Hi everyone, Mike Stuchiner, Master Herbalist here with Z Natural Foods, and today's topic of this video is going to be answering the question, do Cordyceps Powders really work? Before we get started, two quick things I should mention. One is if you'd like more information about me, you can go to my YouTube channel, "A Master Herbalist's Perspective," or you can go to Z Natural Foods.com to see more of my videos and articles on a wide range of topics, tonics, adaptogens, functional foods, spices, all kinds of great stuff.
Next is the medical disclaimer. The information you're about to receive is for educational purposes only and is not intended to treat, prescribe, or diagnose any specific or general medical conditions. It is also not intended to be a substitution for your primary healthcare provider's information, diagnosis, or treatment plan. With that said, let's get started.
So, in order to answer this question of do Cordyceps mushroom powders work, in order to answer that question correctly, it's vital to understand how we evaluate the effectiveness of any substance we use. And more importantly, if there's a specific criteria for how an individual should assess their progress and results.
The average individual consumes stimulants like coffee or caffeine; I should say, on a daily basis because it effectively boosts energy levels for a short period of time. Quick FYI for you all, a cup of coffee or tea differs significantly from using caffeine in an isolated form because coffee and tea contain nourishing polyphenolic compounds that provide great nourishment to the body and help to balance out the effects of what coffee and tea do within the body.
Pharmaceuticals are also fast-acting isolated compounds created to have a specific targeted approach through particular mechanisms of action with a somewhat predictable end result. For example, if you take two Tylenol or Advil to reduce pain or get rid of a headache, it does that for most people in 30 minutes or less. As individuals, though, we may each respond slightly differently, but the bottom line is they both work. The question is, what cost?
Because we are all different regarding where we are physically and emotionally, it's challenging to provide what one would consider specific guidelines, and therefore the video here is somewhat what I like to call golden rules you should consider following in order to keep things in perspective when looking at timeframes and results when you use foods and herbs.
So first, medicinal mushrooms, herbs, and foods do not work like pharmaceuticals or isolate compounds because they contain a litany of natural compounds that work synergistically, potentially supporting a more balanced subtle result. They work on multiple mechanisms of action, whereas isolated compounds tend to focus on only one.
Next, everyone is in a different place mentally, physically, and emotionally. These factors consistently change based on many aspects of your lifestyle. Therefore, these factors may change the time frame and outcome of your results.
Number three, as mentioned just before, our society uses caffeine-based beverages like energy drinks and coffee and tea, providing a powerful and effective short-term burst of energy. Therefore, this may, in fact, skew our perspective into believing everything should work as quickly or be as powerful in concentration levels.
The final thing is concentration levels of a product are essential when looking at the appropriate amount to use and evaluating the timeframe and overall end results. So, it's vital that you are very much aware of the product you're taking and how strong of a concentration the product provides to others. Is it a one-to-one, a 10-to-one, or is it even weaker, let's say, like a one-to-four or one-to-ten?
Next, in order to recognize if Cordyceps works, it's vital to understand the principles behind tonic herbalism, where Cordyceps plays a very significant role. Tonic herbalism is a complex system that looks at six vital factors:
Oneness and the unity of everything, which basically states humans, nature, organs, and the mind and body all function as one.
Yin and Yang, which are opposing forces within the whole, but those opposing forces are always looking for the perfect balance.
The three treasures: Jing, the essence of life; Shen, the core of emotions stored in the heart; and Qi, the circulating life force.
The four seasons, adapting to seasonal changes, synchronizing with nature's beginning, y'all, which is a rather complex way or extended way of saying, looking at how the balance of nature during each season, how our bodies have to accommodate during each one of those seasons.
The five elements theory of traditional Chinese medicine, which states the world is made up of the fundamental elements metal, wood, water, fire, and earth, all of which create cyclical changes throughout the year and throughout your life.
The Chinese organ system. In TCM, organ systems go beyond the boundaries of anatomy; all organs are integrated units based on circulation, utilization of Qi, and how it manifests.
Whether it is TCM or Western herbal medicine, there are vital distinctions between medicinals and tonics. In simple terms, tonics are made to be taken daily over a lifetime to build and restore, so plenty of reserves will therefore exist. A medicinal formula is often only used long enough to help reinstate a level of balance. If used longer than necessary, they'd begin to pull from the body and potentially cause new deficiency or excess imbalances.
So, Cordyceps mushrooms, that's what we're here to really talk about, right? Research for its ability to support vitality and performance, strengthen the body-mind, and support a healthy stress response. This elite-level Jing tonic and superstar of the mushroom world is categorized as an actual adaptogen and revered by tonic herbalists worldwide. Why? With sweetened flavor and warming temperature, Cordyceps is famous in TCM for nourishing both yin and yang, supporting the kidneys and lungs, supporting life capacity and life force reserves, and is considered a fantastic tonifier of Qi. You won't have to search far to see that Cordyceps is regarded as one of the greats in traditional Chinese tonic medicine, right next to ginseng, Reishi, deer antler tips, and Schisandra berry.
