Welcome to the fourth in our series of blogs featuring marvelous mushrooms widely popularized as natural remedies in supplement form, able to treat or even enhance a person’s health in numerous ways. In presenting this latest entry in our series, we again encourage you to dismiss any negative connotations that the word “fungus/fungi” might have for you when discussing mushrooms. Yes, most mushrooms are indeed fungi, but the forms we are talking about here are unlikely to be spotted sprouting up in dark, damp, cool basements or found creeping over decaying organic matter in the middle of the woods.
Now that we have (hopefully) dispelled any cringe-inducing visions you might have when you hear the term “fungus” in the same sentence as “mushrooms,” we once again tout the health benefits of yet another of our “marvelous” mushrooms, this time Cordyceps. In earlier editions of this series, we touched on reishi, shiitake, and maitake mushrooms. With Cordyceps, we now make quick study of a plant that has been used for centuries in traditional Chinese medical practices for boosting vitality, among other health benefits, but also in contemporary times for its popularity as an ingredient in coffee blends.
Where and How Are Cordyceps Mushrooms Sourced?
Cordyceps is native to the soils of high-altitude prairies found in the Himalayan mountains, most abundantly in various provinces of China, such as Tibet, Qinghai and Gansu, found even at air-thin altitudes higher than 15,000 feet. Cordyceps is a parasitic fungus that grows on insect larvae. The fungi attacks its host, replacing the host’s tissue and sprouting long stems that grow outside the host’s body.
As difficult as it might be to reconcile the notion of the remains of insects and fungi being used in supplement form to treat afflictions such as fatigue, sickness, kidney disease, and low sex drive, as Cordyceps has done for centuries, it truly might be beneficial in many areas of your health, even as research continues in the search for further scientific validation. As an aside, it might boggle your mind to know – it does ours – that there are more than 350 Cordyceps-related species that have been identified worldwide. However, only Cordyceps sinensis, like that commonly found as the main ingredient in modern-day Cordyceps herb-based supplements, has been officially recorded as an herbal drug in Chinese pharmacopoeia.
It is also interesting to note that Cordyceps’ inhibitory effect on your immune system makes it suitable for treating autoimmune diseases as well as for immunosuppression that typically follows an organ transplant procedure. That said, let’s take a brief look at six of Cordyceps’ other most promising health benefits, which are in addition to its ability to act as a bidirectional modulator that helps regulate both the innate and adaptive immunity layers of the immune system’s protection against pathogens.
6 of Cordyceps’ Best-Known Health Benefits
In no particular order:
Enhance Sexual Activity. Studies have shown that the administration of Cordyceps sinensis might not only bolster libido and sexual activity but also restore reproductive function that has been impaired, and this is true for both sexes in humans.
Boost Exercise/Athletic Performance. Studies have demonstrated that Cordyceps can thwart the harm induced by free radicals because of its antioxidant nature. It can also support enhanced blood flow in the body while helping your muscles utilize oxygen more efficiently.
Combat Fatigue. This entails mental as well as physical fatigue associated with difficulty in beginning or sustaining voluntary activity. The use of Cordyceps for treatment for fatigue in China has shown how the fungus-based herb utilizes its antistress characteristics and knack for improving endurance and strength to help restore the patient’s health and to quicken their recovery from exhaustion.
Heart Health. Some scientists have found evidence that the naturally occurring compound adenosine found in Cordyceps might provide protection to the heart by having a role in inhibiting the buildup of oxidative stress in the heart related to the possible development of cardiac hypertrophy.
Kidney Protection. For example, Cordyceps has been used to treat renal diseases, such as chronic renal dysfunction or failure, via antiapoptotic and anti-inflammatory activity as seen in studies involving rats.
Anti-Aging. Although more research is needed to further investigate such claims, recent studies and research have indicated that Cordyceps mushrooms possess polyphenols, which provide the fungus its antioxidant nature to help fight cell damage. Also, a 2024 study with 40 human subjects found that Cordyceps appears to have adaptogenic properties, meaning it is equipped to help the body cope better in stressful circumstances.
Although Cordyceps is reported to have a sweet taste, it doesn’t appear to have a popular culinary aspect to it like the other mushrooms we have examined in this series. However, it certainly holds its own when it comes to imparting health benefits. Before trying Cordyceps or even adding it to your daily regimen of supplementation, you are best advised to first discuss its use with your personal physician or other qualified healthcare professional to see if it would be suitable for you.