Endurance
Cordyceps
Cordyceps is a fungus sold for endurance, but evidence is mixed and studied doses are far above labels.
How it counts: Not part of the score
We show it on the label and count it as disclosed, but it never affects Dose, any sub-score or the grade. The basis below explains why.
- Clinical dose
- No established clinical dose
- Safety ceiling
- —
- Evidence
- weak
- Category
- Endurance
Evidence summary
Research confidence: low
No reference dose. Cordyceps is a fungus sold for endurance and oxygen use. In trained cyclists, 3 g a day of Cordyceps sinensis mycelium (Cs-4) for 5 weeks did not change VO2max, threshold or time-trial performance (Parcell 2004). In 20 older adults, 1 g a day for 12 weeks raised the lactate threshold about 10% (Chen 2010). The studied amounts are 1-3 g a day taken for weeks; pre-workout labels use around 100 mg or less, often inside a blend.
Research sources
- Cordyceps Sinensis (CordyMax Cs-4) supplementation does not improve endurance exercise performance (Parcell et al., IJSNEM 2004)(opens in new window)
- Effect of Cs-4 (Cordyceps sinensis) on exercise performance in healthy older subjects: a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial (Chen et al., J Altern Complement Med 2010)(opens in new window)
20 adults aged 50-75: 333 mg three times a day (1 g/day) for 12 weeks raised the metabolic (lactate) threshold about 10%; a small pilot.
- Cordyceps militaris improves tolerance to high-intensity exercise after acute and chronic supplementation (Hirsch et al., J Diet Suppl 2016)(opens in new window)
A different species (C. militaris) in a 4 g/day mushroom blend: no acute effect; some VO2max and time-to-exhaustion gains after 3 weeks.