Cordyceps

What is cordyceps?

Cordyceps is a group of fungi used in traditional Chinese and Tibetan medicine. Wild Cordyceps sinensis grows on caterpillar larvae at high altitudes and is extremely expensive, so most supplements use cultivated strains (such as CS-4) or the related species Cordyceps militaris, grown on grain. Cordyceps is marketed for energy, endurance, lung function, libido and immunity.

What the research says

Human evidence is limited to small exercise studies with mixed results. In 20 healthy adults aged 50 to 75, taking a CS-4 product (333 mg three times daily) for 12 weeks modestly raised metabolic and ventilatory thresholds compared with placebo, but did not change maximal oxygen uptake (Chen et al., 2010). In young adults, a mushroom blend containing Cordyceps militaris (4 g per day) improved some measures of high-intensity exercise tolerance after three weeks (Hirsch et al., 2017). On the other hand, a 2004 trial in endurance cyclists reported that CS-4 supplementation did not improve endurance performance (Parcell et al., 2004).

We found no clinical trials of cordyceps for prostate health, urinary symptoms or testosterone in men. Any role in a prostate formula would be as a general “energy” ingredient, and the evidence even for that is preliminary.

How it’s used in supplements

Cordyceps is sold as mycelium powder, fruiting body extracts and blends. Products differ greatly in species, part used and growing medium, and some mycelium products grown on grain contain a lot of starch. Studied doses have generally been 1 to 4 g per day, so 250 mg is well below that range.

Cordyceps is usually well tolerated, with occasional digestive upset. Because it may affect blood sugar, immune activity and blood clotting, people with diabetes, autoimmune disease or bleeding disorders, and those taking immunosuppressants or blood thinners, should check with a doctor. Avoid it before surgery and during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

The bottom line: cordyceps has some intriguing but small and inconsistent exercise studies, and nothing on prostate health. It may be worth exploring as a general energy supplement for curious, healthy adults, but it should not be a deciding factor when choosing a prostate product. Products made from different cordyceps species and parts are not interchangeable, so results from one study cannot be assumed to apply to another product.

When comparing products, check the species (Cordyceps militaris or a Cordyceps sinensis strain such as CS-4), whether the product is made from fruiting body or mycelium, and whether marker compounds such as cordycepin or adenosine are listed. Third-party testing for contaminants is a plus with any mushroom product.