Cordyceps is a potent mushroom well known for its many benefits, including improved energy levels and respiratory function. But how much cordyceps should you take? And what's the best way to consume it?
The cordyceps dosage varies depending on who uses it and the condition for which they use the mushroom. For example, the dosage for treating high blood pressure will differ from the libido dosage.
This comprehensive article will address the optimal cordyceps dosage and how and when to take the mushroom. We will help you understand how much cordyceps per day you can use without suffering from the often very mild side effects of the product. Keep reading to learn more!
Cordyceps Mushroom: What Is It?
Cordyceps is a medicinal mushroom with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits. People also know the mushroom as the Caterpillar fungus or Yarsagumba. It is a parasitic fungus that grows on the larvae of insects, but most of the cordyceps Sinensis supplements and products used for treatment today are made in a lab.
One of the reasons why cordyceps supplements are often produced in the lab is that growing Cordyceps is highly costly. Making cordyceps supplements in the lab reduces their cost.
The cordyceps militaris fungus is orange to brown colored and has a long finger-like body. The superfood mushroom has been used in traditional Chinese medicine as a natural energy booster.
Read More: Learn about the use of cordyceps in traditional Chinese medicine.
Today, modern research has revealed the numerous benefits of this functional mushroom. People take the fungus to boost overall health and libido, fight cancer, improve testosterone, improve sleep quality, and much more.
However, one must take the mushroom at the proper dosage to get these benefits. So, what's the correct dosage? Read on.
How Much Cordyceps Should I Take?
The question "how much cordyceps should I take?" largely depends on the individual using the mushroom. However, the recommended daily dose of Cordyceps is 1000 to 3000 mg.
Remember that this dosage may vary from one person to the other. Therefore, we recommend talking to a professional healthcare provider before taking cordyceps supplements. Talking to a doctor about cordyceps supplementation should help you ensure you are using an ideal dosage at all times, reducing your risk of suffering from side effects.
Experts recommend doubling the cordyceps dosage for the initial two weeks, allowing the body to establish its benefits quickly.
Read More: See the health benefits of cordyceps.
The toxic levels of Cordyceps are yet unknown—currently, there is no research evidence on the doses or dosing for cordyceps that may cause serious side effects.
Regarding how to take cordyceps, the exact dose of Cordyceps mushroom depends on the intent for its use. It also depends on the purity of the mushroom, the desired outcome, the underlying health status, and the user's age.
Few clinical studies are available that recommend the optimal dosage of Cordyceps. However, when taking cordyceps daily, the disease-specific dosages of Cordyceps fungus are as follows:
Cordyceps Militaris / Sinensis For Boosting Athletic Performance
Cordyceps extract has a performance-enhancing effect. In a 2010 study(1), Cordyceps was used at the dosage of 333 mg three times a day for 12 weeks. This improved exercise performance in a small group of older individuals aged 50 to 75. From this study, this dosage may be effective for those planning to boost their athletic performance.
Cordyceps supplement increases the production of Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in the body. ATP is the primary energy carrier in the cells of all living beings. Using Cordyceps pre-workout improves performance for this reason.
Research has also shown that lab-produced Cordyceps or wild cordyceps improve oxygen consumption. This further boosts the performance of athletes during high-intensity exercises.
A research study conducted in 2017(2) determined that cordyceps improves performance by increasing blood flow and enhancing oxygen utilization. The study noted that this might allow athletes to maintain a higher exercise intensity while reducing oxidative stress and delaying fatigue.
Cordyceps can help with increasing muscle tissue oxygen saturation. The ancient Chinese herbal medicine will improve endurance exercise performance by ensuring your muscles have maximum oxygen.
Cordyceps Sinensis / Militaris As A Promising Therapy For Diabetes
Cordyceps Sinensis and Militaris have a significant blood sugar-lowering activity(3) at a dose of 300 mg per kg body weight. Mycelium and the mushroom's fruiting body have anti-hyperglycemic actions that are very similar to the effects of anti-diabetic drugs.
Cordyceps mushrooms also have kidney protective effects in diabetes-associated kidney dysfunction patients (Diabetic Nephropathy). Cordyceps supplementation also helps treat chronic kidney disease if the patient already has the condition.
Read More: Learn about the Cordyceps kidney benefits.
Cordyceps Supplements For Lowering Blood Lipid Levels:
One of the uses of cordyceps Sinensis mycelia extract is lowering the levels of lipids in the blood. This caterpillar fungus also has lipid-lowering effects in a daily dose of 300 mg per kg body weight given for 4 to 8 weeks.
The plasma levels of triglyceride, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) were analyzed in a 2012 study(4). The Cordyceps extract significantly elevated the HDL/LDL ratio when given for four weeks.
A higher HDL/LDL ratio is associated with decreased heart disease risk. Cordyceps mushroom also reduced body weight when this dose was given for eight weeks. The study was conducted on experimentally induced diabetic mouse models.
As An Effective Measure For Improving The Sleep Cycle
High-quality cordyceps mushroom is used(5) in 2-4 mg/kg of body weight for improving sleep-wake cycles and reducing insomnia. The ingredients and vitamins in the mushroom help people struggling with getting good sleep at night.
Read More: Learn the benefits of taking cordyceps before bed.
The mushroom contains a compound cordycepin which improves non-rapid-eye-movement (NREM) sleep and increases total sleep time. This is ideal for athletes who require recovery to maintain their fitness levels. Also, a good night's sleep boosts your immune system.
