Unveil The Hidden Benefits of Cordyceps

Closely related to mushroom, Cordyceps is a genre of fungus that grows and lives on the larvae of certain insects or caterpillars in the high mountain regions mostly in China. Let’s check how beneficial this fungus is.

What Is Cordyceps?

In the high mountain regions of China, Cordyceps is a fungus that grows on the larvae of certain insects. Additional manufacturers can get sufficient products to sell because the cordyceps are replicated in the laboratory.

Coughs, chronic bronchitis, respiratory disorders, kidney disorders, nighttime urination, male sexual problems, anaemia, irregular heartbeat, high cholesterol, liver disorders, dizziness, weakness, ringing in the ears, unwelcome weight loss, and opium addiction all these can be treated with Cordyceps.

It’s also used to help people with hepatitis B to boost their immune systems, improve athletic ability, slow down the effects of ageing,  and improve liver function. Some people use cordyceps to boost their energy, improve resistance and reduce fatigue as a stimulant, a tonic and an “adaptogen.”

How Does Cordyceps Work?

Cordyceps can improve cell immunity and specific immune system chemicals. It can also work with cancerous cells and can reduce tumour sizes, especially in the case of cancer of the lungs or skin.

Precautions And Warnings

Pregnancy and Breast-feeding: If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, there is not enough reliable information about the safety of cordycep.

For “Auto-immune diseases” such as multiple sclerosis (MS), lupus (systemic lupus erythematosus, SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), or other conditions : cordyceps may lead to a more active immune system, which increases the symptoms of auto-immune diseases. Therefore, it’s best to avoid using Cordyceps if you have any of these conditions.

Bleeding Disorders: Blood clotting could be slowed down by cordyceps. In people with bleeding disorders, taking cordyceps may increase the risk of bleeding.

Surgery : Cordyceps can increase the risk of bleeding in the course of the operation. Therefore, it is crucial, two weeks prior to surgery, to stop taking cordyceps.

• Medications That Decrease The Immune System (immunosuppressants) Interaction Rating: 

The immune system may be boosted with Cordyceps. As such Cordyceps may decrease the efficacy of medicines that lower the immune system power by enhancing the immune system.

Some medications that suppress the immune system include azathioprine (imuran), basiliximab (simulect), cyclosporine (neoral, sandimmune), daclizumab (zenapax), muromonab-CD3 (OKT3, orthoclone OKT3), mycophenolate (cellcept), tacrolimus (FK506, prograf), sirolimus (rapamune), prednisone

• Medications That Slow Blood Clotting (Anticoagulant / Antiplatelet drugs) Interaction Rating: 

Cordyceps has the potential to slow down blood clotting. Taking Cordyceps with other medications may increase the likelihood of bruising and bleeding. However, it is unclear whether this potential interaction is a major concern or not.

Aspirin, clopidogrel (plavix), dalteparin (fragmin), enoxaparin (lovenox), heparin, ticlopidine (ticlid), warfarin (coumadin), and other blood clotting medications are a few examples.

• PrednisoloneInteraction Rating:

Prednisolone is occasionally used to suppress the immune system. Taking cordyceps may reduce the effectiveness of prednisolone in suppressing the immune system.

• TestosteroneInteraction Rating:

The levels of testosterone may be increased by cordyceps. However, it is unclear whether this is effective or not as it is still under study. People who take testosterone ought to avoid or take caution until this potential interaction is more widely known.

Dosing Considerations For Cordyceps

The appropriate cordyceps dose depends on several factors, such as the age, health and other conditions of the user. There is currently no sufficient scientific data to establish a suitable variety of cordyceps doses. Be aware that it is not always essential that natural products are safe, therefore, dosages may be important. Make sure you follow the relevant product labels directions and consult your doctor before you use it.

Benefits of Cordyceps

There are 6 important benefits of Cordyceps:

• May Boost Exercise Performance: 

The Adenosine triphosphate module (ATP) is implemented to improve the production in the body, which is essential to providing muscle energy. This can enhance the way your body uses oxygen, mainly during workouts.

Researchers have tested their impact on training ability using a stationary bike for 30 stable elderly people. Either 3g of a Cordyceps synthesiser strain called CS-4 or the placebo pill for six weeks were given to participants.

