Cordyceps: The Mushroom for Energy, Stamina and Getting More Out of Your Body
Cordyceps has one of the stranger origin stories in the world of natural medicine. It was traditionally harvested from the bodies of caterpillars in the high-altitude regions of Tibet and Nepal — a parasitic fungus that takes over its host and grows from it. Sounds grim. But the Tibetan herders who first noticed it observed that their yaks became noticeably more energetic after grazing on it, and the rest is history.
Today, Cordyceps is grown without the caterpillar (thankfully), and it's one of the most researched mushrooms for physical performance, energy and stamina.
What Cordyceps actually does
The main thing that sets Cordyceps apart from other medicinal mushrooms is its effect on how your body produces and uses energy. Specifically, it's been shown to increase the production of ATP — adenosine triphosphate — which is the molecule your cells use to fuel everything they do. More ATP means more available energy at a cellular level.
It also improves oxygen utilisation, which is why it became popular with endurance athletes. Your body gets better at using the oxygen it takes in, which translates to better stamina, faster recovery and less fatigue during sustained effort.
What people actually use it for
Energy without the crash — this is the one most people notice first. Cordyceps doesn't work like caffeine. There's no spike and no crash. It's a steadier, more sustained energy that builds over time with consistent use. People often describe feeling more capable rather than more wired.
Athletic performance and endurance — Cordyceps became famous in the early 1990s when Chinese athletes broke multiple world records and attributed part of their training to Cordyceps supplementation. Since then it's been studied extensively for its effects on VO2 max, lactate threshold and recovery time.
Libido and sexual health — Cordyceps has been used in traditional Chinese medicine as a tonic for sexual vitality for centuries. Modern research has started to back this up, with studies showing it can support testosterone levels and improve sexual function in both men and women.
Lung and respiratory health — it's been used traditionally to support the lungs, and there's research suggesting it can help with respiratory conditions and improve breathing capacity. Useful if you're doing any kind of cardio or endurance training.
Kidney support — in TCM, Cordyceps is strongly associated with kidney health and has been used to support kidney function and recovery.
How to use it
Add a teaspoon to your morning cacao, smoothie or coffee. It has a mild, slightly earthy flavour that blends easily without overpowering anything. Some people take it as a pre-workout — about 30–60 minutes before exercise — to get the most out of the energy and oxygen benefits.
Like most adaptogens, it works best with consistent daily use over 4–6 weeks rather than as a one-off. Start with half a teaspoon and build up.
A note on sourcing
There are two main species — Cordyceps sinensis (the original, wild-harvested, extremely expensive) and Cordyceps militaris (the cultivated version, more accessible and actually better studied for many of the performance benefits). Ours is Cordyceps militaris, properly extracted to preserve the active compounds.
As with all our mushrooms, we use it ourselves. That's the bar everything has to clear before it goes on the shelf.
Worth it?
If you're looking for more energy, better stamina, or just want to feel like your body is working with you rather than against you — Cordyceps is one of the most well-supported options out there. It's not a stimulant. It's not a shortcut. It's a genuine support for how your body produces and uses energy, and that's something most of us could use more of.
