Since then, cordyceps has proven to be a vital ingredient in endurance-boosting supplements. Its oxygen-absorbing factors have allowed for sustained muscle stress and performance to serve as a reliable aid to many an athlete's training schedule.
What are cordyceps?
Cordyceps mushrooms are fungi that grow on the larvae of insects (also commonly known as 'natural cordyceps sinensis', 'cordyceps militaris' or 'cordyceps fungus').
This doesn't sound like an edible ingredient, but in fact, wild cordyceps has been used in traditional Chinese medicine (and homoeopathic medicines) for thousands of years due to their potential health benefits.
As cordyceps militaris and sinensis are a natural fungus, it's solely found in its stock form, the cordyceps mushrooms. This can be eaten on its own, giving a slight taste of lemongrass, or can be blended and consumed within a wide array of home-spun food supplements.
However, for the effective dose of the potential health benefits of cordyceps, it's important that you have around 100mg once a day.
This can be hard to achieve through diet alone, so it's worth considering a wholesome supplement stack to help hit your correct daily quotas of consuming cordyceps.
Health benefits of cordyceps supplementation?
Cordyceps' potential energy-boosting properties
By adding cordyceps supplements to your diet, you can potentially boost energy levels, resist the signs of ageing and improve the immune system [i].
Boosts energy levels: As oxygen receptivity is an essential part of muscle performance when working out, it's no wonder that athletes and exercise hobbyists of all kinds report better results when taking this supplement in an active form [i].
Can cordyceps improve exercise performance?
Taking cordyceps supplement may help your workout by delivering energy to muscles. This way can help not only with mid-exercise performance but also with recovery endurance [i].
Their ability to reduce fatigue and muscle soreness often felt with hard physical activity can boost confidence when training.
Cordyceps links to anti-ageing
Resists the signs of ageing: cordyceps supplements have been known to potentially reduce fatigue, can boost strength and may also even improve libido in men and women due to their high antioxidant content too [ii].
Cordyceps and immunity
Cordyceps benefits may positively impact the immune system: The immune system may also be benefited from cordyceps militaris mushrooms through its immunomodulatory effects, meaning cordyceps can help support a healthy immune system [iii].
Where to find cordyceps supplements?
At Nourished, we create personalised nutrient gummies with innovative 3D food printers. Thanks to our intelligent algorithmic quiz, you can take our short online consultation, and you will receive a bespoke recommendation of 7 scientifically-backed ingredients, all inside a single, convenient gummy stack.
Cordyceps is just one of the ingredients you can add to your very own personalised Nourished nutrient gummies, (which is far greater and simpler than taking a traditional cordyceps dietary supplement), meaning you can utilise the best-sourced cordyceps as part of your daily supplement routine alongside six additional scientifically-backed ingredients that can potentially offer additional immune system/health benefits.
Consuming cordyceps supplements in the form of a powder can be a pain to take, as 100mg of raw wild cordyceps sinensis or militarist will be quite a large dietary ask. When you have a daily nutrient gummy like Nourished at hand, you can consume cordyceps with it feeling like a chore.
Nourished is suitable for anyone - be they a fitness professional, a hobby runner, or someone simply hoping to get back in shape.
You can even create your own stack directly from our 'Lab'. With over 35 ingredients, nine delicious flavours and two coatings to choose from, there are millions of potential stack combinations.