Cordyceps sinensis is a parasitic fungus that belongs to the major class of fungi which are called Ascomycetes. This fungus is found growing on caterpillar larvae of butterflies and moths. Had you purchases some Cordyceps sinensis from a Chinese apothecary before 1985, you probably would have been told take nine grams a day of dried caterpillars. People actually did get results from this type of unpurified source. Because of its limited availability, Cordyceps is somewhat expensive, with its prices being considerably higher than many forms of ginseng. In recent years, its availability has improved in markets in Southeast Asia, Japan, and the U.S., however, demand still outweighs the supply.
Thanks to technological advances, cordyceps can now be cultivated in the laboratory. The fungus not only contains an abundance of nutrients, but it also has active ingredients such as polysaccharides. The Chinese government has successfully cultivated Cordyceps in tissue culture since 1985. Today it is not abnormal to find commercial preparations with hundreds of milligrams of pure mycelial extracts. This form is actually the best source by far, as it is most likely to have the largest therapeutic effect on the body. The laboratory cultivation of cordyceps has been so successful that it will most likely completely replace other forms of cordyceps in supplement form.
If the cordyceps product you are looking at purchasing is listed therapeutic with TGA, this is even better. Under these circumstances, you are assured of the manufacturing process and that the Cordyceps source meets an acceptable quality and purity. Recent reports of cordyceps that are available from Chinese apothecaries were heavily contaminated with toxic trace metals such as lead and cadmium which has lead to poisoning in several cases. But with today’s processing and analytical equipment, cordyceps on the market are found to be pure and toxin free.
There are a variety of complimentary herbs that can be taken with cordyceps sinensis in order to provide the best health results. Panax ginseng, another herb used for centuries in traditional medicine in China, has been reported to enhance stamina and increase the ability to cope with stress and fatigue. Panax ginseng appears to have a number of properties that could benefit endurance and stamina, but the major problem that exists is that it is not easy to obtain standardized, authentic ginseng root preparations. Cordyceps has been referred to as a ginseng even though it is a fungus because it exhibits the same effects as panax and other stamina promoting herbs.
The most publicized and trendy endurance and stamina enhancing herbal supplement found on the market today is a standardized extract of cordyceps. Cordyceps is similar in properties to herbs such as a ginseng; cordyceps has come down in price and is now considered a substitute due to its lower cost and wide availability. The glycosides have powerful ginseng-like effects, as it stimulates the ACTH-cortisol system, lowers blood pressure and blood glucose levels, enhances male sexual function, has a tranquilizing effect on the Central Nervous System, and relieves stress.
As you can see, cordyceps has a broad spectrum of uses. Cordyceps extracts can help to protect against reperfusion that is induced by arrhythmias, fibrillation, and tachycardia. These extracts have also been shown to be a powerful inhibitor of histamine release, which is an important feature in relation to performance injury. Many studies have also shown that cordyceps is extremely effective in protecting against exhaustion. Cordyceps has also been shown to give off a number of beneficial effects that may be useful in the treatment of CFS.
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