CODYCEPS


BASIC INFORMATION:

Cordyceps Sinensis, also known as Chinese Caterpillar Fungus, is commonly used for medical purpose. It contains plenty of Cordycepic acid (7%) [after further investigation, it was found that it is a D-mannitol which exists commonly among fungus, but not a Cordyceptic acid] Cordycepin, glutamic acid, phenylalinine, proline, histidine, valine, oxyvaline, arginine, alanine, mannitol, vitamin B12 (http://www.newportpharm.com/medicine.htm)


CLAIMS:
(FROM BEYOND A CENTURY)(7% cordyceptic acid). This cultured Chinese fungus gained recent fame in aiding Chinese athletes set world records. Clinical trials have shown it to increase T-cells & natural killer cells, lower serum lipids (cholesterol, etc.,) raise SOD (antioxidant) levels, improve kidney function, while increasing energy by elevating cAMP & ATP levels. Also noted for reducing asthma and respiratory problems, lowering blood pressure, increasing blood supply to the brain (improving memory and mental sharpness) and enhancing sexual vigor. Once considered an “upper class herb”, new culturing techniques have lowered the cost by 200x! Dose is 1-3g per day. 100 grams, $7.75. Code 830.0


INCREASE T-CELLS & NATURAL KILLER CELLS
It was shown by flow cytometry analysis that crystalized preparation of Cordyceps sinensis (Cs-Cr) caused significant elevation of the number of T helper cells and Lyt-1/Lyt-2 (T helper to T suppressor cell) ratio both in peripheral blood and the treated mice spleen. The spleen weight, phagocyte counts and phagocytic activity were also elevated in the treated group. In addition, Cs-Cr could protect T helper cells from the immunosuppressive effects of prednisolone acetate and cyclophosphamide.
PMID: 1831743

the in vivo and in vitro NK activities of mouse were both significantly augmented by intraperitoneal (ip) injection of CS-II
PMID: 1597083

The results showed that CS could argument the NK cell activity, meanwhile, the dose-dependent effect was found within the range of dosage adopted (r = 0.984, P less than 0.01; r = 0.988, P less than 0.01). Furthermore, CS could also improve the CD16 marker expression on lymphocytes and the binding capacity to K562 cells.
PMID: 1392475


LOWER SERUM LIPIDS (CHOLESTEROL, ETC.,)
Cordyceps sinensis (WECS) on lipid metabolism in mice fed an atherogenic diet. WECS was orally administered at doses of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg/day for 12 weeks. WECS showed no toxic effects on the growth rate, liver or kidney weights of the mice. WECS significantly suppressed the increased serum lipid peroxide level but not other lipid levels in a dose-dependent manner. WECS also suppressed the increased aortic cholesteryl ester level in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that WECS prevents cholesterol deposition in the aorta by inhibition of LDL oxidation mediated by free radicals rather than by reduction in serum lipid level. WECS may exert beneficial effects on the formation of the atherosclerotic lesion induced by oxidative stress with few side effects.
PMID: 11114007


RAISE SOD (ANTIOXIDANT) LEVELS
The water and ethanol extracts of Cordyceps sinensis were found to possess a potent antioxidant activity. The scavenging effects of the extracts on superoxide were very weak, but the extracts moderately inhibited malondialdehyde formation via hydroxyl radical induced by SIN-1, a peroxynitrite generator. Of the extracts examined, the hot water extract (70 degrees C for 5 min) showed the greatest oxygen free radical scavenging activity.
PMID: 11114006

In an effort to evaluate the pharmacological effects, including the antiaging effect of the fruiting bodies of the cultivated Paecilomyces japonica fungus, a new type of Cordyceps sp. was investigated.

both water and methanol extracts were found to cause not only significant increases in rat liver cytosolic SOD, catalase, and GSEH-px activities, but also a significant decrease in MDA production in TBA reactant assay in rats. The extracts also showed immunostimulating activity

two pure compounds were isolated as active principles from low molecular-weight fraction, a protein-bound polysaccharide was isolated that showed a marked increase in the liver enzyme activities, as well as a significant inhibition of lipid peroxidation.
PMID: 11795517


IMPROVE KIDNEY FUNCTION
Cordyceps sinensis and Cordyceps militaris inhibited, to a certain degree, proliferation of cultured human glomerular mesangial cell induced by LDL.
PMID: 10814966

ELEVATING cAMP & ATP LEVELS
CordyMax Cs-4, a mycelial fermentation product of Cordyceps sinensis, on energy metabolism…Steady-state beta adenosine triphosphate (ATP) increased in the liver of mice that received CordyMax (200 or 400 mg/kg per day) for 7 days
PMID: 11439844

