Ergogenic Aid by Cordyceps: Does It Work??

IF 5.5 3区医学 Q1 NUTRITION & DIETETICS

Current Nutrition Reports Pub Date : 2025-08-06 DOI:10.1007/s13668-025-00690-9

Luthfia Dewi, Chutimon Khemtong

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Purpose of review: Supplements for exercise have gained significant attention among athletes and sports practitioners. Herbs with high bioactive content are commonly used to enhance exercise performance. Among these, Cordyceps spp., a traditional herb from China, is recognized for its pharmacological properties, including immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, and anti-fibrotic effects observed in vitro. As an immunomodulatory agent, Cordyceps has been shown to successfully stimulate cytokine synthesis in human peripheral blood. Given that inflammation is a natural part of the aerobic exercise response, We aim in this review to summarize the effects of Cordyceps on aerobic performance and fitness in human studies.

Recent findings: Most studies involved active, young participants. Long-term supplementation with Cordyceps, ranging from 2 to 16 weeks, has demonstrated improvements in aerobic performance in a dose-dependent manner, as evidenced by an increase in time to exhaustion. However, the effects on aerobic fitness remain inconsistent. Furthermore, the ergogenic potential of Cordyceps in aging and sedentary populations requires further investigation due to the limited number of studies available. It also appears that Cordyceps supplementation may have a greater impact on aerobic performance and fitness when combined with other herbs and exercise training. Cordyceps supplementation shows potential as an ergogenic aid for exercise. Further research is needed to explore its effects at the cellular level in human studies.

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冬虫夏草对人体有益：它有用吗？？

综述目的：运动补充剂已经引起了运动员和运动从业者的极大关注。具有高生物活性成分的草药通常用于增强运动表现。其中，冬虫夏草（Cordyceps spp.）是一种来自中国的传统草药，其药理特性被公认，包括体外观察到的免疫调节、抗炎和抗纤维化作用。作为一种免疫调节剂，冬虫夏草已被证明能成功地刺激人外周血细胞因子的合成。鉴于炎症是有氧运动反应的自然组成部分，我们在这篇综述中总结了冬虫夏草对人体有氧运动表现和健康的影响。最近的发现：大多数研究涉及活跃的年轻参与者。长期补充冬虫夏草，从2到16周，已经证明以剂量依赖的方式改善有氧运动表现，正如延长疲劳时间所证明的那样。然而，对有氧健身的影响仍然不一致。此外，由于现有的研究数量有限，冬虫夏草在老年人和久坐人群中的人体作用潜力需要进一步调查。当与其他草药和运动训练结合使用时，冬虫夏草补充剂似乎对有氧运动和健身有更大的影响。冬虫夏草补充剂显示出作为一种运动促氧剂的潜力。需要进一步的研究来探索其在细胞水平上对人体的影响。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Current Nutrition Reports Agricultural and Biological Sciences-Food Science

CiteScore

7.70

自引率

2.00%

发文量

期刊介绍： This journal aims to provide comprehensive review articles that emphasize significant developments in nutrition research emerging in recent publications. By presenting clear, insightful, balanced contributions by international experts, the journal intends to discuss the influence of nutrition on major health conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and obesity, as well as the impact of nutrition on genetics, metabolic function, and public health. We accomplish this aim by appointing international authorities to serve as Section Editors in key subject areas across the field. Section Editors select topics for which leading experts contribute comprehensive review articles that emphasize new developments and recently published papers of major importance, highlighted by annotated reference lists. We also provide commentaries from well-known figures in the field, and an Editorial Board of more than 25 internationally diverse members reviews the annual table of contents, suggests topics of special importance to their country/region, and ensures that topics and current and include emerging research.