New evidence suggests that Cs-4®, a product made from cordyceps, may improve athletic performance in older adults.

Cordyceps is a fungus that grows on caterpillar larvae. Commonly known as dong chong xia cao (summer-plant, winter-worm) in Chinese, cordyceps has been used as a tonic food in China and Tibet and as a food supplement and tonic beverage. It is also an ingredient in soups and other foods used in Chinese traditional medicine for thousands of years, helping debilitated patients recover from illness.

Although animal data suggests thtat cordyceps may help improve physical endurance, available human evidence is conflicting.

In the recent study, 20 healthy adults (aged 50-75) were randomly assigned to take 333 milligrams of Cs-4® or placebo three times daily for 12 weeks.

At the beginning and end of the study, the participants underwent physical examinations and laboratory tests to measure their health and fitness. Maximal incremental exercise testing was also performed on a stationary bicycle using breath-by-breath analysis.

By the end of the study, metabolic threshold significantly increased by 10.5 percent and ventilatory threshold significantly increased by 8.5 percent in the cordyceps group. No such improvements were noted in the placebo group. Neither groups experienced changes in the largest amount of oxygen that they could consume during exercise.

For more information about cordyceps, please visit Natural Standard's Foods, Herbs & Supplements database.

1. Chen S, Li Z, Krochmal R, et al. Effect of Cs-4® (Cordyceps sinensis) on Exercise Performance in Healthy Older Subjects: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial. J Altern Complement Med. 2010 May;16(5):585-590.
2. Natural Standard: The Authority on Integrative Medicine. www.naturalstandard.com