Back to Homepage

6 Surprising Benefits Of Cordyceps

When exploring the top 6 surprising benefits of cordyceps, many people will be genuinely surprised. Most mushroom supplements are known as nootropics, meaning their benefits mainly focus on the brain. While cordyceps does support brain health and function, it also benefits many other parts of the body. This may help explain its recent surge in popularity.

Despite this, many people still don’t fully understand what cordyceps can do, or they haven’t heard of it at all. That’s why now is the perfect time to share a guide to the top 6 surprising benefits of cordyceps supplementation. In this article, we’ll explain what cordyceps is and explore how it can improve your health, so you can experience its powerful effects for yourself.

Table of Contents

What Is Cordyceps & How Does It Work?

Cordyceps is a medicinal fungus used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and adaptogenic properties. Found in several forms, including cordyceps sinensis and cordyceps militaris, it is classified as a type of caterpillar fungus and supports many parts of the body. These include the brain, heart, respiratory system, immune system, and sexual organs.

In recent years, cordyceps has become increasingly popular in Western supplements. Its rise in fame, partly due to the success of the video game and TV series The Last of Us, has also caused confusion with ophiocordyceps sinensis. This parasitic fungus infects and takes over insects, but the two are completely unrelated.

Studies have tested daily doses of cordyceps extract in various ranges up to 3,000 mg but have been unable to determine an optimal daily dose. However, they have determined that cordyceps pairs well with certain other supplements, including lion’s man mushrooms, rhodiola rosea extract, ashwagandha, magnesium, zinc, vitamin B6, and l-arginine.

This means a supplement that contains more than one of them, such as Prime Male S-Volume, which includes the last 2 listed, will be far more beneficial than one that uses cordyceps on its own.

Tested and Trusted
By Over 1 Million Men

Order Now

6 Surprising Benefits Of Cordyceps

Improves Sexual Health & Functions

One of the oldest and most powerful benefits of cordyceps, though often overlooked today, is its ability to improve sexual health in both men and women through several complementary mechanisms.

By increasing the body’s production of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), one of its main energy sources, cordyceps boosts cellular energy and overall vitality. This increase often translates into a stronger libido, higher sexual motivation, and greater desire in both sexes.

Cordyceps also helps regulate the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis, promoting balanced production of key sex hormones such as testosterone and estrogen. This supports reproductive health and enhances sexual performance.

In addition, cordyceps improves oxygen use and circulation, increasing blood flow to the sexual organs. This can heighten arousal, sensitivity, and erectile function in men, while boosting fertility, semen volume, and sperm count, motility, and quality. In women, it supports ovarian function and overall reproductive potential.

Better circulation, combined with its adaptogenic effects, helps the body manage stress and reduce fatigue—two major factors that can lower sexual performance and desire. Together, these effects enhance sexual stamina and satisfaction (1).

Boosts Energy Levels & Stamina

Several of the factors mentioned above also help cordyceps improve cellular energy production. This includes its ability to increase the body’s synthesis of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), enhance oxygen absorption and utilisation, support adaptation to physical and mental stress, and promote healthy blood flow for better nutrient and oxygen delivery to muscles and tissues.

These effects are strengthened by compounds like cordycepin, which help protect and optimise mitochondria, the parts of cells responsible for generating energy.

Together, these actions enhance stamina, endurance, and physical strength, while reducing fatigue and promoting balanced, sustained energy throughout the day without sharp peaks or dips (2).

Reduces Inflammation & Ageing

The adaptogenic and anti-inflammatory properties of cordyceps make it ideal for reducing inflammation and slowing the ageing process. It is rich in compounds like cordycepin, polysaccharides, and flavonoids, which neutralise free radicals—unstable molecules that damage cells and accelerate ageing. This protects cells from oxidative stress and helps preserve skin elasticity, organ function, and overall vitality.

Cordyceps also downregulates pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α and IL-6 while supporting anti-inflammatory pathways. This helps reduce low-grade inflammation, which is linked to ageing, fatigue, and degenerative diseases. Some studies suggest it can even reduce chronic inflammation. It also modulates immune activity, balancing the immune system and preventing excessive responses that can cause inflammation and tissue damage.

Its bioactive compounds protect mitochondria, maintain mitochondrial function, and prevent DNA damage, all key factors in slowing cellular ageing. By improving circulation and delivering more oxygen and nutrients to muscles and tissues, cordyceps supports tissue regeneration, repair, and recovery. This contributes to a stronger, more youthful, and resilient body (3)(4).

Increases Brain Health & Functions

One of the most popular reasons to use cordyceps is its ability to support mental clarity, brain health, and cognitive performance. It achieves this through antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective actions.

Cordyceps enhances circulation and oxygen utilisation, improving blood flow to the brain. This ensures the brain receives sufficient oxygen and nutrients, supporting alertness, focus, and memory. Its antioxidants, including cordycepin and polysaccharides, protect brain cells from oxidative stress and shield neurons from damage, which can cause cognitive decline and neurodegenerative conditions.

Cordyceps also modulates inflammatory pathways, reducing neuroinflammation that can impair cognition and contribute to disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. As an adaptogen, it helps regulate stress hormones and neurotransmitters, including dopamine and serotonin, which improves resilience to stress. This can prevent mental decline and support a calmer, more stable mood.

Some evidence suggests cordyceps may stimulate neurogenesis, promoting the growth of new neurons and synaptic connections. This further supports mood stability and helps maintain learning and memory as the brain ages.

Finally, cordyceps boosts ATP production in brain cells and supports mitochondria, enhancing brain energy and metabolism. This leads to improved mental endurance and overall cognitive performance (5).

Enhances The Cardiovascular System

The brain is not the only major organ that benefits from cordyceps; it also supports heart health and cardiovascular function.

Cordyceps boosts oxygen utilisation, circulation, and blood flow. This helps the heart work more efficiently and reduces strain during physical activity, making it especially beneficial for endurance and cardiovascular stamina.

Its antioxidants, including cordycepin and polysaccharides, neutralise free radicals that cause oxidative stress, damage heart tissue, and contribute to cardiovascular ageing. This helps maintain heart health and function. Cordyceps also calms inflammatory pathways, reducing inflammation and preventing arterial stiffness and plaque buildup that can lead to heart disease.

Studies show cordyceps can lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, triglycerides, and lipid levels, while raising HDL (“good”) cholesterol. This supports clear, flexible arteries and helps maintain healthy blood pressure. It also promotes vasodilation, further improving blood flow and reducing the risk of high blood pressure.

Cordyceps can protect heart muscle cells from damage caused by low oxygen or stress, supporting recovery and long-term cardiac resilience (6).

Regulates Blood Sugar Levels

The final cordyceps benefit we will examine, though not the only one, is its ability to regulate blood sugar levels.

Cordyceps improves how cells respond to insulin, allowing glucose to enter cells more efficiently. This enhanced insulin sensitivity lowers elevated blood sugar and supports overall metabolic balance. It also promotes efficient glucose use for energy by increasing ATP production and improving mitochondrial function, stabilising energy levels and preventing blood sugar spikes or crashes.

Its antioxidants protect pancreatic β-cells, which produce insulin, from oxidative stress and inflammation. Cordyceps also reduces pro-inflammatory cytokines. Since chronic low-grade inflammation contributes to insulin resistance, this effect helps restore proper glucose regulation.

By reducing oxidative stress, cordyceps also protects blood vessels and tissues from glycation and free radical damage caused by high glucose levels.

Finally, cordyceps lowers triglycerides and improves cholesterol levels. Helping prevent the metabolic imbalances linked to high blood sugar and type 2 diabetes (7).