Cordyceps Mushroom
Also known as Cordyceps sinensis, Cordyceps militaris
Parasitic fungus traditionally harvested at high altitude in Tibet and now commonly cultivated; proposed to increase cellular ATP production and oxygen utilisation, studied for exercise endurance and libido.
Be careful if: pregnant
Ask first if you take: blood thinners (anticoagulants or antiplatelets)
Suspect a side effect? Report it to the MHRA Yellow Card scheme ↗
What the research actually shows
We link to relevant studies and leave interpretation to you and your healthcare professional.
Safety and considerations
What sources report about side effects, who should be careful, and medicines to ask about first.
Serious effects reported
| Reported effect | How often | Basis | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| A single published case report links long-term cordyceps use to hepatoportal sclerosis, a rare liver blood-vessel condition, in an 81-year-old woman; no other published cases of liver injury attributed to cordyceps were located, and trials monitoring liver tests reported no changes | unknown | Listed by PubMed corpus rows (PubMed 38033616) | Kaur B. Traditional Chinese Medicine, Cordyceps, Related to Hepatoportal Sclerosis. ACG Case Rep J 2023;10(12):e01169 (PMID 38033616)LiverTox [Internet]. Cordyceps chapter. Bethesda (MD): National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, NIH; 2012- (retrieved 2026-10-16) |
Be careful if you…
| Applies to | What sources say | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| pregnant | No pregnancy safety data found in the sources checked: no UK SmPC, BNF/NICE, NHS, NIH ODS or EMA HMPC entry exists for cordyceps, and the 15-trial systematic review (1,238 COPD participants) reports no pregnancy data. Not studied in pregnancy - ask a clinician before use. | Yu X, et al. Effectiveness and Safety of Oral Cordyceps sinensis on Stable COPD of GOLD Stages 2-3: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2019;2019:4903671 (PMID 31073318)LiverTox [Internet]. Cordyceps chapter. Bethesda (MD): National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, NIH; 2012- (retrieved 2026-10-16) |
Medicines to ask about
| Severity | Medicine | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| caution | blood thinners (anticoagulants or antiplatelets) — Laboratory studies report anticoagulant activity in polysaccharides extracted from Cordyceps militaris. No human interaction trials were located, so this is a theoretical bleeding-risk caution rather than a documented interaction. | Li CF, et al. Extraction, purification, characterization, and in vitro anticoagulant activity of polysaccharides from Cordyceps militaris. Front Nutr 2026;13:1915697 (PMID 42824022) |
Sources
LiverTox [Internet]. Cordyceps chapter. Bethesda (MD): National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, NIH; 2012- (retrieved 2026-10-16)Yu X, et al. Effectiveness and Safety of Oral Cordyceps sinensis on Stable COPD of GOLD Stages 2-3: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2019;2019:4903671 (PMID 31073318)Li CF, et al. Extraction, purification, characterization, and in vitro anticoagulant activity of polysaccharides from Cordyceps militaris. Front Nutr 2026;13:1915697 (PMID 42824022)Kaur B. Traditional Chinese Medicine, Cordyceps, Related to Hepatoportal Sclerosis. ACG Case Rep J 2023;10(12):e01169 (PMID 38033616)
Suggested uses (unproven)
Where people report using it and what trials suggest
- Mixed evidenceEndurance / VO2 max (Cs-4 extract)
- Weak evidenceKidney function after transplant (adjuvant trials, China)
Where the evidence is negative
Common claims the trials do not support
- Several placebo-controlled trials show no performance benefit.
- Wild cordyceps unaffordable/adulterated; 'CS-4' products differ from the marketed fungus.
- No human evidence for libido claims.
Fungus with traditional endurance use; VO2-max trial results are inconsistent and modern supplies are almost all lab-grown mycelium.
Evidence grades reflect study quality and consistency, not marketing claims.
Ordered by strength of evidence, then result direction.
01Safety Assessment of HEA-Enriched Cordyceps cicadae Mycelium: A Randomized Clinical TrialTsai YS, et al. · Journal of the American College of Nutrition · 2021PMID 32702252 ↗02Cordyceps sinensis- and Rhodiola rosea-based supplementation in male cyclists and its effect on muscle tissue oxygen saturationColson SN, et al. · Journal of strength and conditioning research · 2005PMID 15903375 ↗03Current Evidence of Ergogenic and Post-Exercise Recovery Effects of Dietary Supplementation with Cordyceps militaris in Humans-A Narrative ReviewJędrejko M, et al. · Nutrients · 2026PMID 41829950 ↗04Current Evidence and Practical Considerations for Adaptogen Use in Exercise Recovery, Training Adaptation, and Exercise Performance in Athletes: A Narrative ReviewKsiążek A · Nutrients · 2026PMID 42588175 ↗05Cardiovascular protection and antioxidant activity of the extracts from the mycelia of Cordyceps sinensis act partially via adenosine receptorsYan XF, et al. · Phytotherapy research : PTR · 2013PMID 23192916 ↗Published research summaries are unavailable.
Why people look into Cordyceps Mushroom — and what they report
Associated conditions and community-reported outcomes, wrapped together on one page. Aggregates appear only once enough reports arrive.
Where to get Cordyceps Mushroom (UK)
How this compound is sold in the UK, and where our readers typically find it.
Retailer search links — we may earn commission on purchases at no cost to you. Commission never affects our evidence ratings.