Cordyceps:The Zombie mushroom that can give you life!

Posted on by

Learn about the many health benefits, ways of usage, safety concerns and history of Cordyceps: the zombie mushroom that can give you life!In this article I will cover the many health benefits, ways of use, safety and precautions of a wonderful mushroom known as Cordyceps: The zombie mushroom that can give you life!

This powerful adaptogen has been used for thousands of years in TCM and it is time for us to harvest its power!

CAUTION: Medical Disclaimer

Table of Contents

Herbal Name and Characteristics:

  • Name: Cordyceps Mushroom or Chinese Caterpillar Fungus
  • Pin Yin: Dong Chong Xia Cao,
  • Latin: Cordyceps sinensis
  • Taste: Bitter and slightly salty
  • Color: brown
  • Constitution: Slightly warm (Yang) and cold (Yin)
  • Builds: Jing, Qi

About this Herb

You might be familiar with this herb name especially if you like watching wildlife documentaries. Cordyceps is also known as the zombie mushroom.

Like Rhodiola, it can increase oxygen uptake by the body which leads to better stress response and a higher endurance level in sports and other stressful activities.

My first experience was with the tincture and then I also used the powder which had similar results. Below you will find more details about this herb, its benefits, side effects and precautions you need to know before using it.

What is Cordyceps?

Cordyceps is basically a parasite and mushroom. The herb itself is harvested after infecting the body of caterpillars. It enters the caterpillar and takes over its entire body and brain until it’s dead. The result is the club-shaped mushroom which has been used in China for many years. It is said that the national Chinese marathon team used cordyceps and other herbs which resulted in gold medals and world records (that still remain unbroken) during sport events in the early 90s.

Lately, these mushrooms are grown and harvested in labs by hosting plants and not caterpillars like they did in the past which means bigger supply for the rest of the world and medical studies.

It is both a yin and a yang tonic and it works especially well on the kidneys and sexual organs. It is also beneficial for the lungs and the cardiovascular system to some extent. It can tone the entire immune system and protect from a variety of pathogenic bacteria and infections.

It is even considered to be as beneficial and powerful as ginseng.

The ingredients responsible for its benefits are the polysaccharides (45% content) and it also contains:

  • Alpha and beta glucans,
  • Cordycepin,
  • Galactomannans,
  • Sterols,
  • Vitamins (similar with Reishi mushrooms and ginseng).

Benefits and properties of Cordyceps

Summarizing the many benefits of Cordyceps mushrooms:

  • Can help with fatigue. A study in rats showed that it prolonged their endurance by 12.5% when they were fed a cordyceps solution.
  • It increase resistance to physical and mental stress and can help especially in sports events by supporting endurance capacity (as shown in rats). 2 other studies indicated that it can reduce oxidative stress and increase performance in swimming rats.
  • Studies in both vivo and in vitro have shown increases in testosterone (by increasing Luteinizing Hormone Levels) which can potentially sperm motility in healthy males.
  • Can support kidney function especially after a kidney transplant and can prevent rejection of the organ as shown in rats.
  • It’s a strong anti-oxidant as it can reduce oxidative processes in the body as shown in vitro studies. Studies in vitro and in vivo displayed the anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects of cordycepin from the Cordyceps mushroom.
  • It can help with better control of blood sugar levels in patients with type 2 diabetes.
  • Is a strong anti-inflammatory agent. More specifically, it has shown great anti-inflammatory benefits for patients of rheumatic arthritis and in patients with inflamed airways.
  • Can protect from bacterial infections, radiation and supports immune system. It has also shown potential as an anti-tumor in several studies.
  • It has shown anti-aging properties by improving cognitive functions and improving sexual health.
  • Also has potential anti-aging benefits by improving cognitive functions and improving sexual health.

When and how to take it?

Alcohol based Tincture: In this way, you can extract many of the nutrients found in Cordyceps. Hold the dose in your mouth (under the tongue) for 1 to 3 minutes until it gets absorbed. Then you can swallow it.

The tincture can also be taken in a glass of water. Wait a couple of minutes for the alcohol to evaporate and then drink the tincture.