Mice were given the extract of cultured Cordyceps sinensis (Cs) (200 mg/kg daily, p.o.) for 3 weeks…From 1 to 3 weeks, a consistent increase in the ATP/inorganic phosphate ratio, which represents the high energy state, was observed.
PMID: 8822093

REDUCING ASTHMA AND RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS
These results also demonstrate that the therapeutic activity of C. sinensis in Chinese medicine may be related to modulation of TH1 and TH2 cells functions in bronchial airway
PMID: 11212870

LOWERING BLOOD PRESSURE
None

INCREASING BLOOD SUPPLY TO THE BRAIN (IMPROVING MEMORY AND MENTAL SHARPNESS)
None

ENHANCING SEXUAL VIGOR
Cordyceps sinensis contains a factor that stimulates corticosteroid production in the animal model. However, it is not known whether this drug acts directly on the adrenal glands or indirectly via the hypothalamus-pituitary axis…. activation of PKC may be responsible for the CS-induced steroidogenesis.
PMID: 9620174

The results illustrated that CS stimulated normal mouse Leydig cell steroidogenesis in a dose-dependent relationship. CS at 3 mg/ml significantly stimulated testosterone production (p<0.05).
PMID: 11712663

Cordyceps militaris (CML) has been found good for inhibiting the growth of tumor, prolonging the survival period of mice implanted with S180, inhibiting the growth and metastasis of Lewis pneumonic cancer in the implanted mice, increasing the plasm content of cortisol and testosterone in normal rats, and elevating the weight of sexual organs in normal and castrated rats. CML exerts a malehormone-like effect.
PMID: 10743207

HYPOGLYCEMIC EFFECT:
CS-F30 ([alpha]D + 21 degrees in water) is composed of galactose, glucose and mannose (molar percent, 62:28:10), and its molecular weight is about 45000….exhibited higher hypoglycemic activity than its crude polysaccharide (CS-OHEP), exhibited by i.p. injection, and it significantly lowered the glucose level by p.o. administration (50 mg/kg). However, it hardly affected the plasma insulin level in normal mice.
PMID: 8130781

Administration of CS-F-30 to normal mice significantly increased the activities of hepatic glucokinase, hexokinase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, although the glycogen content in the liver was reduced. Furthermore, CS-F30 lowered the plasma triglyceride level and cholesterol level in mice.
PMID: 8850325

CS-F10 significantly lowered the plasma glucose level in normal, streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic and epinephrine-induced hyperglycemic mice after intraperitoneal administration (50 mg/kg). Administration of CS-F10 to STZ-induced diabetic mice significantly increased the activity of hepatic glucokinase. A significant reduction in the hepatic glucose output was observed following the infusion of CS-F10 using the perfused rat liver. CS-F10 also significantly decreased protein content of facilitative glucose transporter isoform 2 (GLUT2) from rat liver following i.p. administration.


Discusion:
Independent of cost considerations cordyceps are rather interesting in that they have such a wide range of effects and there is not one single report of a negative side effect caused from them. Many of the effects of codyceps simply fall under the category of prevention or maintenance of bodily functions, however there are three exceptions to this; the increase in ATP, The promotion of steriodgenisis and the hypoglycemic effect.
These effects in combination and due the to fact that the latter two are probably too mild to exploit by themselves, give cordycepts the potential to be best used most likely as a post workout recovery aid.
The problem of utilizing cordyceps lies in the fact that products make claims based on the findings of all cordyceps and not specifically the ones included in the product, nor do they always list which variety is in the product. Furthermore while most effects of the mycelium were also found in the fruiting bodies as well, many products do lost list which part of the plant is included. Again since there are no known negative side effects and the recommended dose is seen in several grams it may be that taking a large enough doses will provide the desired effect without any negative effects. While there is no direct proof of this pre-se as circumstantial evidence we can note that the fungus is used not only as medicinal aid in which several grams would be considered a lot, but also as a food in which several grams would be very little and it is likely much more is taken.
Despite all its promise the cordyceps craze did not last long and objective witnesses to the phenomenon might say that it was popular only in hype put forth by the industry and not from the excitement of satisfied customers. This leaves the question open; were cordyceps an ineffective product, a misunderstood product, or simply overpriced? One could argue the weight of the research against any claims of ineffectiveness. While the range of cordyceps could have led to customers taking an ineffective variety without knowing it, many of the active constitutes of the fungus are found in several varieties and the remainders have not been checked for. This leaves the one to make the conclusion that cordyceps probably failed due to outrageous prices or perhaps products that simply did not offer enough active ingredients per dose.
As hype diminished, so does price and purchasing codyceps can now be done for perhaps a 10th the price of what was seen a few years ago, and if that’s not enough you can now also purchase kits to grow your own making the venture even more affordable. The hype and the irrational customers that went with it are gone, and it is now very feasible for the objective minds to put this product to the test before it is simply forgotten

Bump, for others to see, lest they missed it come first pass. Perhaps some of you may have feedback, or insight, etc.

