the context of exercise performance. ATP is the molecule cells use to transfer energy.

A 2017 study from the University of North Carolina looked at daily Cordyceps supplementation and measured maximum oxygen intake (VO2 max) in young adults over a three-week period.

Studies on mice have also examined Cordyceps and markers of muscle fatigue, though further research in humans would be needed before any conclusions could be drawn.

Antioxidant research and ageing studies

Cordyceps has been studied for its antioxidant activity, including how antioxidants interact with free radicals in laboratory settings.

Some animal studies have looked at Cordyceps and the lifespan of mice. Whether these observations translate to people is unknown, and this remains an area of ongoing research.

An exciting future for Cordyceps

With scientific research progressing from animal to human trials, Cordyceps remains an interesting subject for scientists. History shows it sometimes takes time for clinical trials to explore what centuries of traditional use have described.

The growing body of research marks an exciting step in the study of this mushroom. You can explore our Cordyceps extract as part of your daily routine.

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