Discover how Cordyceps mushrooms can naturally assist athletes in improving performance and recovery after a workout.
Cordyceps mushrooms can naturally assist athletes who want to improve their performance and accelerate recovery. We’ll discuss how these incredible fungi can potentially help endurance, stamina, and post-workout recuperation.
What Are Cordyceps Mushrooms?
Cordyceps is a functional mushroom that has been used in traditional Chinese practice for centuries. Though there are many species, Cordyceps militaris and Cordyceps sinensis are two of the most recognized varieties studied for their potential athletic impact.
These slimy, gold-colored mushrooms grow naturally in the high-altitude regions but can now be farmed in laboratory settings. This has made Cordyceps more readily available as a supplement among athletes and bodybuilders.
How Cordyceps May Support Oxygen Utilization
One of the key ways that Cordyceps can be thought to promote sport performance is through increasing the efficiency of the body's utilization of oxygen during exercise. This applies most to endurance sports such as running, cycling, and swimming.
Potential Effects on VO2 Max
VO2 max is the amount of oxygen available to your body during strenuous exercise. More VO2 max generally means higher endurance performance. It has been indicated in some studies that Cordyceps supplementation may help to increase the levels of VO2 max among athletes.
Supporting Respiratory Function
Cordyceps have been used traditionally to help normal breathing function. For an athlete, this could mean breath coming more easily during intense exercise or competition. By maintaining proper lung function, Cordyceps could potentially maintain proper oxygenation and delivery to active muscle.
Cordyceps and Athletic Stamina
In addition to oxygen use, Cordyceps could have effects at the cellular level for sports stamina and endurance.
Energy Production at the Cellular Level
Cordyceps contain bioactive molecules that may play a role in the synthesis of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) within cells. ATP has been referred to as the body's currency, energizing all cellular activity - including the muscle contractions that take place with exercise. By possibly augmenting ATP delivery, Cordyceps may delay the onset of fatigue with prolonged exercise.
Cordyceps and Post-Exercise Recovery
Recovery is a significant component of any training regimen for sports. Cordyceps may be able to help here also.
Antioxidant Properties
Extreme exercise has the potential to create added oxidative stress in the body. Cordyceps contain antioxidant compounds that may be capable of combatting this, with potentially faster recovery time between workouts.
Supporting Muscle Function
Cordyceps may aid in healthy muscle function after intense exercise. This could be particularly beneficial for athletes participating in high-intensity training or competition programs.
Energy Levels and Athletic Performance
Many athletes have noted increased energy and vitality levels after incorporating Cordyceps into their program. While experiences will vary for each person, this natural boost in energy could result in more productive training sessions and enhanced overall performance.
Adapting to Physical Demands
Cordyceps are considered to be adaptogenic, and as such, they can help the body adapt to physical stresses. For athletes, this could translate to enhanced resistance to severe training or competition stress.
Mental Clarity and Focus
Sports performance is not just a function of physical strength. Mental focus and clarity also play an important role. Several athletes taking Cordyceps report a heightened sense of alertness and mental clarity, which can be useful during training and competition.
Cordyceps for Different Types of Athletes
The majority of research on Cordyceps has been performed in endurance athletes, but this mushroom could be useful for a variety of sports and exercise activities.
Endurance Athletes
Runners, cyclists, swimmers, and triathletes can especially benefit from Cordyceps due to their potential effects on oxygen uptake and endurance. The ability to maintain performance over long distances may be enhanced with the use of Cordyceps on a daily basis.
Team Sport Athletes
Soccer, basketball, or hockey players of team sports involving sudden spikes of maximum effort followed by recovery periods can also benefit from Cordyceps' potential capacity to support both energy and post-exercise recovery.
Strength and Power Athletes
Less well-studied in this respect, strength athletes like weightlifters or sprinters may also benefit from the possible effects of Cordyceps on ATP synthesis and energy production. The mushroom's recovery effects may also benefit those who are engaging in high-intensity resistance training.
How to Incorporate Cordyceps into an Athletic Routine
For those interested in trying Cordyceps for improving sporting performance, there are several means to add this mushroom to a daily regimen.
Supplement Forms
Cordyceps are available in various forms of supplements, including:
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Capsules
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Powders
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Liquid extracts
When choosing a supplement, make sure the products are made with good-quality Cordyceps militaris or Cordyceps sinensis. It is also important to select supplements from manufacturers that employ third-party testing to ensure purity and potency.
Timing and Consistency
Like most of the natural supplements, Cordyceps may work best if consumed regularly. It's generally always best to start out with a low amount and add more as needed.
Taking with Other Supplements
Cordyceps can be used on its own or combined with other performance supplements. Some athletes like to combine Cordyceps with other functional mushrooms like Reishi or Lion's Mane for a synergistic effect. Others like to combine it with more traditional sport nutrition supplements like protein powders or electrolyte drinks.
Cordyceps For Athletic Performance
Cordyceps mushrooms are a natural option for competitive athletes who want to optimize their performance and recovery. While more research is needed to fully understand their impact, the potential benefits make Cordyceps an interesting supplement athletes to try.