This is far from scientific, but I am Chinese, and I remember my mom telling me about some supplement that Chinese athletes took that supposedly enhanced performance. Her description was that it was something that was an animal at one time of the year and a plant at another time; I believe she was describing this particular supplement. I don't have any research, to support any claims, although I have read a few promising studies. At the very least, Cordyceps has been used in China for centuries, although I don't know if it was solely applied as an athletic performance aid. If the price is right, I would definitely be interested in giving it a try. Supnut- do you know where I can get a kit to grow my own?

I KNOW I saw an add that said something about growing cordyceps but i didnt click the link, later when I went back to look for it I was able to find nothing.

BAC sells if for cheap as mentioned although you dont know what kind your getting.


Naturally the stuff grows on dead catipillars which would explain the animal/plant thing, although from what I understand they can grow it on an atrificial substrate.

My advice would be try it from bac, if it works and you want to grow your own, you would want a spore syringe and a spore collecting set up alone with some suitable substrate so that you can grow a crop, save some spores and just keep repeating the process. Where or IF the spores are available I am not sure.

Is this what TC talked about in MM2K years ago, as a replacement for ephedrine (as a pre-workout stimulant)???

sorry Par i havent been around that long, a year ago i was eyeing methoxy remember

I would assume so, for the fact that this is to be found in their Ephedrine free formula, Phen-Free (and I also have faint recollections of a similar statement in an old EAS supplement review).

Anything new about Cordyceps?

I have ordered some, so I will be giving this a try. Here is additional info ...
Too bad the experiment is on mouse.

============================

(1) "Effects of Cordyceps sinensis on testosterone production in normal mouse Leydig cells."

Huang BM, Hsu CC, Tsai SJ, Sheu CC, Leu SF.

Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, Republic of China.

The stimulatory effect of Cordyceps sinensis (CS) on MA-10 mouse Leydig tumor cell steroidogenesis was previously demonstrated in our laboratory. In the present studies, we further determined the effect of CS on steroidogenesis in purified normal mouse Leydig cells. Different concentrations of CS (0.1-10 mg/ml) were added to Leydig cells without or with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) (50 ng/ml), and the steroid production was determined by radioimmunoassay (RIA). The results illustrated that CS stimulated normal mouse Leydig cell steroidogenesis in a dose-dependent relationship. CS at 3 mg/ml significantly stimulated testosterone production (p<0.05). Concerning the temporal relationship, CS at 3 mg/ml stimulated maximal testosterone production between 2 to 3 hr. Interestingly, hCG-stimulated testosterone productions were suppressed by CS in a dose-dependent relationship. CS also reduced dbcAMP-stimulated testosterone productions, which indicated that CS affected signal transduction pathway of steroidogenesis after the formation of cyclic AMP. Moreover, cycloheximide inhibited CS-treated mouse Leydig cell testosterone production, suggesting that new protein synthesis was required for CS-stimulated steroidogenesis.

Par Deus >> (I think this is the part where TC talks about cordycep's stimulant effects)
"TC's articles on Dong Chong or Jing Zhi Dongchongxiacao appeared in Muscle Media Issue 49 (April 1996) and Issue 51 (July 1996). The active ingredient is referred to as cordyceps and it is currently receiving favorable reviews by the scientific literature as an anti-tumor agent. It appears to increase the ability to generate ATP. Whether or not this can lead to weight loss is speculation. If you can train harder and put on muscle, then you burn more calories at rest and lose body fat. Direct evidence of cordyceps on weight loss or increased energy expenditure is lacking, but if you decide to try it, let us know what happens."

Among the cordyceps info that you posted Supnut, I have personally experienced the following consistently over the past 5 years >>> decreased asthma/allergy symptoms, increased aerobic capacity, mild b/f loss over an 8 week trial of 3-5 grams/day, and a slight decrease in rest-period requirements during intense lifting. All kinda vague/subtle effects and nothing dramatic.

I will be picking some up from BAC soon I think as I have something up my sleave that I think these would go nicely with.

