Updated
Cordyceps
An orange club fungus that parasitises insect larvae. The wild Himalayan species is among the most expensive biological commodities on earth; almost every supplement uses cultivated C. militaris or fermented mycelium instead.
Repeated trials
Where it stands: 17 registered trials in people, none of which has reported a result; 24 randomised trials published since 1994.
What it is taken for
One tile per use. The line under each is how far the evidence for that use actually got, counted rather than argued.
What it has been tried for, and how far that has got
One row per use. The label is counted rather than argued — it is set by how many randomised trials and posted results exist for that use, and nothing else. How that is worked out.
| Use | How far it has got | Trials | With a result | Randomised, published | Reviews | Commonly taken for it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exercise performance | Repeated trials | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | yes |
| Kidney | Repeated trials | 1 | 0 | 4 | 8 | yes |
| Immune function | A first trial | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Inflammation | A first trial | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Liver | A first trial | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Memory and focus | A first trial | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Libido and fertility | A first trial | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | yes |
| Lungs and breathing | A first trial | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | yes |
| Fatigue and energy | Being tested now | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | yes |
| Cancer, supportive and adjuvant | Being tested now | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | — |
| Gut and microbiome | Being tested now | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Mood and anxiety | Being tested now | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Nutrition | Being tested now | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | — |
The doses the protocols actually specify
Taken verbatim from the intervention description each trial filed. These are not recommendations and they are not comparable to each other: some are a whole-mushroom powder, some a purified fraction.
Every registered study that names it
From ClinicalTrials.gov, filtered to studies that name Cordyceps militaris or a synonym in the title, summary or intervention. Studies that have posted results come first.
| Register | Study | Condition | People | Status | Result posted | Dose in the protocol |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCT07310108 | Evaluation of Cordyceps Militaris M2-116-04 for Its Potential Sport and Exercise Nutrition Applications in Hea | Aerobic, Exercise | 32 | Completed | — | — |
| NCT06138444 | Effect of Cordyceps Militaris Beverage on the Immune Response | Healthy | 40 | Completed | — | — |
| NCT07729943 | A Trial to Study the Effects of Ginseng and Cordyceps on Aerobic Capacity, Lactate Kinetics, and Nitric Oxide | Healthy Subjects With Low Energy Levels | 75 | Recruiting | — | 1 g |
| NCT07726979 | The Combined Effects of Cordyceps and Fartlek Training on Muscle Recovery and Bone Health in Soccer Players | Muscle Damage, Athletic Performance | 22 | Completed | — | 500 mg |
| NCT07755566 | Effect of Oral Papilozumib on Vaginal and Intestinal Microbiota in Human Papillomavirus (HPV)-Positive Women | Papillomavirus Infections | 21 | Completed | — | — |
| NCT07852481 | Metabolic Effects of an Ophiocordyceps Sinensis- and CoQ10-Based Formulation in Mild-to-Moderate Hypercholeste one ingredient in a multi-herb preparation | Hypercholesterolemia, Lipid Metabolism Disorders | 140 | Not yet recruiting | — | 200 mg, 50 mg |
| NCT02814617 | The Efficacy and Safety of Cordyceps Sinensis Mycelium Culture Extract(Paecilomyces Hepiali, CBG-CS-2) on Prom | Immunity | 80 | Completed | — | 1.68 g |
| NCT01718548 | The Effects of Cordyceps Sinensis and Lingzhi on Cardiovascular Fitness and Cognitive Function | Physical Fitness, Executive Function | 100 | Unknown | — | — |
| NCT00636103 | Efficacy Study of Herbal Formula CUF2 to Treat Childhood Asthma one ingredient in a multi-herb preparation | Asthma | 90 | Completed | — | 0.619g |
| NCT07174076 | Prevention of Recurrence With Cordyceps Sinensis in Mycobacterium Avium Complex Pulmonary Disease | Mycobacterium Avium Complex Pulmonary Disease | 300 | Recruiting | — | 4 capsule |
| NCT02244372 | Efficacy and Safety of Cordyceps Sinensis Mycelium Culture Extract(Paecilomyces Hepiali, CBG-CS-2) on Promotio | Immunity | 90 | Completed | — | 0.76 g, 1.15 g |
| NCT07664345 | Effect of Cordyceps Supplementation Timing on Physiological Responses and Aerobic Adaptation in Athletes | Exercise Recovery, Exercise-induced Muscle Damage | 30 | Completed | — | 200 mg, 2,000 mg |
| NCT04821258 | Effect of the Nutraceutical "MICODIGEST 2.0" on the Complications After Surgery for Colorectal Cancer | Colorectal Cancer, Surgery--Complications | 48 | Completed | — | — |
| NCT07017426 | Fuzheng Huayu Tablets Reduce the Occurrence of Re-Decompensation Events in Patients With First Decompensation | Decompensated Hepatitis B Cirrhosis | 432 | Not yet recruiting | — | — |
