What is the health benefits of cordyceps mushroom — 5 scientific facts
Cordyceps is a parasitic fungus that grows on insects. It has been actively used in Chinese medicine for many centuries.
Supplements and products containing cordyceps extract are becoming increasingly popular due to their purported medicinal properties.
Scientists point to some effectiveness of the fungus in the fight against cancer, aging and chronic diseases.
What is cordyceps?
Cordyceps is a genus of parasitic fungi that infect insects (mainly caterpillars, flies and ants). The spores enter the body, causing the death of the insect. And the fungus is actively developing, using the dead organism as a valuable substrate.
There are over 400 varieties of cordyceps in total. They are found everywhere, but mainly in tropical forests. Cordyceps militaris is more common in Russian forests.
Of the more than 400 discovered cordyceps species, only two have become objects of scientific research in the field of health: Cordyceps sinensis and Cordyceps militaris.
In recent years, the mushroom has become of great interest to science due to its pharmacological and biological properties. Biologically active food additives were made on its basis.
Recent research has even allowed the fungus to break into evidence-based medicine and become a component of some medicines.
5 useful properties
Let's look at the 5 main facts about the benefits of cordyceps for humans (from a scientific point of view).
1. Improves physical performance
When using cordyceps, the production of "energy" molecules – adenosine triphosphate (ATP) increases. This substance improves oxygen uptake by muscles and stimulates their performance
.
According to the information Chinese scientists, the inclusion of mushroom-based supplements in the diet of the elderly increases the rate of oxygen absorption and, as a result, the work of skeletal muscles by 7%. Similar results show studies of the activity of the fungus in the body of young people. For them, this figure has increased by 11%.
However, how underline experts from the USA, cordyceps shows absolutely no effectiveness in the body of trained athletes.
2. Slows down aging
Research demonstrate
the high potential of the mushroom in slowing down the aging of the body, due to the abundance of antioxidants in the composition.
Independent Research ( 1 , 2 ) confirm that cordyceps has the following properties:
- Improves brain function ( memory , attention, thinking);
- Prevents the development of neurodegenerative pathologies (for example, Alzheimer's disease);
- Reduces the risk of liver damage by free radicals;
- Provides prevention of the development of autoimmune disorders;
- Prevents the manifestation of chronic diseases from the endocrine system, heart and blood vessels.
Cordyceps fights chronic inflammation and free radicals that cause the early development of many diseases, cell death or their malignant degeneration.
In Chinese folk medicine, cordyceps has also traditionally been used for Reduce fatigue and increased libido in older men.
3. Has antitumor effect
Accumulated scientific evidence shows that cordyceps can prevent the development of cancer.
Proven efficacy against malignant cell degeneration of the following organs ( 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ):
- Lungs;
- Mammary glands in women;
- Rectum;
- Of the large intestine;
- Liver;
- Skin;
- Of bone marrow.
Cordyceps is useful not only for prevention, but also for slowing the progression of cancer.
Japanese scientists installed that mice with cancer and who have consumed the mushroom live longer. The active substances of cordyceps interact directly with malignantly degenerated cells, causing their division to slow down and death. The fungus also provides prevention of the appearance of distant metastases.
Researchers from Taiwan recommend use cordyceps during chemotherapy, as it is able to reduce the severity of side effects of chemotherapeutic drugs.
4. Reduces blood sugar levels
The parasite fungus contains a special polysaccharide, biologically similar to insulin, which helps to reduce the concentration of glucose in the blood and prevents the development of complications caused by the course of diabetes mellitus.
Cordyceps, in fact, replaces the function of beta cells of the pancreas.
Scientific staff from USA and Taiwan emphasize the ability of the fungus not only to control blood sugar levels, but also to reduce the risk of developing nephropathy and retinopathy against the background of both type I and type II diabetes mellitus.
Experts from China, summarizing data from 22 studies, discovered that the use of cordyceps extract helps to improve kidney function.
5. Improves the health of the heart and blood vessels
Chinese scientists proved
that cordyceps reduces the risk of tachy- and bradysystolic forms of arrhythmias, may be effective in preventing atrial fibrillation (such rhythm disturbances often end fatally).
Also the product reduces the probability of developing heart failure in people suffering from chronic kidney disease.
The ability of the mushroom has been discovered reduce concentration of total cholesterol and low-density lipoproteins (the "harmful" fraction of cholesterol). As a result, the formation of atherosclerotic plaques on the walls of arteries and the development of pathologies such as myocardial infarction, stroke, and coronary heart disease are prevented.
Safety and harm
Cordyceps is a little–studied fungus that managed to break into practical medicine (it
is officially allowed
for use by the Chinese government).
To date, few studies have studied its side effects, and none of them have revealed a negative effect on health.
Despite the positive results, it is not recommended to use the mushroom and preparations based on it for pregnant women and children.
The maximum daily dose is from 1 to 3 grams per day (in powder or extract form).
Ways of using
For a long time, the mushroom could be found exclusively in the wild. At the beginning of the XXI century, it began to be actively cultivated.
Cordyceps can be found in shops, pharmacies and health food outlets. Many biologically active food additives and some medicines are made on its basis.
As a rule, the release is made in the form of tablets or capsules containing dry mushroom extract. It is less common to find mixtures for making tea or decoction.
When taking it, it is necessary to follow all the recommendations specified in the instructions and remember that the maximum daily dose cannot exceed 3 grams of mushroom powder.
Conclusion
Thus, cordyceps is a little–studied fungus. Presumably, it has a number of positive properties in relation to the body: it increases physical performance, prevents the development of oncological, cardiovascular and endocrine diseases and even slows down aging in general.
However, one should not forget about the risk of developing previously unexplored side effects.
