Cordyceps
01.09.21

Cordyceps

Cordyceps

What is it?

Known as "Himalayan gold" because traditionally Cordyceps were found high in the Himalayan plateaus and stumbling  upon this fungus was akin to finding gold. Used to treat fatigue, sickness, and low sex drive in ancient Chinese and Tibetan medicine - this fungus has become very valuable.

When found in nature, this “caterpillar fungus” grows parasitically on insects. Luckily, one variety of Cordyceps that shares the properties of wild Himalayan gold can be grown in a laboratory setting, harming no insects.

We have been cultivating, concentrating, and creating a Cordyceps tincture for those looking to support energy levels (and much more)...

History

Due to its rarity, Cordyceps were once reserved for the use of the emperor and royal family in ancient China who would be served duck stuffed with Cordyceps to preserve their health.

Today, Cordyceps is used in TCM to restore the yin and yang of the kidneys caused by excessive physical exertion. In Chinese medicine, the kidneys store the jing, the essential fluid of life essence Qi.  Cordyceps is thought to help control fluid metabolism and healthy sexual functioning.

In both Tibetan and Chinese medicine this fungus has been used to strengthen the kidneys and heart, recover from stress and over exhaustion as well as increase libido and fertility.

In 1993, two unranked Chinese athletes broke world records in swimming competitions. Also, Chinese women runners won 6 of 9 track meets at the world championships in Germany. In addition to their intensive training regimes, all of these athletes took Cordyceps, to which they attributed much of their success.

What does the science say? 

Today, scientific research is verifying what has been known for centuries; this bizarre fungus has the undeniable ability to stabilize our energy levels (as well as something to do with sex drive).

In fact, integrating Cordyceps extract into your diet may be enhancing energy at a cellular level by boosting the production of ATP in the body (our fuel molecule!).

Cordyceps is recognized for the production of a unique compound called Cordycepin (similar structure to ATP).

Cordycepin

Cordycepin is a bioactive compound that is uniquely found in Cordyceps mushrooms, and has been shown to have very potent anti-cancer, anti-oxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties.

Structurally it is very similar to a compound called adenosine which is found abundantly in every cell in our body.

Adenosine plays an important role in cellular processes such as energy metabolism (found as the energy transfer molecule adenosine triphosphate or ATP), as well as the regulation of hormone production.

ATP is energy fuel for the cell!

What do we see in scientific studies?

 1. Energy & Athletic Performance

  • Cordyceps extracts support energy metabolism in the body, boosting athletic endurance and stamina,  and increasing oxygen uptake in cells
  • Cordyceps increases the ATP levels in the body, which is the molecule that powers our cells. 
  • Cordyceps may  support the adrenal stress response and help manage fatigue.

Learn more about adaptogens and the stress response here

2. Libido & Fertility

  • Cordyceps supports a healthy libido
  • It may also enhance fertility by increasing male sex hormones, as well as sperm quantity and quality.
  • Cordyceps may also increase female fertility by supporting estrogen production. 

3. Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory

  • It's anti-oxidative effects may support cognitive function
  • Cordycepin has been shown to play a role in the death of unwanted cells that have gone awry in the body
  • It's high anti-oxidant content is thought to explain the anti-aging potential of Cordyceps supplementation
  • Cordyceps has also been shown to fight inflammation

If you're looking to increase athletic stamina, or simply maintain sustained energy levels throughout the day, Cordyceps is your mushroom ally.

Our dual-extracted tincture is made from Canadian grown Cordyceps fruiting body for ultimate potency.

Shop Cordyceps

  • Benefits of Lion's Mane
    03.11.22

    Benefits of Lion's Mane

    Four Benefits of Lion’s Mane Mushroom Lion’s Mane is a mushroom with a long history of use in Asian culture. It’s been used in Traditional Chinese medicine,...

    Read now 
  • Rainbo Forays 2022
    30.08.22

    Rainbo Forays 2022

    We're excited to announce our 2022 Rainbo Foray schedule, lead by the Rainbo team and Antonio Cillero Rodrigo from Mushroom Guerrilla. The purpose of the forays will...

    Read now 
  • Rainbo is a B Corp!
    28.03.22

    Rainbo is a B Corp!

    A note from our Founder Tonya. We're officially the first mushroom company to become a B Corp! Learn about what this means for us and why...

    Read now 
  • glass of water with a hand dropping in Rainbo's 11:11 tincture into the glass of water so that it can be drank.
    27.11.21

    What is a Tincture?

    What is a medicinal mushroom tincture? A mushroom tincture is simply an extract of mushrooms dissolved in alcohol.  An “extract” may be found in liquid...

    Read now 
  • There are 5 individual tinctures in a row with a white background. Each tincture is fully white with text on it and the rainbo logo which is a rainbow. The tinctures in the photo are chaga, cordyceps, 11:11, lion's mane and reishi.
    26.11.21

    Which tincture is best for me?

    Confused on how to choose between mushroom tinctures? We hear you! We've been getting this question from many of you. Read on if you're unsure of...

    Read now 
  • Fruiting Body vs Mycelium
    30.09.21

    Fruiting Body vs Mycelium

    When we talk about 'mushrooms' at large, we are generally referring to the fruiting body structure of the fungus. However the mushroom structure isn't a...

    Read now 
  • Rainbo is Climate Neutral Certified
    24.08.21

    Rainbo is Climate Neutral Certified

    Exciting news! We’re officially Climate Neutral Certified! The reality is that even after facing an unprecedented global pandemic (and everything else 2020 threw at us),...

    Read now