Libido is sometimes a subject that we avoid talking about, even ruminating on internally, when our urge to be intimate with our partner may be at its lowest. Our desires may be severely affected when under the pressures and stress of daily life, and the body puts the priority on survival over reproduction and sensual enjoyment.
Sexual energy is an expression of our total energy reserves, a reflection of our balanced, internal state of well-being. This potent, life-generating energy is something that needs to be expressed. To feed this free-flowing energy, we turn to the incredible mushroom known as cordyceps, not only famous for cell-energy production, but also long associated with supporting sexual desire and a healthy libido.
So Does Cordyceps Increase Libido?
Used by women and men in the east for thousands of years to increase libido, this traditional knowledge continues to be explored by science, which is investigating the potential for the medicinal mushrooms cordyceps has for increasing libido, encouraging fertility, and supporting sexual health. A 1985 study conducted by Young and colleagues examined 155 patients suffering from poor libido. Those treated with cordyceps showed improvements of 64.5% in their libido measured as desire for sexual intercourse. While, in 2016, Jiraungkoorskul & Jiraungkoorskul reviewed his benefits as a sexual tonic from additional clinical trials. These included showing an increase in sexual libido and desire for both men and women, an improvement in sexual performance, and an increase of 33% sperm count after 8 weeks.
Additional studies in vitro have suggested that the effects on cordyceps on sexual drive and fertility potential could stem from its hormonally stimulating and supporting actions in both men and women, and the 2004 study laid the foundations for more studies in this area. Part of that study found Cordyceps could boost E2, the most bioactive form of estrogen. E2 regulates a womans reproductive cycle, supports egg health, and primes the uterus to support fertilized eggs. While studies are limited, results are promising, and cordyceps remains the definitive fungus for getting your internal fires lit and juices flowing.
Traditional Use of Cordyceps for Libido
Cordyceps is an energy-awakening plant that is deeply energetic. Cordyceps has traditionally been used for renewed vitality, promoting health and longevity, and as a tonic for sexual health, by nurturing the both the yin and yang energies which are stored within the kidneys, which contain life essence, jing. By nurturing our jing, we reclaim this primal energy of life giving, which allows our organs to flourish, increasing our cell function, vitality and sexual energy.
The earliest recorded use of cordyceps for medicine is a fifteenth-century Tibetan text entitled An Ocean of Aphrodisiacal Quality, whose translated extracts, when read, reveal an endless number of qualities that provide tremendous benefits, not just for sexuality, but for seven body components and five senses. It is said that Tibetan and Nepali yak herders in the Himalayas first noticed the effects of cordyceps on their herds as they became more energetic, and horny for lack of a better word, after grazing in areas where it grows, which led to its medicinal use for humans and the investigation of cordyceps benefits for vitality and libido enhancement. It is not surprising then that cordyceps is frequently called the Himalayan Viagra!
How to Use Cordyceps
We like to eat our cordyceps just before noon. Due to its energetic, warming nature, you are best off not working with this super-shroom at night.
The flavour of the cordyceps works great in drinks and meals, whether sweet or savory. You can find it in our Adaptogenic Daybreak blend, and for straight powdered cordyceps extract, add a 1/4 teaspoon in your tea, coffee, smoothie, or herbal tonic. We loved the Cordyceps over the summer in spicy combinations of fresh grapefruit juice, ginger, and turmeric.
Potent Cordyceps Extract
We are sourcing one of the types of Cordyceps that produces a fruiting body, the Cordyceps Militaris. Cordyceps Militaris has much higher rates of all-important beta-D-glucan than the other popular cultivated Cordyceps species, Cs-4, that is grown in tanks with liquid fermentation.
You can learn more about the featured brands we represent by visiting our other cordyceps pages specific to our favorite supplements, powders, and tinctures.
You can find our favorite capsules, powders, and tincture’s on the following pages of our website and learn more about each individually:
The Best Cordyceps Mushroom Gummies
Additional Resources:
Updated 10/17/2022
