✓ No active regulatory warningsFDA MedWatch, EMA EudraVigilance, WHO VigiBase, WADA Prohibited List · 2026-05-29
📰Read the full Cordyceps evidence review on GMJ News →Complete clinical article, references and updates on news.gmj.ge. This page is the structured safety summary.⚠ Patient buying expensive 'wild cordyceps' — cultivated C. militaris is pharmacologically superior and often less adulterated [2]
⚠ Transplant patient — immunomodulatory effects [2]
⚠ Elite athlete expecting performance gains — evidence is negative in trained individuals [3]
ℹ️ Not obtained from food. Not applicable — this is not obtained from food in meaningful amounts; supplementation is the practical route.
🔬 Lab interpreter
ℹ️ No validated blood test. There is no established laboratory test to assess status or guide dosing for this ingredient. Clinical response and symptoms are the practical guide.
⚕ For professionals — confirm ranges against your local laboratory.
Clinical verdict
Cultivated C. militaris contains MORE cordycepin than $20,000/kg wild C. sinensis — buy cultivated. Cordycepin is a validated adenosine analog. Modest exercise performance benefit in elderly/sedentary (not elite athletes). Traditional kidney/lung tonic. Wild products are frequently adulterated [1] [2] [3].
1 How much do I need?
👤 Adults: Specific dosage data under clinical review
👴 Elderly: Specific dosage data under clinical review
🤰 Pregnancy: See guidance
No safety data. Avoid [1].
👦 Pediatric: See guidance
No data. Not recommended [1].
🏃 Athletes: Standard dose
⚖️ Obesity: Standard dose
Fat-soluble compounds may require dose adjustment in obesity.
🩺 Renal: Specific dosage data under clinical review
🌱 Vegan: Standard dose
How to take
🍽 Timing: Morning (mildly energizing) [2].
💊 With food: Can be taken with or without food [2].
🚫 Avoid: Evening dosing if stimulating. Immunosuppressants [2].
2 Which form?
| Form | Bioavailability | Vegan | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| ['C. militaris fruiting body extract', 'preferred', 'Cultivated. Contains MORE cordycepin than wild C. sinensis. Sustainable, standardizable, affordable [2].'] | Standard | Check label | |
| ['Cs-4 (fermented C. sinensis mycelium)', 'common', 'Fermented mycelium. Used in many clinical trials (especially Chinese). Different chemical profile from fruiting body [2].'] | Standard | Check label | |
| ['Wild C. sinensis', '', 'Extremely expensive. Often adulterated. Ecologically unsustainable. No evidence of superiority over cultivated C. militaris [1].'] | Standard | Check label |
3 Common questions
Is wild cordyceps worth the price? ▼
No. Cultivated C. militaris contains more cordycepin (the key bioactive) than wild C. sinensis, is sustainable, and costs a fraction of the price [2]. Wild C. sinensis products are frequently adulterated.
Does cordyceps improve athletic performance? ▼
What is cordycepin? ▼
Cordycepin (3'-deoxyadenosine) is an adenosine analog — it mimics adenosine at receptors and has anti-inflammatory, anti-proliferative, and immunomodulatory effects. It is the most pharmacologically interesting compound in Cordyceps [2].
C. sinensis vs C. militaris? ▼
C. militaris (cultivated) is scientifically superior: more cordycepin, standardizable, sustainable, affordable, and not adulterated. C. sinensis (wild) is a luxury product driven by rarity, not pharmacological superiority [2].
4 Clinical evidence
Strong
Cordycepin is a validated adenosine analog with anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and anti-proliferative activity in vitro and animal models [2]. Cultivated C. militaris produces more cordycepin than wild C. sinensis [2]. HIGH
Moderate
Exercise performance: a systematic review found modest improvements in VO2max in elderly subjects (but not well-trained athletes) with Cs-4 supplementation [3]. Fatigue reduction: several Chinese RCTs show improved fatigue scores [2]. Renal function: traditional use for kidney support; some small trials show improved renal markers in CKD [2]. Sexual function: traditional use confirmed in some small trials [2]. MODERATE
Insufficient
5 Safety, toxicity & adverse events
Relative
⚠ Autoimmune disease — immunostimulant effects may worsen activity
⚠ Concurrent immunosuppressants (e.g., transplant) — may oppose therapy
⚠ Bleeding disorders/anticoagulants
⚠ Diabetes — may lower blood glucose
⚠ Pregnancy and lactation — insufficient safety data
🚩 Red flags
● Expensive 'wild cordyceps' product — likely adulterated; buy cultivated C. militaris [1]
6 Interactions
Drug interactions
Immunosuppressants Moderate
Mechanism: Immunomodulatory polysaccharides may oppose immunosuppression. [2]
Effect: Theoretical reduced drug efficacy. [2]
Action: Avoid in transplant patients [2].
Supplement synergies
Reishi · 1,000–1,500 mg Reishi
Cordyceps (energizing) + Reishi (calming) = balanced mushroom immune/vitality support [2].
Cordyceps (energizing) + Reishi (calming) = balanced mushroom immune/vitality support [2].
Rhodiola · 200–400 mg Rhodiola
Both support energy and endurance through different mechanisms [2].
Both support energy and endurance through different mechanisms [2].
7 Regulatory
China: Official Chinese Pharmacopoeia ingredient. Major traditional medicine [1].
United States (FDA): Dietary supplement. No health claims [1].
South Korea: Popular supplement ingredient.
8 US supplement products
116
on-market products containing Cordyceps (NIH DSLD)
Brands carrying Cordyceps (74)
Click a brand to see its Cordyceps products.
9 Frequently paired with
10 Cite this page
Vancouver: Pkhakadze G. Cordyceps — safety profile [Internet]. Tbilisi: PHIG; 2026 [cited 2026 Sep 01]. Available from: https://supplement.ge/ingredients/cordyceps/
APA 7th: Pkhakadze, G. (2026). Cordyceps — Safety profile. Public Health Institute of Georgia. https://supplement.ge/ingredients/cordyceps/
📋 Editorial information
Author: Prof. G. Pkhakadze, MD, MPH, PhD
Institution: Public Health Institute of Georgia (PHIG)
Affiliation: David Tvildiani Medical University (DTMU)
First published: January 2026
Last reviewed: 2026-05-29
Next review: March 2027
References: 3 cited sources
COI: SupplementIndex receives no funding from supplement manufacturers. All content independently authored by PHIG.
Process: Systematic literature review
📄 License & reuse
Published under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). You may share and adapt for any purpose with attribution.
Pkhakadze G. "Cordyceps — Safety Profile." SupplementIndex, PHIG, 2026. https://supplement.ge/ingredients/cordyceps/ CC BY 4.0.
GP
Prof. G. Pkhakadze, MD, MPH, PhD
Professor of Public Health · Head of Department, DTMU
Editor-in-Chief, Georgian Medical Journal (ISSN 3088-4322)
Chair, Public Health Institute of Georgia · UEMS Public Health Section
Educational and public health purposes. CC BY 4.0. Consult your healthcare provider before starting any supplement. Corrections: info@accreditation.ge. Publisher: PHIG