Capsules: Cordyceps can be taken in capsules. I would advise you to be really careful when selecting this form. Their quality and potency can be of questionable quality while when you buy the powder, you can see if they have the right color.

Powder: Buying Cordyceps in powder form will prove to be more beneficial than anything. You can add it to your shakes or sprinkle it over your food.

Another way to take it is to hold the powder in your mouth for 5 minutes.

What you can also do is alternate between 2 forms. First would be a tincture and the second, in powder or tablet form.

Tea: Perhaps the best way to take medicinal mushrooms such as cordyceps is making a concoction a.k.a tea. Boil some water and add some powder and let it sit over time. Then drink it as usual.

 The best times to take it would be:

  • After a stressful day,
  • Whenever you need to relax,
  • Before bed.

Safety and side effects

Cordyceps does not seem to have any toxicity levels and it is considered to be safe taken orally for short term (under 3 months).

There are currently no reported side effects from using Cordyceps.

You should not take Cordyceps if you:

  • Have an autoimmune disorder like (MS, Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis) as it can cause the immune system to become more active and enhance their negative effects,
  • Have low blood sugar levels, are treated for diabetes or take anti-diabetes medicine as it can interfere with blood sugar levels and may possibly affect the dose of your medicine.
  • Have any hormonal problem or medical condition including but not limited to: cancer, diabetes or undergoing chemo treatment: Check with your doctor before using cordyceps if you have any of the above conditions. Your doctor is the only person who can determine if using it is a good idea or not.
  • Are scheduled for an operation, organ transplant or you just underwent one. Certain ingredients may interfere with the sedation used during surgery, rejection of the organ, interfere with healing and cause internal bleeding.
  • Have allergies to this specific herb or any of its ingredients.

The best thing you can do before taking any herb supplement is to test it. If you want to be safe while using herbs I strongly urge you to read my other article on how to test an herb for allergies and intolerances.

Contraindications or interactions with other medication/substances:

Avoid using this herb/adaptogen if you have any medical condition or take any kind of medication without consulting with your doctor first.

Special Precautions & Warnings:

Since there are not enough studies performed to determine the full safety of this product, pregnant women or breastfeeding women should avoid using this product.

Cycling

Use for a maximum of 3 months and then take 4 weeks off. Repeat cycle after that.

While there are no side effects or toxicity associated with long term consumption, I would not use any herb for long periods of time without a break in order to keep them being effective and protect the body from accumulation of other toxins unrelated to the herb itself.

Dosage

Over the past 20 years I have experimented with literally hundreds of herbs, supplements (and other natural products) and was finally able to discover the right doses for amazing results.

If you wish to learn more about the dosages that I use with my clients for different purposes (better health, hormonal balance, stress management, testosterone boost and more) or how I combine this herb/supp with others, leave a comment below or reach out to me for a consultation through the “Hire me” link.

Also make sure you subscribe to my newsletter and receive the latest website updates and articles directly to your email!

Closing thoughts

Cordyceps is one of the most powerful mushrooms found in nature that holds many health benefits for mankind. In my opinion it is one of the most underutilized adaptogens and I highly recommend it for optimizing your health. However, you need to be careful and know your current health status as it is not recommended for people with existing immune system disorders.

I hope you enjoyed this article as much as I did writing it. Putting together this article took a bit of time but it will only take you a second to click on the Share buttons below and show your support to this blog.

Also if you have any comments or questions, feel free to leave a comment and I will get back to you as soon as possible. Thanks!

by Nick Sigma
CWC, EH, E-YRT200

Resources:

Studies:

Copyright Disclaimer & Terms of Use:
This article is copyrighted property of Nick Sigma (© 2017 All rights reserved). Plagiarism, copying, distribution, storing or using this article partially or in its entirety in any form (including but not limited to web pages, ebooks, books or any form of digital or analog publication) without the explicit and written permission of Nick Sigma is prohibited. Violators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. If you have any questions on guest blogging, back-linking and other types of cooperation please contact Nick Sigma. By reading any article on this website you automatically accept the Medical Disclaimer, Health Disclaimer, Terms of use, Limitation of Liability and Copyright Disclaimer as presented above and their extensive version as it appears in their respective pages.

Save

Save

Save

Save

Comments are closed.