Cordyceps

Gaining The Athletic Edge

Cordyceps, an amazing medicinal mushroom extract, has made international sports news. After regular consumption of cordyceps, a team of Chinese women runners shattered 9 world records, breaking the record for the 10,000 meter run by an unprecedented 42 seconds (Chinese National Games, 1993). In another example, a Boston marathon runner who had been taking cordyceps, cut an unbelievable 25 minutes off his time and placed in the top ten winners.

The Search
A classical 17th century medical text used by master Chinese herbalists says that cordyceps is even more power than the very famous root, ginseng, in helping to clear health problems. In the past, cordyceps could be found only in a few isolated places  in China, 12,000 feet or more above sea level. No other place in the world had these same growing conditions. Because it was so rare, cordyceps was very expensive. In spite of the price, demand was still high because the people knew what a powerful herb it was.

The Best Cordyceps

• Fermented mycelial extract with minimum 15% andenosin (a key highly active compound), up to 100 times more potent than other extracts

• For the very best results, according to the latest Chinese findings, a cordyceps formula should include both the raw cordyceps concentrate as well as the fermented mycelial extract of cordyceps to best obtain the rich array of water soluble alkaloids. The fermented mycelial extracts deliver the precious tripterpenes sequestered in the fiber that are simply not available by consuming the raw concentrate. Finally for the best utilization, newly identified essential co-factors and transporters are recommended which include Opuntia Cactus and Burdock Root.

Benefits of Cordyceps
In the early 1970’s, Chinese government researchers began cultivating over 200 species of wild cordyceps, looking for the very best type. Finally, they selected just one kind—Cordyceps sinensis. The Chinese government conducted many studies using scientific standards to verify the safety and wonderful healing properties of cordyceps. They found 10 main benefits of cordyceps.

1. Restful Sleep
The first key benefit the researchers found is that cordyceps helps promote restful sleep. Cordyceps has a calming effect on the nervous system to help reduce anxiety and nervous stress as well as making sleep more productive.

2. Natural Anti-Cancer Agent
In China, cordyceps is a well-known anti-cancer, antitumor and anti-infective agent. It has been shown to significantly boost depressed immune function, including both B and T cell lymphocytes. Studies have shown outstanding results with lung cancer and lymphoma patients. Research shows that the mushroom has no effect outside the body, such as in a test tube. Instead, it works only inside the body by upregulating the body’s immune system to overcome disease. The researchers found that cordyceps helps reduce the side effects of radiation therapy, such as used in cancer therapy. Cordyceps increases the effectiveness of the spleen to help filter out harmful substances in the blood. This helps to promote faster healing.

3. Blood Pressure Regulation
The researchers found that cordyceps can lower blood pressure that is too high and can actually increase blood supply. Cordyceps can slow down the heart rate, increase the blood supply to the heart and arteries and also increase the total blood volume of the heart. Cordyceps relaxes the blood vessel walls so blood flow is increased to the heart and blood pressure is lowered. Cordyceps can also help lower the bad cholesterol, the low density lipoproteins so common in heart disease.

4. Respiratory Help
The researchers found cordyceps helped reduce asthma and other types of respiratory problems. Cordyceps can help relax the bronchial walls as well as acting as an anti-inflammatory agent. It can be effective against coughs and phlegm as well as asthma and other respiratory problems. Cordyceps also helps to naturally increase the body’s adrenaline production. Adrenaline has a natural anti-asthma effect. Low adrenals can also lead to symptoms of stress as well as eczema or other skin conditions. Cordyceps can help strengthen the body’s adrenals and eliminate these problems.

5. Sexual Rejuvenator
The researchers found cordyceps helps rejuvenate male sexual ability. Key compounds in cordyceps act as potent male sex hormones to bring back youthful function and stamina.

6. Increased Energy
Cordyceps can help increase energy levels. In addition to cordycep’s ability to increase adrenaline, cordyceps has the ability to increase ATP—this is high-energy adenosine triphosphate, the powerhouse molecule from the cell’s energy factory– so energy levels are increased.

7. Anti-Aging Properties
The researchers found cordyceps is an amazing, anti-aging herb. Cordyceps can help prevent the formation of lipid peroxides (the dangerous age-inducing free radicals) and can inhibit or prevent the formation of other free radicals in the brain. Cordyceps provides significant protection against the greatly increased contaminants everywhere in our environment, especially our food and water.

8. Blood Sugar Regulation
The researchers found cordyceps helps regulate blood sugar. Most late-onset diabetes is really an infection, especially in the pancreas, which is routinely missed. Since cordyceps is a powerful, natural anti-infective agent, it can be a great help in diabetes.

9. Memory Improvement and Mood Enhancer
Cordyceps can improve memory and mental sharpness. It also has a natural relaxing effect due to its amino acids, glutamic acid, tyrosine and L-tryptophan. Cordyceps has an excellent potential to benefit those with depression since it naturally inhibits monoamine oxidase in the brain with no side effects — unlike drugs. It is a natural herb which helps upregulate the brain’s biochemistry without side effects with a track record of thousands of years.

10. Increased Absorption Of Other Nutrients
The tenth key benefit is that cordyceps makes other nutrients more effective. When cordyceps is taken regularly, the food that is eaten is more fully absorbed. It helps the body make more efficient use of all the nutrients in the food, so the body can readily absorb and use all the necessary building blocks for better health.

Blood Builder and Purifier
Cordyceps is also a great blood builder and purifier. Studies show it can clear anemia due to its ability to build bone marrow and platelet counts. It has also significantly helped normalize arrhythmia (irregular heart beats) and improved blood flow to the heart. Even chronic hepatitis B patients found the extract increased their blood albumin levels as well as improving their liver and protein metabolism. Other human trials show that cordyceps can also lower high cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

Outstanding Kidney Rejuvenation
The use of cordyceps dates back to ancient China where it was used in the Emperor’s palace. It was used to strengthen and rebuild the body, especially after exhaustion or long-term illness, often due to weakened kidneys. Excellent results have been reported for those with weak kidneys, even those in kidney failure.

Research has shown it can increase 17-hydroxy-corticosteroid and 17-ketosteroid levels, acting like a nontoxic super-cortisone. According to Chinese medicine, kidney-related problems can include symptoms such as chronic fatigue, back and joint pain, ringing in the ears and many types of sexual problems, such as impotence. The kidney chi or energy goes to all these areas. Cordyceps, because it helps the kidney chi, has been shown to help all these problems.

Team Player
Cordyceps is a natural team player because it affects so many parts of the body. As world-wide research shows, its effects range from benefitting many organs and glands to purifying the blood.

References

Hobbs, C., “Cordyceps sinensis,” in Medicinal Mushrooms, An Exploration of Tradition, Healing and Culture, Interweave Press: Loveland, CO, 1996, pp. 81-86.

Stamets, P., “Cordyceps sinensis,” in Mycomedicinals, MycoMedia: Olympia, WA, 1998, p. 22-23.