Hey all - a friend of mine (TCM/doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine) swears by cordyceps, wondering if anyone else has had any experiences with it/them?
Below is an article from him, sorry for some of the screwy formatting:
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Cordyceps
Cordyceps is considered by many herbalists to be one of the most powerful and valuable tonic herbs. Wild cordyceps can be found in isolated places in southwestern China where it costs up to $10 000 per kilogram. In ancient China this fungus was used exclusively in the Emperor's Palace because of its scarcity and expense.
Tibetan herdsmen first discovered Cordyceps over a thousand years ago thinking it was a type of grass. They noticed that when their sheep and yaks grazed on Cordyceps they became stronger and healthier. Later, Chinese herbalists began to use Cordyceps for a host of human ailments. The mushroom was used as a cure-all, but was especially thought to increase vitality and improve sexual function.
Cordyceps has more recently become famous because of its powerful aphrodisiac effects, immune enhancing properties and remarkable athletic performance improvements. The clinical studies done on Cordyceps in China indicate the fungus can improve liver functions, reduce cholesterol, adjust protein metabolism, improve immune functions, and inhibit cancer. It also has therapeutic value in the treatment of aging disorders including loss of sexual drive.
Modern scientific growing techniques have created a cultivated cordyceps that is stronger than wild cordyceps in certain biological components that are responsible for its effects.
Energy and Vitality
In 1993, China's Wan Jun-Sha broke the 10,000 meter world record by an amazing 40 seconds at the World Track and Field meet in Stuttgart, Germany. She was suspected of using illegal steroids because of the huge time improvement. After extensive drug testing, she was cleared, and it was revealed that she was only using Cordyceps and other Chinese herbs.
Animal studies have shown cordyceps increases the ratio of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to inorganic phosphate (Pi) in the liver by 45-55% - which is beneficial in terms of energy metabolism and the potential for athletic performance enhancement.18 Mice fed cordyceps and subjected to an extreme low oxygen environment, were able to utilize oxygen more efficiently (30-50% increase), better tolerate acidosis and hypoxia (lack of oxygen) and live 2-3 times longer than a control group.27
A small study presented at the American College of Sports Medicine annual meeting (1999), showed that cordyceps significantly increases maximal oxygen uptake and anaerobic threshold, which may lead to improved exercise capacity and resistance to fatigue.28 Research has shown an increase in liver ATP:Pi (inorganic phosphate) ratio indicating more energy within the liver for metabolism. Other areas of benefit include increasing SOD (an overall antioxidant) activity, strengthening immune function, kidney function and improving glucose metabolism.29
In a number of Chinese clinical studies, primarily in elderly patients with fatigue, cordyceps-treated patients reported significant improvements in their level of fatigue, ability to tolerate cold temperatures, memory, cognitive capacity and sex drive. Patients with respiratory diseases also reported feeling physically stronger. Overall, the efficacy rate for cordyceps in alleviating fatigue in elderly subjects was 80-90%.22
The New York Journal of Medicine reported that Cordyceps has properties similar to Ginseng, being used to strengthen the body after exhaustion or long term illness. Research on Cordyceps has suggested that it increases energy by improving ATP production by over 30% and oxygen utilization by over 40%. 18,27
Certain polysaccharides and glycoproteins in Cordyceps may also boost energy and reduce fatigue by increasing testosterone levels, which has been observed in numerous studies.29,30,33 In one study, cordyceps increased plasma testosterone levels in mice with low testosterone by almost 170%.29
Libido and Sexual Function
Traditional Chinese Medicine has used cordyceps to improve libido and male sexual function for thousands of years. Its effectiveness led to its almost exclusive use by Chinese emperors because of its popularity and expense. The mushroom extract can induce sex steroid-like effects and increase testosterone in mice.29,30,33 The increase in testosterone may be one of the reasons for the improvement in libido in several studies done on elderly people. Recent studies performed at Beijing Medical University of China and in Japan have shown a 64% success rate among men suffering from impotence, vs. 24% in the placebo group. Clinical tests performed at Hunan Medical University have shown that cordyceps is effective in relaxing the smooth muscles tissue of the penis, increasing blood flow, resulting in harder erections. Other research also show that cordyceps improves male sexual function and intracellular ATP production 23, 24.
