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Cordyceps
Properties & Uses:
Currently, there are over 160 articles published regarding the effects of the administration of cordyceps. However, only a couple of these articles are related to its effect on exercise performance. One of these articles suggested that cordyceps may enhance exercise capacity by improving glucose tolerance.
It was also reported that cordyceps containing cordysepic acid and adenosine has demonstrated an ability to increase energy and endurance as well as reduce the onset of exercise-related fatigue.
Some athletes who participate in endurance exercise events, such as distance running, swimming, cycling, adventure racing, etc., rather than sprinting, weight-lifting, etc. notice an improvement in exercise capacity and tolerance from supplementing with cordyceps.
Recommended Dietary Allowances:
The recommended intake of cordyceps is 3 to 9 grams taken twice daily as a liquid extract, as food, or as powdered extract.
Side Effects & Interactions:
There are insufficient studies on the safety of cordyceps. However, it has a long history of use as a food and is generally considered safe.2 There is no information available about safety in pregnancy, lactation, or use in children.
There are two reported cases of lead poisoning associated with the use of apparently contaminated cordyceps powder.3 Cordyceps should only be purchased from companies that test to exclude heavy metal contamination.
At the time of writing, there were no well-known drug interactions with cordyceps.
References:
1. Hobbs C. Medicinal Mushrooms: An exploration of tradition, healing & culture. Santa Cruz, CA: Botanica Press, 1995.
2. McGuffin M, Hobbs C, Upton R, Goldberg A. American Herbal Products Association’s Botanical Safety Handbook. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 1998.
3. Wu TN, Yang KC, Wang CM, et al. Lead poisoning caused by contaminated Cordyceps, a Chinese herbal medicine: Two case reports. Sci Total Environ 1996;182:193–5.
4. Yue QC, Ning W, Hui Z, Liang HQ. Differentiation of medicinal Cordyceps species by rDNA ITS sequence analysis. Planta Med 2002;68:635–39.