Pre-workout formulations are designed to increase energy and athletic performance prior to exercise, but the drawback is they are usually loaded with artificial sweeteners, excessive caffeine, and extra ingredients not conducive to optimal health. Cordyceps has a heritage among individuals looking to improve athletic performance in a natural way.
So Can You Use Cordyceps as a Pre-Workout?
This super-shroom is known to naturally increase energy and physical performance, as well as decrease fatigue, which allows for greater enjoyment in training sessions. Lace up your sneakers, because we are diving deep into Cordyceps incredible energy-boosting potential, the studies that back it up, and how you can incorporate this mushroom into your pre-workout routine.
Cordyceps Increases Blood Flow and Oxygen Utilization
The heart of many pre-workout formulations are the compounds that are included to increase blood flow, oxygen, and nutrients delivery to your muscles. Cordyceps may help your body use oxygen more effectively and improve blood flow. The beta-D-glucans in Cordyceps help deliver oxygen to all areas of the body at a cellular level, supporting endurance and aerobic ability.
In 2016, a three-week trial of healthy individuals consuming the supplement Cordyceps Militaris showed improvements in the measures of VO2max, time until exhaustion, and ventilation threshold . VO2 max is one way of determining ones fitness level, it is the measurement of maximum oxygen that the body is capable of using while exercising.
Energy and ATP Production
Athletes will be pleased to find out that cordyceps supports your bodys natural energy levels. Cordyceps has been studied for its ability to support adenosine triphosphate (ATP) molecule production . ATP is the main source of energy in our bodies, needed for the energy production of our muscles, and to keep us moving during both sports and everyday activities. Our level of ATP is responsible for our energy levels and dictates how strong we feel physically.
Cordyceps Improves Fatigue Resistance for Better Performance
Managed fatigue is a big one for those of us that exercise on a regular basis. Not only does it make you more prone to injuries, but nobody wants to go into a workout with a weighed down, tired body.
Reductions in muscular fatigue and anaerobic performance support were also demonstrated by using cordyceps mushrooms prior to heavy exercise. In 1998, double-blind research was conducted in Beijing Medical University Institute for Sports Research, which revealed some interesting results regarding Cordyceps and its benefits on muscle fatigue. Within the study, a group of testers using the formula that contained Cordyceps reported improved lactate disposal.
During heavy exercise, our bodies produce lactase, which is a form of lactic acid. When we are working out, the accumulation of lactase causes symptoms that we want to avoid, such as muscular weakness and debilitating cramps.
Cordyceps are our secret pre-workout weapon, and we rely on them to power through daily training sessions here at Inner Atlas. For some of us, this is cardio as well as resistance-based workouts.
How to use Cordyceps as a pre-workout?
The best time to consume cordyceps for helping to support sports performance is between one and one-half hours before working out. It is simple to add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon in your pre-workout shake, energy tonic (check out our recipe for a Cordyceps & Turmeric Elixir) or just consume straight up by spoonful — there is no shame in that!
With its potential for promoting energy and improving fatigue, cordyceps may be a tool you want to consider for giving your training a kick. It is important to note that most studies related to Cordyceps and energy support have documented using it for a long time, not just occasionally, in order to get accumulated benefits of using it.
We have obtained one species of Cordyceps which 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 by visiting the cordyceps supplements page on our website.
You can find our favorite capsules, powders, and tincture’s on the following pages of our website and learn more about each individually:
List of The Best Cordyceps Supplement
List of The Best Cordyceps Powder
List of The Best Cordyceps Tincture
List of The Best Cordyceps Mushroom Gummies
Additional Resources:
How long before a workout should I take cordyceps?
Updated 10/17/2022