Cordyceps has a treasure trove of bioactive compounds, as I stated earlier, saccharides, sterols, amino acids, polypeptides, and quadriceps. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study using 28 individuals examined whether acute and chronic supplementation of Cordyceps improves tolerance to high-intensity exercise. It was concluded that acute supplementation of Cordyceps militaris containing mushroom blend may improve tolerance to high-intensity exercise, but greater benefits may be elicited with consistent chronic supplementation.
Weather Channel, website, Cordyceps, true adaptogen. Adaptogens are a supportive tool for managing a healthy stress response through nonspecific physiological reactions. What makes all adaptogens unique is their ability to adapt to harsh conditions in which they are grown. This adaptability allows them to thrive and become robust plants. As research and opportunity have been compiled over the years, herbalists and scientists have learned and concluded how each adaptogen's energy, whether it's warming, cooling, drying, or voicing, and constituents balance, has allowed them to be used in a more specific targeted way.
Medicinal mushrooms contain a wide array of nourishing compounds that work synergistically to support overall well-being. All mushrooms have certain nutritive qualities in common. They also have unique attributes, allowing them to support and uniquely focus on an individual system. Plants and fungi are often categorized based on their functional quality. Unfortunately, many plants and fungi are called adaptogens even though they don't fulfill the criteria that define what an actual adaptogen is.
So, to answer the question, this general question of do Cordyceps mushroom powders work? It's essential to understand the requirements of how many adaptogens are defined and how they work. The following are the primary points that define what a plant or fungi must do to be considered an adaptogen. One, be non-toxic at clinical dosage. Two, increase the resistance of hormonal and immune systems to all kinds of stressors through a nonspecific physiological response. And three, normalize body function, no matter how external stressors have altered.
We have learned that what makes plants and fungi an actual adaptogen is that they must work through one or both of the body's master control systems. The first is the HPA axis, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, a complex system of neuroendocrine pathways and feedback loops that maintain and support homeostasis in response to chronic stress. The HPA axis interfaces with the endocrine, nervous, immune, digestive, reproductive, and cardiovascular systems.
The other master system is the SNS, sympathetic-adrenal system, AKA your fight or flight. This complex system connects the sympathetic nervous system to the adrenal medulla. In simple terms, it's our fight-or-flight response. This triggered response floods our system with adrenaline and releases hormones, epinephrine, and norepinephrine from the adrenal medulla. This response increases blood pressure, blood sugar, and heart rate and suppresses digestion. This releasing of hormones and redistribution of blood allows the mind and body to respond and survive.
One final area that's essential to understand is the difference between the mycelium and the fruiting body of a mushroom. The above-ground portion of what is known as a mushroom is called, in simple terms, the fruiting body. It's like an orange to an orange tree. Yes, it's the end stage of the lifecycle and where the reproductive process occurs by releasing more spores back into the environment and restarting this lifecycle of mushroom fruiting bodies often exist for only a few days before disappearing, representing about 5% of the total process because fruiting bodies have been the primary focus of research for why they are believed to be the primary powerhouse portion of the fungi where all the nourishing compounds exist.
For example, a treasure trove of bioactive compounds, as I stated earlier, saccharides, sterols, amino acids, and polypeptides. So when you leave a review discussing mushrooms for the time that you weren't here, the compound concludes that there you go. So we get these from your modulation, so dirty man is on the underground. So the shins are called Mycelium mushrooms; in this area of research, it is believed that all compounds found in high concentration in the fruiting body, like polysaccharides, are not the only driving force behind what makes mushrooms such powerful tonics. The working hypothesis behind Mycelium is that by consuming mycelium, you're ingesting the energy force or precursor for what creates itself. Certainly, it is the primary plant portion of the mushroom; I'll walk the longest-living part of the organism. This represents 95% of the life cycle. It is also basically known as the underground communications system. As more science emerges, we're learning about novel compounds on mycelium that may have the ability to change the face of modern medicine in unique ways. This area of mushroom science is fascinating for its unlimited potential.
In conclusion, yes, 100% Cordyceps mushroom powders do work. While medicinal mushrooms all have similar general constituents like a wide array of polysaccharides, attributes, and the ability to nourish in common, they all have their own unique way. Whereas mushrooms have a wonderfully rich use history and are revered and well respected worldwide as powerful tonics because of their nourishing qualities. Cordyceps have been and will continue to be the focus of research for many years to come. The unique attributes, unlimited potential, and untapped energy, untapped information. We are continuously learning about all that makes Cordyceps very intriguing.
This is Mike Stuchiner, Master Herbalist with Z Natural Foods. I'll see you next time.