<->

Just saw this:

http://www.cuttingedgemuscle.com/Forum/sho...p?threadid=6819

After I posted my abstract above, I have tried cordyceps with my "ergogenic" stack, along with rhodiola. I try to stagger the timing of these, so as to detect any effects.

It seemed to me that my cardio output was increasing with the help of cordyceps. Somewhat like to carao.

When I stopped taking rhodiola and corcydeps, in turn, my body went through two phases during which I became noticeably weaker.

I was taking close to 2 g of BAC cordyceps a day; but I thiink the dosage should have been higher, perhaps 3-4 g / day.

well schizandra get me wired , it's some kind of cns stimulant as wel enhancing your libido.

Nandi, its not a mushroom,(like a toatstool) its a fungus that grows on the outside of dead catapillars (yum)

How similar are militaris and sinensis?

Too bad I can't get that article, or read Chinese.

Below is a link to the brand of OTC standardized Cordyceps that I primarily used in the past few years on and off...

http://www.pharmanex.com/corp/product/solu.../cordymax.shtml

Update:

March, 2004

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.f...t_uids=15076794

April, 2004

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.f...t_uids=15118196

July, 2004

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.f...t_uids=15182908

and finally, some good news for those of you with cancer
May, 2004

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.f...t_uids=15132834

It seems I was mistaken in earlier post regarding cordyceps and rhodiola. It looks more and more like my perceived exercise performance improvement was due to rhodiola, not cordyceps.

I have cordy powder I'll be putting on the site today. I'm working on a new formula pre workout that has it in there.

I've been using Codryceps for about a year now. I believe it was this very post that peaked my interest. It's definately had positive effects on my lipid profile. I mentioned it as an adjunct for PCT in an article I just finished. It should be up with the next issue of M&M. All the studies showing performance enhancement were done on either mice or rats, and all the human studies showed no improvement in performance. There's a good chance that the performance enhancement aspect of cordyceps has a lot to do with a general increase in health and body function. After all, a good deal of highly trained atheletes (and recreational bb'ers) aren't that healthy.

New study (yeah, I know...mice)




Life Sci. 2004 Jul 16;75(9):1051-62. Related Articles, Links


In vivo stimulatory effect of Cordyceps sinensis mycelium and its fractions on reproductive functions in male mouse.

Huang YL, Leu SF, Liu BC, Sheu CC, Huang BM.

Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, #1, Ta-Hsueh Road, Tainan, Taiwan 70101, ROC.

Cordyceps sinensis (CS), an Ascomycetes fungus parasitic to Lepidoptera larvae, has been traditionally used as nutritious food for the enhancement on sexual performance and the restitution of impairment in sexual function in Chinese society. We have previously demonstrated the stimulatory effect of CS and its fractions on steroidogenesis both on primary mouse Leydig cells and MA-10 mouse Leydig tumor cells. In the present studies, we determined the in vivo effects of CS and its fractions on steroidogenesis in mouse. Different concentrations of CS and CS fractions (0.02 and 0.2 mg/g body weight) were fed to immature or mature mice from 1 to 7 days. The plasma levels of testosterone were evaluated by radioimmunoassay. The weights of reproductive organs were also determined. Results illustrated that CS significantly induced plasma testosterone levels both in immature and mature mice in 3 and/or 7 days treatment (p < 0.05). F2 and F3 at 0.02 and/or 0.2 mg/g body weight for different feeding duration could also significantly stimulated plasma testosterone levels both in immature and mature mice (p < 0.05). In general, CS, F2 and F3 didn't have considerable effect on the weights of reproductive organs. Taken together, these studies illustrate that CS and its fractions significantly stimulated in vivo mouse testosterone production. Copyright 2004 Elsevier Inc.

PMID: 15207653 [PubMed - in process]

Look forward to reading this -- I was just wondering about cordyceps and PCT after reading Tolson's write-up at Bulk Nutrition. Seems like a good idea, especially with its reported blood pressure and liver benefits. Which is why I was reading this thread...

But I was curious as to whether using it for PCT would really be a good idea, given that the hypothesis in that Chinese study seems to be that cordyceps acts like LH. I thought a potential problem could be that LH production might be inhibited. I'm definitely not an expert of this whole system, so I'm wondering what others think.

Cordyceps powder

What we really need is some people to get some blood tests before and after to see if/how much it effects sex hormone levels.

You're right, man. Anything that "acts" like LH will probably not be best in the long run because ultimately what we are after during the post cycle therapy is a full recovery of the body's own natural testosterone production. If cordyceps does what is claimed of it then it would be better to take this during a cycle. And with it's blood pressure benefits and liver benefits it sounds like something that would go well with m1t(provided the liver and bp effects are substantiated).