By the end of the experiment, VO2 max in participants who had received CS 4 had increased by 7% and in participants who had received the placebo pill had no effect.

The VO2 max is a strength and conditioning level measurement used. 20 healthy elderly people received either 1 g of CS-4 or a placebo pill for 12 weeks in a related study. Although the VO2 max of both groups did not shift, participants in CS-4 improved additional exercise efficiency measures. One research also examined the effects of a mushroom mixture containing cordyceps in younger adults on workout.

In 3 weeks, the VO2 max participants improved by 11% compared to placebo.

However, certain results from the study revealed that Cordyceps does not improve the performance of trained athletes efficiently.

• Anti-Aging Properties:

The elderly people have used cordyceps traditionally to reduce tiredness and boost strength and sex drive. Their antioxidant levels can describe their anti-aging possibilities. Other research has shown that Cordyceps increases the amount of antioxidants in elderly mice, helping improve survival and sex drive. Antioxidants are substances that prevent tissue damage by the neutralisation of free radicals, otherwise diseases and ageing occur. Mice lived numerous months longer than the placebo-administered mice had given cordyceps.

An additional analysis revealed that cordyceps extended fruit flies’ lives and further supported their belief that they may have anti-aging beneficial effects.

• Potential Anti-Tumor Effects:  

The potential of cordyceps to slow down tumour growth in recent years has generated considerable interest. Studies suggest the fungi may have anti-tumor properties in a variety of ways. Cordyceps inhibiting the growth of many types of human cells, including lung cancer, colon, skin and liver cancer, have been found in tube testing studies.

Cordyceps has also been shown in mouse studies to have anti-tumor effects on lymphoma, melanoma, and lung cancer. Cordyceps may also be able to reverse the side effects of many types of cancer therapy.

• May Help Manage Type 2 Diabetes: 

Cordyceps contains a type of sugar that may aid in the treatment of diabetes.

Diabetes is a condition in which the body fails to produce or react to the hormone insulin, which is responsible for transporting the sugar glucose into cells for energy.

When the body doesn’t produce enough insulin or doesn’t react well to it, glucose is unable to reach the cells and remains in the blood. In the course of time, excessive blood glucose can cause serious health problems.

As a result, it is critical for diabetics to keep their blood sugar levels under control. And, Cordyceps has been shown to lower blood sugar levels in diabetic mice in many studies. It may also protect against kidney disease, a common complication of diabetes, according to research.

• Possible Benefits For Heart Health:

The advantages of cordyceps are becoming more evident as more data on the fungi’s impact on heart health emerges. Cordyceps is actually approved in China for the treatment of arrhythmia, a disorder in which the pulse is abnormally slow, rapid, or erratic.

Cordyceps greatly decreased heart injuries in rats with chronic kidney disease, according to a report. Chronic kidney disease-related cardiac injuries are thought to increase the risk of heart failure, so minimising these conditions could help prevent cardiac conditions.

These results were due to cordyceps’ adenosine material, according to the researchers. Adenosine is a naturally occurring substance that protects the heart. Cordyceps can also have an impact on cholesterol. In animal studies, it is seen that Cordyceps is able to lower “bad” LDL cholesterol. Bad LDL can increase your risk of heart disease by causing cholesterol buildup in your arteries.

• May Help Fight Inflammation: 

Cordyceps is said to aid in the fight against inflammation in the body. Although some inflammation is beneficial, excessive inflammation can lead to diseases such as heart disease and cancer. According to studies, when human cells are exposed to cordyceps, special proteins that cause inflammation in the body are suppressed.

Cordyceps may be useful as an anti-inflammatory supplement or drug as a result of these potential effects, according to researchers. Cordyceps has been shown to reduce inflammation in mouse airways, making it a potential therapy option for asthma. However, the fungi appear to be less effective than commonly prescribed drugs for relieving inflammation in the body.

Cordyceps may also be used topically. When applied topically to reduce skin inflammation in mice, it demonstrated anti-inflammatory properties.

In a Nutshell,

Cordyceps comes with a bundle of benefits to overcome various health conditions. Moreover, looking at the various uses, it is clear that Cordyceps can definitely find its place in the new age medicines. Let’s wait and watch.