Mushrooms are gaining popularity in society due to their positive health benefits. They are becoming more and more popular in sports nutrition because of their performance enhancing ability. Cordyceps is one of the more popular mushrooms being used in supplements from companies like The Genius Brand and in new innovative ingredients like Compound Solutions PeakO2.
It is important to understand what Cordyceps is, it’s potential benefits and uses of this mushroom. We will help you learn about this in the most simplistic of ways. There are several products in which use this powerful mushroom that we do recommend you incorporate into your daily intake of supplements.
What Is Cordyceps?
Cordyceps is technically a fungus that grows on the back of a caterpillar high in the mountains of China. This is Cordyceps in it’s most natural form. As you can imagine, securing all-natural Cordyceps would be extremely expensive, not to mention very limited. This is why many companies using Cordyceps in their products use a form of Cordyceps produced in a laboratory.
Note: many of the sports nutrition ingredients are produced in a lab.
Potential Benefits of Cordyceps
Cordyceps has long been used in Chinese medicine as a powerful healing mushroom. In fact, in the local Chinese community North Sikkim, where Cordyceps is found high up in the mountains, they claim there are 21 different ailments that can be treated with Cordyceps. We will not dive into 21 different ailments, but we will look at the most popular benefits of Cordyceps as it pertains to overall performance.
Increased Athletic Performance
Two different studies were conducted to research whether the oral supplementation of Cordyceps would help improve overall athletic performance. In the first study, researchers conducted a double-blind, placebo controlled trial on mice. One group was given oral Cordyceps, while the other a placebo. After 3 weeks of administration, the groups given Cordyceps were able to swim significantly longer than the control groups. The study concluded that oral supplementation of Cordyceps improved endurance.
In the second study, researches looked at the impact of Cordyceps on athletic performance in a similar double-blind, placebo controlled study. They found that the group given the most of the product containing Cordyceps experienced improved lactate clearance. It has been said that lactic acid buildup is the cause of delayed onset muscle soreness. Due to the ability of Cordyceps to metabolize lactate, researchers concluded that supplementation of Cordyceps led to greater anaerobic physical performance.
Anti-Inflammatory
When we workout we can cause ligaments and tissue to become inflamed. Anti-inflammatory supplements help suppress the proteins that cause inflammation. In one study, they looked at the impact of Cordyceps and inflammation. The results concluded that it suppresses inflammation through suppression of NF-kappaB-dependent inflammatory gene expression. Long-story short, it can help prevent inflammation.
Reduction in LDL Cholesterol
LDL, or the bad cholesterol, is bad because it becomes part of plaque, the stuff that can clog arteries and make heart attacks and strokes more likely. Ideally you want HDL to be high and LDL to be low. In a study conducted on rats, they were given a high-fat diet and supplemented with Cordyceps. The researches took readings before supplementation of Cordyceps and then again after.
The results of the tests before Cordyceps was given were what we would expect on a high-fat diet. The results suggested that levels of serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, low density lipoprotein cholesterol and very low density lipoprotein cholesterol increased markedly in the two animal models by feeding high-fat diet. This is bad news.
After administration of oral Cordyceps, levels were then checked again. Cordcyeps reduced levels of serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, low density lipoprotein cholesterol and very low density lipoprotein cholesterol.
Enhanced Sexual Function
Here’s the reason we all supplement with Cordyceps. Supplementation of Cordyceps have shown to increase libido and improve reproductive functions. This is done by Cordyceps allowing the body to uptake oxygen better and improve overall performance. This is key in sexual performance.
Improvement in endurance, increased energy and lower levels of inflammation are several reasons that cordyceps may improve fertility and libido. However, Cordyceps should not be used as a cure to treat infertility.
Uses of Cordyceps
As you can derive from the potential benefits of Cordyceps, there are several uses you should consider supplementing with it.
Improved Athletic Performance and Muscle Gain
The first would be daily supplementation to help improve athletic performance and promote muscle gains. The Genius Muscle Builder from The Genius Brand uses PeakO2 which contains Cordyceps. This is an all-natural muscle-builder that improves athletic performance with the use of Cordyceps in the PeakO2 ingredient. PeakO2 prolongs your endurance allowing you to workout longer, which will lead to higher fat loss and muscle gains.
Overall Health
It’s not just athletic performance that Cordyceps helps improve. It has anti-inflammatory affects and anti-aging. It also helps control your bad cholesterol levels and improves heart health. This all can be wrapped up in improvement of your general health. 
The Genius Brand also makes a supplement called Genius Mushroom. This supplement includes Cordyceps, along with Lion’s Mane Extract and Reishi. Cordyceps will help fight off fatigue, increase oxygen uptake, improve ATP production and just make you feel better overall.
Dosage
Dosage of Cordyceps varies depending on what you are using it for. The typical dosage of Cordyceps is 1,000-3,000mg per day.
Final Takeaway
The use of mushrooms are gaining popularity, and rightfully-so. The positive impacts on overall health, memory and athletic performance make them a mainstay within the sports nutrition industry and our overall health. Brands like The Genius Brand are creating products that incorporate these powerful all-natural fungus to help improve our daily lives through natural supplementation. If you’re looking to boost athletic performance, or improve your overall health (or both!) supplement with Cordyceps.
