Our Ingredients: Cordyceps

Posted by Revvl Health on January 19, 2021

What is Cordyceps?

Cordyceps is a genus of about 400 species of fungi or mushrooms. The name is derived from Greek and Latin words meaning “club-headed.” Several species of Cordyceps are medicinal mushrooms, used for thousands of years in Chinese and Tibetan medicine to enhance life energy, virility, and strength performance, and to induce fertility and milk production.

Even now in modern, western medicine, Cordyceps are used to treat conditions like Multiple Sclerosis and to help transplant patients avoid organ rejection. Cordyceps are anti-inflammatory in nature, so they help the immune system, fight oxidative damage in the cells, and stimulate protective cells that keep the body free from mutations like cancerous cells and infections.

Studies show that Cordyceps acts like a natural cancer treatment, preventing the growth of tumors — especially in the lungs and on the skin. This fungus has been used for centuries in the treatment of fatigue, cough, hyposexuality, asthenia after sever illness, renal dysfunction, and renal failure.[i]

What Can It Do for You?

Cordyceps can boost your immune system.

Studies show that supplementation with Cordyceps addresses the stress response in the body, boosting immune function and overall vitality.[i] Cancer is the second leading cause of disease-related mortality throughout the world. Due to the limitations of surgery and radiotherapy, and the side effects of chemotherapy, there is increasing interest in developing anti-tumor drugs from natural products. Studies show that Cordyceps has anti-tumor activity in various cancers through several pathways.[ii]

Cordyceps can slow the aging process.

Because it improves the activity of healthy enzymes while slowing the activity of corrosive enzymes, Cordyceps improves brain function and slows the aging process.[iii] Research done by the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Peking University in Beijing shows that this amazing adaptogenic herb had an anti-aging effect on mice and improved activity of the body’s natural antioxidants.

Cordyceps can improve stamina and athletic performance.

A 2010 study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine showed that supplementing with Cordyceps improved exercise performance and contributed to overall markers of wellness in older adults. [v]

Cordyceps improves physical abilities, endurance, and stamina because it boosts the body’s supply of ATP, one of the primary sources of energy during exercise. This means that athletes can keep up with intense workouts and extend the length of time they can stay active at that level of intensity.

Cordyceps can improve sexual stamina and performance.

Because Cordyceps enhances the body’s ability to use oxygen more efficiently, improves blood flow, and improves endurance, many people turn to natural supplements containing this adaptogenic herb for help with fertility and sexual potency.

In one study, the administration of Cordyceps enhanced libido and sexual activity, and restored impaired reproductive function in both sexes of humans. This happens because of the enhancement of testosterone release in plasma through its signal pathways.

In addition, one of the proteins in Cordyceps contributes to the hypotensive and vasorelaxant properties by improving the production of nitrous oxide. This protein might help the penis trap blood for erection, thereby improving sexual function.[vi]

[i] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92758 [ii] Ibid.

[iii] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18803231 [iv] Ibid.

[v] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20804368
[vi] Drewes S. E, George J, Khan F. Recent findings on natural products with erectile-dysfunction activity. Phytochemical. 2003; 62:1019–25.