Immunity and Antiaging
The pharmacological actions of cordyceps are due mainly to its bioactive polysaccharides, modified nucleosides, and cyclosporin-like metabolites. polysaccharides, ophiocordin (an antibiotic compound), cordycepin, cordypyridones, nucleosides, bioxanthracenes, sterols, alkenoic acids, and exo-polymers.3 4 5 6 7 8 9Compounds found in cordyceps are also classified as HDPs, or host defense potentiators. Combinations of these compounds are now believed to stimulate the human immune system, and may aid in neuron transmission, metabolism, hormonal balance, and nutrient and oxygen transport. Research shows that cordyceps benefits the liver and hepatic system by activating Kupffer cell function, increasing SOD (by 54%) and glutathione peroxidase in the liver, raising plasma albumin, and inhibiting inflammation and liver fibrosis. 10,25,26,27
In the ancient China, cordyceps was highly recommended as one of the most effective medicines for all illness. Due to its anti-aging and cure-all properties, it can be compared to ginseng and reishi mushroom. Many Chinese clinical studies have shown improvements in liver, kidney and immune, and cholesterol problems. A number of studies also show that cordyceps may have anti-cancer, immune-enhancing, and antioxidant effects. 10 11 12 13 14 It also helps strengthen the immune system of tumor patients who have received radiotherapy, chemotherapy or surgery. It helps to stabilize the hemogram, increasing the blood cells and protein for producing blood plasma and for eliminating side- effects after various cancer therapies. Cordyceps has been shown to inhibit the proliferation of both leukemia and lung cancer in vitro. It has been used in studies on radiotherapy in China to improve the effectiveness of cancer treatments. The tumor inhibiting and immune enhancing effects of cordyceps may be due to the sterols found in it. 9 34 35 36
Cordyceps has also shown benefits for treating hepatitis B and inhibiting hepatic fibrosis. 27 37 38
Cordyceps has a long history of use in treating asthma has been shown in studies to be beneficial for asthma and other lung and bronchial inflammation conditions. 29
Traditional Chinese Medicine
In China, Cordyceps is used medically to regulate and support the gonads and as a lung and adrenal tonic. It is used specifically for excess tiredness, chronic cough and asthma, impotence, debility, anemia, to build the bone marrow and reduce excess phlegm. It has also been demonstrated that Cordyceps enhances blood circulation and can lower LDL cholesterol while raising beneficial HDL cholesterol. 14 32 Chinese athletes use Cordyceps as a safe alternative to dangerous performance-enhancing drugs.
It is used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for:
Relieving asthma
Increasing lung function
Boosting libido and sexual function
Improving athletic performance
Improving energy
Improving immunity
Regulating blood sugar
Decreasing appetite
Decreasing alcohol and drug desire
Cordyceps dosage:
1 to 3 grams per day for maintenance; 3 to 6 grams per day for optimal effects. Users should experience an improvement in energy and vitality after a period of two to three weeks. Long term use can help to improve longevity.
Side effects or interactions:
Cordyceps has a long history of use and is generally considered safe.16 A 7-day exposure to 80 g/kg of Cordyceps did not result in any negative effects in a recent laboratory study. There is no safety information available regarding pregnancy, lactation, or use in children, so it should not be used in these situations. Cordyceps and Ginkgo biloba may have mild blood-thinning properties. Use with caution when taking anti-coagulant (blood-thinning) medications. Use with caution when taking MAO inhibitors. Use with caution if you experience low blood sugar related condtions. If you are hypersentive to mushrooms, do not take.
About this strain of Cordyceps
The strain of Cordyceps in this product is recognized by the Chinese government as similar to wild Cordyceps sinensis, a rare fungus that grows above 15,000 feet in the Tibetan Highlands of China.
This strain is grown under low temperature, low oxygen conditions - equal to 18,000 feet elevation, just like nature.
Analytical testing recently completed by the chemists at Integrated Biomolecule Inc. of Tucson, Arizona, has revealed that this cultivated Cordyceps has more than four times the nucleoside content, and nearly five times more of the total active ingredients than the wild collected variety.
The Cordyceps is grown in specially designed refrigerated containers, in a very low oxygen environment. This is exactly the opposite of the way in which all other mushrooms are grown. Warm-and-wet is the usual rule for mushroom cultivation. While other cultivators are growing their Cordyceps in only four or five days, this strain takes nearly six months to grow. The resulting Cordyceps contains active ingredient levels up to 5 times higher than the best wild samples.
Our supplier is the largest producer of Cordyceps in North America, and presently the only American cultivator supplying Cordyceps to China. They use a blend of ingredients which was specially developed in order to maximize the bioactive compounds produced by the Cordyceps. It is grown on organically grown millet and sorghum grain and then several other organic components are added to bring the substrate up to the exact nutritional requirements of the Cordyceps. About 22-24 weeks after the growth cycle is started the Cordyceps is ready to harvest. At that time there is only about 2-3% of the original grain remaining. In the final product, there is virtually no residual grain or other substrate - only 100% pure Cordyceps. This Cordyceps is much higher quality than any of the other brands of cordyceps, which often test as primarily rice starch. Even in the wild collected variety there is some caterpillar remains and soil residue.
Grown Only in Glass Containers – Not plastic or Metal
Grown at Only 50% atmospheric Oxygen
Grown at Nearly Freezing Temperatures – Only 4° C
Grown for 6 months - not fermented 4 or 5 days as in China
100% USDA Certified Organic
Nutrition
Main Ingredients: Polysaccharides, adenosine, adenine, uracil, guanine, thymin deoxyriboside, uracil deoxyriboside, 18 different amino acids (including 8 essential ones), polypeptides, mannitol, protein, organic acids, different micronutrients (P, Se, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Fe, Na, Cu, Zn, Al, Si, Cr, V, Ni, Sr, Ti and Mo), vitamins (B1, B2, B12, E & K), ergosterol, superoxide dismutase (SOD.
For more information contact Roots of Health – (250) 384-7668, or andy@wholefoodshealth.com
References
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