Cordyceps is the 'performance' functional mushroom — used by athletes for stamina and by tired humans for caffeine-free energy. Here's what the research supports, and where the hype outruns it.
What the evidence suggests
Exercise performance — some trials report improved measures like VO2 max and time to exhaustion, especially in older or less-trained adults; results in elite athletes are mixed.
Daily energy — many users take it as a morning, caffeine-free lift; it pairs naturally with rhodiola for the fatigue-and-fog pattern.
Buying it right
Fruiting body vs mycelium: look for fruiting-body extracts with verified beta-glucan content — cheap 'myceliated grain' products are mostly starch.
Dose: typical study doses are 1–3g of extract daily. Take it in the morning or pre-workout; it's mildly energizing, so skip it at night.
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