{"id":1310,"date":"2023-02-22T17:54:06","date_gmt":"2023-02-22T17:54:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/healthnews.zone\/?p=1310"},"modified":"2023-02-22T17:54:47","modified_gmt":"2023-02-22T17:54:47","slug":"cordyceps-mushrooms-benefits-for-anti-aging-endurance-balance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/healthnews.zone\/?p=1310","title":{"rendered":"Cordyceps Mushrooms Benefits for Anti-Aging, Endurance & Balance"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I\u2019ve mentioned how much\u00a0I love medicinal mushrooms<\/a>\u00a0and all of their amazing health benefits. But today I want to talk about cordyceps, which many people call a mushroom (but they really aren\u2019t!). Cordyceps has many amazing health benefits that the western world is just beginning to explore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Are Cordyceps?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Cordyceps are a kind of fungus closely related to mushrooms. They grow on caterpillars in the high mountain regions of China and other mountain regions at high elevations (about 10 or 12 thousand feet). Their spores infect caterpillar larvae and grow from the inside out of the caterpillars, finally killing the host. As the long tendrils grow out of the caterpillar (underground) they finally poke out of the ground. This unusual way of growing may be responsible for its nickname \u201czombie mushroom.\u201d Less terrifying names for cordyceps are \u201cvegetable caterpillar\u201d and \u201cChinese caterpillar fungus.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mushrooms have been used as food, medicine, and in religious rituals since at least 5000 BC. But folklore says that the power of cordyceps was discovered close to AD 500 when a couple of yak herders stumbled upon it. Their animals grazed on the cordyceps and became unusually energetic and playful. The yak herders theorized that the cordyceps had something to do with all the excess energy!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cordyceps Mushrooms in Traditional Medicine<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Cordyceps has been used for thousands of years in traditional Chinese medicine and other traditional cultures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Healers in Sikkim India used cordyceps to treat everything from cancer to asthma, tuberculosis, diabetes, erectile dysfunction, hepatitis, and even the common cold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, it\u2019s thought that cordyceps can help oxygenate the body because they grow at such high altitudes (where there is little oxygen). In fact, Tibetan Sherpas (Mount Everest guides) make tea from cordyceps and say it helps them climb the mountain. Research supports this theory too (and we\u2019ll get into that below!).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8 Proven Benefits of Cordyceps Mushrooms<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Traditional wisdom tells us that cordyceps mushrooms can be helpful in treating many ailments. Modern research supports many of those uses now as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Boosts Energy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the\u2019most well-known benefits of cordyceps is the ability to increase energy by increasing VO2 max<\/a> (maximum oxygen intake). A 1996 animal study confirmed that cordyceps increases efficiency in carrying oxygen through the body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cordyceps are also known to help with\u00a0ATP production,<\/a>\u00a0which is the energy powerhouse of the cell. Cordyceps can improve this energy production by up to 50 percent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Athletic Performance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In the 1993 Olympics, Chinese athletes broke a number of world records. This made them look suspicious and officials investigated. The coach assured the public that they were not taking steroids. They were, instead, using a rigorous training schedule and\u2026 you guessed it\u2026 cordyceps mushrooms!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Assuming the coach was telling the truth, this is an interesting anecdotal account of the power of cordyceps. But research supports the idea this mighty mushroom improves athletic performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A 2010\u00a0study\u00a0found that use of cordyceps improved exercise performance in older subjects. It also improved the subjects\u2019 metabolism by 10 percent and their respiratory function by 8.5 percent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Adaptogenic<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Chinese medicine traditionally used cordyceps as an adaptogenic herb, which means it can adapt to the needs of a particular body. For this reason, adaptogens can help the body adapt to stresses in life and stay in balance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adaptogens are also excellent for folks with autoimmune disease because they don\u2019t boost the immune system (which could be bad if it\u2019s already overreacting). In fact, one 2009\u00a0study\u00a0found that cordyceps reduced the severity of lupus (an autoimmune disease) in rats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Cancer-Fighting<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Traditional Chinese medicine has used cordyceps to fight cancer for centuries, and research is now backing up this traditional use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a 2015 study, cordyceps inhibited the growth of cancer cells in mice. They also increased tumor cell death. The study found that cordyceps did this by interfering with the tumor cell\u2019s life cycle and supported natural cell death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cordyceps may also inhibit cancer cells from spreading in the body, according to a study<\/a> published in the Journal of Pharmacological Sciences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While this study used test tubes (rather than animals or humans), the findings are interesting and could be the beginning of a new cancer treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Anti-Aging and Immune Boosting<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Cordyceps is also considered an anti-aging herb. In one 2009 study<\/a> on mice, researchers found that cordyceps improves antioxidant activity and brain function. Both are important for avoiding age-related illnesses and degeneration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cordyceps benefits also include improving immune function. It does this by stimulating macrophage (invader fighting cells) activity, according to a study published in Biotherapy<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, the polysaccharides in cordyceps can fight oxidative stress. (Oxidative stress is widely considered a potential cause of age-related illness.) A 2016 study concluded that these mushrooms have the ability to fight oxidative stress, which also improves immune function.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Improves Metabolic Disorders<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Research shows that cordyceps improves fat metabolism and other metabolic parameters. Specifically, it can improve hypoglycemic symptoms and help balance blood sugar and insulin release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because\u00a0hypoglycemia is increasingly common<\/a>, having a natural way to help improve blood sugar levels (along with a healthy diet and lifestyle) can be helpful for many people<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. Improves Sexual Dysfunction<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Another benefit of cordyceps is that it can help improve sexual function. A 2016 review found that cordyceps stimulates sex hormones like testosterone and estrogen. Men had higher sperm counts (and higher sperm survival rates), while both men and women had increased sexual desire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. Protects Liver and Heart<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Cordyceps may also protect the liver. In one 2014\u00a0study, cordyceps protected both the liver and heart with rats with kidney disease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Possible Side Effects of Using Cordyceps Mushrooms<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Cordyceps mushrooms are generally considered safe for most people but there are a few precautions to keep in mind. As with many herbs and natural remedies, there isn\u2019t enough information about cordyceps use during pregnancy or while breastfeeding to say it\u2019s definitely safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n