Improving Memory Using A Top-Rated Traditional Chinese Medicine
The best quality cordyceps improve memory and learning in animal models. The mushroom is effective in dosages of 1, 2, or 4.0 g/kg of body weight when taken orally for six weeks. At this dosage, Cordyceps may improve age-related memory decline.
Potential Anti-Tumor Effect
A good cordycepin supplement can help people with tumors improve their health. The mushroom also reduces the risk of developing cancer.
The methanol extract of the fruiting body reduced(6) cellular proliferation and increased cell death in a dose ranging from 25 to 50 μg/mL.Thus, at this dosage, the caterpillar fungus has the potential to slow down the growth of cancer cells in the colon, lung, skin, and liver, amongst others.
Read More: Learn about the cordyceps cancer benefits.
Medicine Cordyceps And High Blood Pressure
Cordyceps supplements boast potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity, which may treat high blood pressure.
The Cordyceps high blood pressure benefits have been attributed to a compound known as cordycepin. Cordycepin relaxes the blood vessels—this improves circulation, which, in turn, lowers blood pressure.
When used by mouth, a cordyceps dosage of 3 to 6 grams daily is effective for adults with high blood pressure.
Cordyceps And Libido
Cordyceps boost libido—research studies show that cordyceps increase sperm count and testosterone in men. This, in turn, results in a higher sex drive and more satisfying sex life.
A recommended Cordyceps dosage of 2 to 6 grams daily should help boost your libido.
How To Take Cordyceps Mushrooms?
Now that you know the ideal cordyceps dosage, you may want to know which cordyceps is best. Also, you may want to understand better how and the best time to take cordyceps.
You can take cordyceps mushrooms orally in many different forms, such as tea, tinctures, hot water extracts, capsules, and powders. Most of the supplements available on the market are from an engineered fungal culture with Cordyceps biological characteristics.
The best way to take Cordyceps mushrooms is in the form of water extract. Cordyceps are simmered for hours bringing out the water-soluble components of the mushroom. Manufacturers heat it on a low flame until it becomes a thick paste.
This hot water-extracted mushroom can be directly put into tea, coffee, shakes, and juices and stored for years. The extract can also be powdered and encapsulated to make mushroom capsules.
The most traditional method of consuming Cordyceps is drinking mushroom tea. This is an excellent way of getting the immune-modulatory substances into the body as the absorption rate is very high.
You can take mushroom tea in the morning and evening every day. You can also store the tea without losing its effectiveness.
Cordyceps can be dried and made into powder. You can dissolve this powdered form in liquids.
The tincture of Cordyceps is an excellent way to consume medicinal mushrooms. The immune-activating properties of the mushroom are best achieved at the extraction of 60% alcohol.
Mix 1-2 drops of mushroom or your favorite tea in water. Take this in the morning and evening every day for at least three to six months. You can consume the mushroom's fruiting body raw or use it in soups and broth.
When To Take Cordyceps?
Cordyceps is best taken in the morning as an energy supplement. You can take it on an empty stomach or with a light meal. The mushroom can also be taken as a pre-workout performance enhancer.
Read More: Learn about the cordyceps energy benefits.
Who Should Not Take Cordyceps?
Cordyceps mushroom is safe for almost every user. However, talking to a doctor before using the mushroom can help you avoid cordyceps mushroom side effects.
Most of the side effects of cordyceps mushrooms are minor and do not significantly impact the health of the user. The side effects include:
- Constipation
- Stomach discomfort
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Dry mouth
When it comes to who should not take cordyceps, people with the following conditions may want to avoid the mushroom or use a reduced dosage:
- People with bleeding disorders may want to avoid the mushroom as it may slow blood clotting.
- People with autoimmune diseases may want to take a very minimal cordyceps dosage as the mushroom may increase the symptoms of autoimmune diseases.
- People who use anti-diabetes drugs may want to watch their Cordyceps dose as the mushroom may lower their blood sugars leading to hypoglycemia.
Key Takeaways
Cordyceps mushroom is one of the most valuable medicinal fungi and is rightly named the "biological gold." There are limited human studies regarding Cordyceps dosage.
A daily dose of 2000 mg is safe and effective with potential benefits for diabetes, cancer, heart health, memory, and boosting athletic performance. However, we insist that you consult a doctor before you use cordyceps to avoid using the wrong dosage,
Have you used cordyceps before? What dosage did you use? Let us know in the comment section below.
References
- Effect of Cs-4® (Cordyceps sinensis) on Exercise Performance in Healthy Older Subjects: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial, (1)https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20804368/
- Cordyceps militaris improves tolerance to high intensity exercise after acute and chronic supplementation, (2)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5236007/
- Effects of Extract from Solid-State Fermented Cordyceps sinensis on Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, (3)https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2012/743107/
- Effects of Extract from Solid-State Fermented Cordyceps sinensis on Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, (4)https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2012/743107/
- Cordycepin Increases Nonrapid Eye Movement Sleep via Adenosine Receptors in Rats, (5)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3655593/
- Cordyceps militaris (L.) Link Fruiting Body Reduces the Growth of a Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cell Line by Increasing Cellular Levels of p53 and p21, (6)https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/20/8/13927
Let Us Know Your Comments
1 Response
Cindy | November 11, 2022
My husband has about 15% of his kidney function. He is 185 lbs. How much should he take?