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Cordyceps

Supplement mushroom energyfitnessimmune
Aka: Cordyceps sinensis, Cordyceps militaris, CS-4
Brands seen in Singapore: California Gold Nutrition, MRM Nutrition, NOW Foods, Real Mushrooms, Doctor's Best
Third-party tested: Real Mushrooms lists a certified cordyceps product with NSF Certified for Sport.Certification is granted per product, so check the tub you actually own. Not being listed is not the same as failing.
Not medical advice. Check with your doctor or pharmacist before you start, stop or change the timing of anything you take.
How to use
What it’s for
Aerobic thresholds in small trials — results conflict
When to take
Daily
Studied for
The trials quoted here ran 5 to 12 weeks
Pros & cons
Pros
  • Cs-4 lifted metabolic threshold 10.5% in a pilot
  • 2025 meta: endurance, vt and vo2peak up in athletes
  • Nk cell activity rose 38.8% in an 8-week RCT
Cons
  • A 2004 trial in trained cyclists found no effect
  • No vo2 max change even in the positive pilot
  • Wild c. sinensis is reported to carry high arsenic
Sources
  1. Effect of Cs-4 (Cordyceps sinensis) on exercise performance in healthy older subjects: a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial (J Altern Complement Med 2010) — design · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “Twenty (20) healthy elderly (age 50-75 years) subjects were enrolled in this double-blind, placebo-controlled, prospective trial. The subjects were taking either Cs-4 333 mg or placebo capsules 3 times a day for 12 weeks.”
  2. Cs-4 exercise trial, J Altern Complement Med 2010 — results · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “the metabolic threshold (above which lactate accumulates) increased by 10.5% … the ventilatory threshold … increased by 8.5% … there were no changes in Vo(2) max in either group. This pilot study suggests …”
  3. Cordyceps Sinensis (CordyMax Cs-4) supplementation does not improve endurance exercise performance (Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab 2004) · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “Twenty-two male cyclists participated in 5 weeks of supplementation with CordyMax Cs-4 tablets (3 g/d) … 5 weeks of CordyMax Cs-4 supplementation has no effect on aerobic capacity or endurance exercise performance”
  4. Effects of fungal supplementation on endurance, immune function, and hematological profiles in adult athletes: a systematic review and meta-analysis (Front Nutr 2025) — scope · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “Fourteen randomized controlled trials involving 528 athletes were included, of which eight studies (n = 288) met the criteria for quantitative synthesis.”
  5. Fungal supplementation in athletes meta-analysis, Front Nutr 2025 — Cordyceps sinensis result · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “Cordyceps sinensis supplementation significantly improved endurance performance (p = 0.05), ventilatory threshold (p = 0.03), and VO2peak (p = 0.04), indicating enhanced aerobic capacity with low heterogeneity.”
  6. Immunomodulatory effects of a mycelium extract of Cordyceps (Paecilomyces hepiali; CBG-CS-2): a randomized and double-blind clinical trial (BMC Complement Altern Med 2019) — design · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “Healthy adults were divided into the intervention group (n = 39), who were given 1.68 g/day of CBG-CS-2 in capsules, and the control group (n = 40) for 8 weeks.”
  7. Cordyceps mycelium extract RCT, BMC Complement Altern Med 2019 — result · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “The CBG-CS-2 group showed a significant 38.8 ± 17.6% enhancement from the baseline of NK cell cytotoxic activity relative to the placebo group after the administration of the capsules for 8 wks. (P < 0.019)”
  8. HPLC-ICP-MS speciation analysis and risk assessment of arsenic in Cordyceps sinensis (Chin Med 2018) · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “Cordyceps sinensis, one of the most valued traditional herbal medicines in China, contains high amount of arsenic … The suggested C. sinensis consumption rate of 2.0 months/year provided important insights into … minimize potential health risks.”
  9. HSA — Guidelines on Prohibited and Restricted Ingredients in Health Supplements and Traditional Medicines, GL-CHPB-1-012 Rev 001 (Oct 2025), Annex A/B — searched, no row for this ingredient · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “The objective of this guideline is to highlight the substances of concern when used in HS and TM and is not meant to be an exhaustive list.”
  10. iHerb Singapore — Mushrooms > Cordyceps category (default order, 58 results); first 5 distinct brands: California Gold Nutrition, MRM Nutrition, NOW Foods, Real Mushrooms, Doctor's Best · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “California Gold Nutrition, Fungiology, MushRex Plus … MRM Nutrition, Cordyceps CS-4 Strain, 60 Vegan Capsules … NOW Foods, Cordyceps, 90 Veg Capsules … Real Mushrooms, Cordycep-M® … Doctor's Best, Ultra Cordyceps, 750 mg”
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Updated 2026-08-30. Every line above traces to a numbered source. Kozen-X is not a medical device and does not give medical advice. It lists what published sources have written down — nothing more. A pair not listed is unrecorded, not cleared. Before you start, stop or re-time anything, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.