Cordyceps

Cordyceps sinensis · Ophiocordyceps sinensis · Cordyceps militaris · Cordycepin · Dong Chong Xia Cao

Snapshot

Indications	Contraindications
Immune function^1–3 Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease⁴ Lung cancer adjunct⁵ Contrast-associated kidney injury⁶ Exercise performance⁷	Myelogenous cancers⁷ Pregnancy or nursing⁸

Cordyceps names insect-parasitizing fungi, chiefly Ophiocordyceps sinensis and Cordyceps militaris, used in traditional Chinese medicine for fatigue, cough, and sexual dysfunction⁷. Its effects are attributed mainly to modulation of immune cell activity⁹. People take it for immune support, stamina, kidney function, and lung health, typically adults seeking stamina or immune support, or those with chronic respiratory or kidney disease⁷.

Healthy-adult trials found higher natural killer (NK) cell activity with Cordyceps preparations^{1, 2}. Meta-analyses of Chinese trials found better lung function with Bailing capsule in stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and better quality of life with adjuvant use in lung cancer. Kidney-protection evidence is low certainty⁶, and exercise performance results are mixed⁷. In mice with lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury, a 2024 study found a Cordyceps militaris extract reduced lung inflammation; no human trial has tested it. Products listing Cordyceps are mostly capsules, powders, and liquid extracts; see Form comparison.

Memorial Sloan Kettering advises against use in myelogenous cancers because animal studies showed red blood cell progenitor proliferation⁷. Its patient page tells people taking insulin or warfarin to talk with their healthcare provider⁷.

Last updated October 16, 2026. Read how we make monographs.

In the full monograph

73 sources, 57 studies

When to useThe situations practitioners use it for, each with the reason and the study behind it.
SafetyWho should avoid it, who needs extra care, and the side effects reported in studies.
InteractionsThe medicines and supplements it interacts with, the effect of each, and what labeling says to watch.
Protocol notesThe doses used in studies, how and when they were taken, and how the forms on the market compare.
How it worksWhat it is and how it works in the body, in plain terms.
Published studiesThe studies behind each use, popular claims checked against them, and trials still under way.
Word of mouthWhat patients and practitioners report online, kept separate from the clinical evidence.
Clinical perspectiveA closing read of where the evidence is solid, where it is thin, and what has not been studied.

Snapshot

In the full monograph

Sources