| NCT07755553 | Effect of a Mushroom Extract-Containing Topical Cosmetic Formulation During Breast Radiotherapy one ingredient in a multi-herb preparation | Radiation Dermatitis, Breast Cancer | 50 | Completed | — | — |
| NCT07752641 | Effect of HIFAS MENOPAUSE on Quality of Life in Postmenopausal Women one ingredient in a multi-herb preparation | Menopause, Menopausal Symptoms | 20 | Completed | — | 280 mg, 240 mg |
| NCT05684952 | The Efficacy and Safety of a Chinese Herbal Medicine for Long COVID Associated Fatigue one ingredient in a multi-herb preparation | Long COVID | 152 | Unknown | — | 200ml |
| NCT05304299 | Alleviating Effects Against High Intraocular Pressure by Oral Intake of Cordyceps Cicadae Mycelia | Supplement | 46 | Completed | — | — |
| NCT06601283 | Vitamin C Plus Cordyceps to Chemotherapy Related Anemia in Pancreatic Cancer one ingredient in a multi-herb preparation | Pancreatic Cancer | 50 | Recruiting | — | 120 mg, 300 mg/day |
| NCT06598033 | Vitamin C Plus Cordyceps to Quality of Life in Patients With Terminal Stage Pancreatic Cancer one ingredient in a multi-herb preparation | Pancreatic Cancer | 50 | Recruiting | — | 300 mg/day, 2 g/day |
| NCT02805699 | A Clinical Evaluation of Baofeikang Granule in Combined Pulmonary Fibrosis and Emphysema Treatment one ingredient in a multi-herb preparation | Combined Pulmonary Fibrosis and Emphysema | 120 | Unknown | — | 30g, 12g |
| NCT03929575 | Effects of Herbal Supplements on Endurance Exercise Performance one ingredient in a multi-herb preparation | Exercise Performance | 13 | Completed | — | 250 mg, 225 mg |
| NCT05130905 | RiteStart Personal Nutritional Dietary Study one ingredient in a multi-herb preparation | Healthy Nutrition | 20 | Completed | — | — |
| NCT07135193 | Evaluation of the Protective Effects of Cordyceps Cicadae on Visual Function and Anti-Fatigue Performance in E | Visual Acuity, Accommodation | 12 | Active not recruiting | — | 500mg |
| NCT07135180 | Exploring the Eye Care Benefits of Cordyceps Cicadae Across Different Age Groups | Visual Acuity, Accommodation | 200 | Active not recruiting | — | 500mg |
| NCT03479294 | Real-World Study on Adjuvant Therapy Combined With Shenlingcao Oral Liquid in Patients for Stage II and IIIA N | Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung, Chemotherapy, Adjuvant | 9 | Terminated | — | — |
| NCT04063735 | Alleviating Effects Against Dry Eye by Oral Intake of Cordyceps Cicadae Mycelia | Dry Eye, Supplement | 97 | Completed | — | — |
| NCT01155076 | Effects of a Vitality Dietary Supplement on Physical and Mental Function in Middle-aged Adults one ingredient in a multi-herb preparation | Health-related Quality of Life | 116 | Completed | — | — |
| NCT05778409 | To Study the Effects of Cordyceps Cicadae on Vision Care | Myopia | 60 | Completed | — | 500mg/ day |
The compounds the research names
Formula and mass from PubChem. Naming a compound is not a claim that it does anything in a person.
C10H13N5O3
C10H13N5O4
C6H14O6
What it looks like in the field
Research-grade observations, each by a different photographer. Every one links to the record it came from.
In the kitchen
Mild, slightly nutty, a little savoury.
The cultivated orange clubs go into soups and broths, and are simmered with chicken or duck in Chinese home cooking. Most supplements are a fermented mycelium rather than the fruiting body.
Where it has been recorded, and when it fruits
14,033 verified occurrence records with coordinates, from GBIF. This is where people have recorded it, which follows where recorders live as much as where the fungus grows — read the shape, not the ranking.
| Netherlands | 3,972 | |
| United Kingdom | 2,984 | |
| United States | 1,462 | |
| Sweden | 1,221 | |
| Denmark | 1,091 | |
| Norway | 747 | |
| France | 431 | |
| Belgium | 404 | |
| Germany | 301 | |
| Spain | 233 | |
| Austria | 116 | |
| Canada | 116 |
Most records fall in Oct. Northern-hemisphere recorders dominate the dataset, so a southern population would not show here.
iNaturalist separately holds 2,660 research-grade observations of it.
What has been reported going wrong
38 voluntary reports to the US Food and Drug Administration name a product by this mushroom's name. A report is someone saying something happened after taking something. It is not a finding that the product caused it, the FDA says so itself, and nobody knows how many people took the product without reporting anything.
| Loss Of Consciousness | 4 |
| Vomiting | 4 |
| Headache | 3 |
| Hepatic Enzyme Increased | 3 |
| Abdominal Pain Upper | 2 |
| Blood Pressure Increased | 2 |
| Diarrhoea | 2 |
| Gastrointestinal Obstruction | 2 |
| Hypersensitivity | 2 |
| Malaise | 2 |
| Muscle Spasms | 2 |
| Asthenia | 1 |
| Other Serious Outcome | 23 |
| Hospitalization | 15 |
| Other Serious or Important Medical Event | 11 |
| Visited Emergency Room | 11 |
| Life Threatening | 5 |
| Visited a Health Care Provider | 5 |
| Other Outcome | 2 |
| Allergic Reaction | 1 |
| Disability | 1 |
The newest randomised trials and reviews
Indexed in Europe PMC. Titles and journals only — follow the link to read the paper where the publisher allows it.