In the world of natural supplements, few are as unique as the one known as Cordyceps. This slightly strange, yet potent fungi is certainly a little bit on the odd side of things in terms of origin, but this oddness is also what makes it so special — and definitely beneficial.
What was once viewed as a sort of fad ingredient has since gone on to establish itself as one of the most effective supplements, offering a wide range of advantages that affect everything from your body’s immunity to athletic abilities.
In this article, we’ll be focusing on the athletic performance side of Cordyceps, and examining why it’s so effective in boosting it.
Before we get to that, it’s important to first understand what Cordyceps actually is, and where it comes from in the first place.
What Is Cordyceps?
At its core, Cordyceps is a fungus, but more of a parasitic kind. This is not your basic fungus you can find growing on some old tree bark, or in the middle of a field. Things are a little more complicated.
There are actually over 400 types of species of Cordyceps, but the most popular and usable type has orange-colored stems that stick up from its host.
The original form of Cordyceps is found primarily in Tibet, and in northern parts of China.
The process itself is fascinating.
Cordyceps spores land on a caterpillar, which then acts as a host as time goes on. The fungi begins to overtake the caterpillar’s body, which by then has buried into the ground. From there, the fungi continues to grow out of the ground, and is then cultivated.
As the story goes, farmers in these regions first noticed the effects of this fungi when their animals began to eat them, and later showcased a noticeable increase in strength and vitality. This led to people eventually doing the same after grinding the fungi up into powder...and here we are today.
Now of course, this goes beyond just anecdotes — there’s plenty of scientific reasons as to why Cordyceps is so effective.
Cordyceps contains anti-inflammatory compounds like polysaccharides, modified nucleosides and cyclosporines. This combination works in several different ways, and when combined with the beta-cans found in Cordyceps, results in an increase in athletic performance.
Medical Cordyceps Vs Natural Cordyceps
One quick thing to note. Initially, the only real form of Cordyceps was the one found in Tibet and China, where it first originated. This made the production of commercial Cordyceps a little difficult, and very expensive.
Fortunately, scientists have since found a way to create Cordyceps without relying on the natural process. They can now grow it in mass quantities in a controlled settings, resulting in a more consistent final product, and also one that doesn't require scouring the mountains in Tibet and China, hoping to find some protruding out from the ground.
While you can still purchase the “natural” from of Cordyceps, it is still quite expensive, and not all that different from the refined extract form commonly used in supplements today.
How Cordyceps Can Improve Athletic Performance?
Cordyceps is not some magic pill that’s going to make you run faster and jump higher all of the sudden. Rather, it’s benefits center around providing you more natural energy and stamina so you can perform at a higher level for a longer period.
Delays Fatigue
There have been several studies that have shown that Cordyceps can trigger a decrease in fatigue by as much as 12.5%. So why does this matter? Well, as anyone can tell you that’s ever participated in any type of athletics, the number one thing that affects your overall performance is fatigue.
Anyone is fresh at the start of a game or event, but after some time has gone by, fatigue sets in and begins to decrease your performance. Now matter how good of shape you’re in, fatigue will always be an issue. Using Cordyceps to stave it off can lead to a direct increase in your overall performance. C
Increases ATP Production
Another major and science-backed benefit of Cordyceps is its inherent ability to directly increase the production of ATP in your cells.
For those unfamiliar with ATP’s role in performance, here’s a quick primer:
ATP is the acronym for Adenosine triphosphate. This is what exists within your cells to give them energy. In fact, ATP is what power mitochondria, which is the core and powerhouse of your cells. ATP is where it gets its fuel from.
So, it’s easy to see why increasing ATP production can directly lead to an uptick in your energy and explosiveness overall. This not only boosts your energy and quickness, and can give you a measurable boost of strength as well. This is why you now see Cordyceps included in so many weight lifting supplements as part of the formula.
ATP also affects your V02 max, which is the maximum rate of oxygen consumption as measured during incremental exercise. This is a fancy way of saying that the higher your V02 max, the less out of breath you get during physical activity, which increases your overall performance capacity.
All of this from taking the powder of a weird-looking mushroom.
Conclusion
Now you see why so many are fond of Cordyceps, and what it does for your athletic performance. There are also a number of other Cordyceps health benefits aside from just better performance, but we’ll go over that elsewhere.
There are a number of ways you can take Cordyceps, from standalone supplements, to supplements that include a mixture of other ingredients as well. Regardless of however you take it, as long as you’re consuming the proper amount, you can expect to experience the benefits.