Cordyceps attracted public attention in 1993 when a group of Chinese runners broke nine world records in the World Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Germany
Cordyceps Sinensis is one of the most valued medicinal fungi in all of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Once reserved only for emperors, this versatile mushroom is now the tonic of China's elite athletes. Cordyceps attracted public attention in 1993 when a group of Chinese runners broke nine world records in the World Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Germany. Afterwards the coach partially attributed those results to the athletes use of a Cordyceps-based tonic.
Pharmacological and Clinical Research:
Research shows that Cordyceps is beneficial for the heart, liver and immune system etc. 2,3
Heart disease: In clinical studies significant improvements were found in stroke volume, heartbeat, cardiac output etc. in the Cordyceps group vs. the control group.
Cholesterol: Cordyceps reduces the amount of "bad" LDL cholesterol and increases the amount "good" HDL cholesterol. In one study, Cordyceps lowered total cholesterol levels by over 17 percent.
Liver disease: Cordyceps can improve symptoms and liver-cell structures dramatically. Cirrhosis cells disappeared in 70 percent of the patients.
Sexual dysfunction in men: Cordyceps can benefit many men who have problems involving sexual function.
Disorder of the immune system: Cordyceps appears to be one of the most adaptive immunomodulators.
Fatigue: Cordyceps is used by competitive athletes in the treatment of fatigue and weakness, and to improve endurance and increase energy.
For natural Cordyceps Sinensis, it takes about six years to complete its life cycle, consequently, the natural product to be extremely rare. Due to the scarcity and high price of natural Cordyceps, scientists have developed a variety of mycelial products to be used as the substitutes.
Cs-4, is a fermentable strain of the mycelia (Paecilomyces hepiali C.) isolated from the natural Cordyceps Sinensis collected from the QinHai region in China.(see map) It is used to produce fermented mycelia product which contains pharmacologically active compounds similar to the natural Cordyceps Sinensis, including cordycepic acid (mannitol), adenosine, and polysaccharides.
Reflex Nutrition fly this highly sought after Cs-4 extract direct from China and immediately encapsulate it without any heat or additives to preserve its freshness and strength. Simply put, you will not find a better Cordyceps product - period.
1 Chen, D., et al. Effects of natural Cordyceps and the cultured mycelia of Cordyceps sinensis on murine immune organs and functions of mononuclear phagocyte system. Abstracts of Chinese Medicine, 1:371 (1985).
2 Georges M. Halpern: Cordyceps, Chinese Healing Mushroom, Avery Publishing, 1999.
3 J.Zhu, G.M. Halpern and K.Jones: The Scientific Rediscovery of and Ancient Chinese HerbalMedicine: Cordyceps sinesis, Alternative & Complementary Therapies, 4(3-4),289-303,429-457.