People consume cordyceps mushroom powder to support a healthy lifestyle. Today we are looking at the constituents found in cordyceps
Have you ever wondered what constituents make mushrooms medicinal? There are a number of various constituents that have been found in mushrooms and studied to an extent. It’s these constituents that people turn to when considering the healthful properties of mushrooms.
This discussion goes beyond the debate of whether it’s better to have mushroom supplements created from fruited bodies or from mycelium being grown on grain. It is a look at the constituents found in cordyceps mushroom powder, as well as some research on the use and efficacy of cordyceps mushroom powder in general.
Recognize some of the major chemical constituents found in the cordyceps mushroom powder we provide
The cordyceps mushroom powder we provide is derived from Cordyceps militaris, so the following constituents are listed as found in C. militaris from The Fungal Pharmacy by Robert Rogers, RH (AHG).
Cordycepin: According to the National Library of Medicine, Cordycepin has, “potential antineoplastic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities.” This constituent is able to take part in biochemical reactions, including the ability to terminate protein synthesis in mRNA cells [1].
The Fungal Pharmacy says the following about cordycepin. “At low doses, cordycepin inhibits the growth and division of cancer cells, while at high doses it stops cells from sticking together… cordycepin may be useful in type 2 diabetes, inflammatory conditions, and as a putative cancer drug.
Ergosterol: This constituent is present in the cell walls of various fungi. It has been shown to have antifungal properties. ACS Publication states that, “Ergosterol and its derivatives have attracted much attention for a variety of health benefits, such as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities.”
Beta sitosterol: This constituent is a plant sterol ester found in a variety of naturally occurring substances, including fruits and vegetables. According to Web MD, “Beta-sitosterol is most commonly used for lowering cholesterol levels and improving symptoms of an enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH). It is also used for other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support its other uses.”
Adenosine: This constituent is a nucleoside that plays a major role in the functioning of biological processes. According to the study “Fast simultaneous determination of 14 nucleosides and nucleobases in cultured Cordyceps using ultra-performance liquid chromatography”, “The content of adenosine is much higher in cultured Cordyceps sinensis than in the natural one. Among them, cultured C. sinensis has a large number of adenosines, which are much higher than those in cultured C. militaris.”
Of course, there are other constituents as well. ScienceDirect discusses more on the polysaccharides found in C. militaris. “Polysaccharides extracted from fruiting bodies of C. militaris showed immunostimulating properties and stopped growth of melanoma cells tested in vivo on mouse model (Lee and Hong, 2011).”
Cordyceps mushroom powder benefits
Another study mentioned in The Fungal Pharmacy considers a study from 2002 by Lu, L. The book states:
"Lupus nephritis, resulting from an autoimmune condition, responds favorably to a combination of Cordyceps powder before meals and artemisinin after meals. The combination has been shown to prevent recurrence of Lupus nephritis and protect kidney function in a five-year study.”
One of the big cordyceps mushroom powder benefits that many users speak about is its impact on sexual activity. According to Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects. 2nd Edition, “Cordyceps has traditionally been used for the enhancement of sexual function in human beings. Evidence shows that C. sinensis and C. militaris can improve reproductive activity and restore impaired reproductive function.”
This aforementioned study also showed another type of endurance that cordyceps can help develop. The study mentioned that the “...ingestion of fruiting bodies of C. militaris at 500 mg/kg/day for 4 weeks (Jung, Kim, and Han 2004) significantly prolonged the swimming time of mice.”
The increase was 24 minutes, and that was four minutes longer than the increase noticed from C. sinensis mycelia water extract.
Using cordyceps mushroom powder in your life
There are many more studies on cordyceps in general, but we haven't listed all of them here. We do discuss many others in similar articles though, so you can learn much more about cordyceps mushroom benefits if you would like. Just use the search bar on our website and type in “cordyceps” to learn so much more about this amazing mushroom. We even have information on the cultivation of cordyceps, and background info on cordyceps sinensis as well.
The cordyceps mushroom powder we provide is a great way to add cordyceps to your life. The powder can be easily mixed into hot beverages. You may even have noticed the popularity that has grown behind mushroom coffee. You can create your own cordyceps mushroom coffee at home with this cordyceps mushroom powder. Just add it to your favorite coffee and stir it well to blend. We have an article on making your own reishi coffee at home. Take a look at it here, and realize that you could simply switch out the reishi mushroom powder for cordyceps mushroom powder to do the same.