Nowadays natural supplements are an acceptable option for athletic performance.
They not only boost the physical capabilities but also give nutrients to the body –
antioxidants, amino acids, enzymes, vitamins, minerals… One of the superfoods
that are now trendy is Cordyceps.
Cordyceps is a mushroom also named “caterpillar fungus”; it grows on larvae of
insects – sometimes caterpillars.
Cordyceps has been used in combination with herbs to treat sicknesses by
Chinese medical specialists since ancient times.
Nowadays people in Europe have become more aware of the health advantages of
using food as a medicine. It’s not surprising that taking cordyceps as a natural
supplement is becoming more and more ongoing.
The main health problems that cordyceps solves are: lack of energy, general body
weakness, infections, lack of sexual arousal, kidney sicknesses, low levels of the
capabilities of the immune system, heart sicknesses, breathing difficulties, aging,
diabetes.
There are hundreds of species of the mushroom cordyceps but the focus is on two
of them – Cordyceps sinensis and Cordyceps militaris. Cordyceps sinensis grows
not only in the higher parts of the Tibetan mountains but also elsewhere globally.
These natural mushrooms are very rare; they are hard to harvest; they need a specific
environment and are increasingly in demand. This is the reason their price grows
constantly.
Cordyceps militaris is a competitor to cordyceps sinensis, but it can be easily
cultivated on mixed rice, it can be reachable and it can be bought at a fair price.
Advantages of Cordyceps for Athletes
Cordyceps continued its practical use from Chinese medicine to professional
sports. At the begging of the 1990s, it was common in Chinese sports teams.
The Chinese women’s running team won many competitions and broke three world
records with the help of this natural superfood and supplement.
Cordyceps has also been used by older people and increases their exercise
performance because of one of the strains of Cordyceps sinensis – Cs-4.
A three-week period of taking cordyceps militaris leads to increased tolerance to
high-intensity training and it has a probability for better benefits with longer-term
usage.
Caterpillar fungus boosts VO2 MAX. VO2 MAX is considered the maximum
limit of oxygen that is possible to be consumed during heavy training. Cordyceps
supplement is also used to define the fitness level of the athlete and it can improve
sports performance. Highly-trained sports professionals may need to take additional
dosages to achieve higher results.
The mushroom superfood has been used for weakness resistance in Chinese
medicine for a long time. Nowadays experimental studies show promising
results for this natural supplement in effectiveness to fight fatigue.
Cordyceps stimulates adenosine triphosphate – ATP in combination with raised
maximum levels of oxygen – VO2 and weakness. ATP is the main energy source
in all living organisms. The existence of adenosine is connected to heart support.
Cordyceps as an aid to the cardiovascular system
The cordycepin inside the mushroom is help blood circulation. The
combination of oxygen and nutrients the tissues receive helps them to say alive.
How much cordyceps is enough?
1 gram per day of the mushroom supplement is a good start for most sports
professionals. It could be consumed either once as a single dose or in numerous doses
with food. The dose could be increased to 2-3 grams depending on body mass, age, and exercise intensity. There is no exact instruction about the right dosage because
it depends on the individual health of the athlete and the intensity of the sports
activities.
Side effects of cordyceps for sports professionals
It is generally considered safe to use mushrooms for healthy people. But if you
are pregnant, nursing, or have a sickness it is important to talk to a medical
specialist and buy natural supplements from trusted companies that list the
ingredients properly for every product and have been tested by a third party.
Cordyceps could be used for pre-workout
VO2 max, ATP creation, and weakness resistance are not the only positive effects
of cordyceps usage. The mushroom has also anti-inflammatory benefits. It is also
an antioxidant that fights free radicals. Both features are very useful before
training. The energy it provides lasts even longer than the training session.
The main advantage of Cordyceps
Cordyceps needs to be researched more to improve the knowledge of its positive effects on humans. But this mushroom is used for centuries as a food, a
medicine, and a natural supplement and its benefits continue their popularity as a
health boost provider.
Studies on animals show that cordyceps balances blood sugar levels, but
most importantly, it works against cancer in various forms of sickness as an anti-
tumor agent. If you are an athlete who wants to achieve higher results cordyceps
may be the right natural supplement for you.