Benefits of Cordyceps for Respiratory Health in terms of Medical

Cordyceps is a type of fungus that grows in the Himalayas and the Tibetan plateau. Initially, this herbal plant was considered to have an effective nutritional content used as stamina enhancer. At present, the benefits of cordyceps are also claimed to alleviate respiratory disorders and help maintain health. Cordyceps sinensis is known as an ancient traditional medicinal plant that has been widely used in Tibet since the 15th century. This plant is a fungus that is attached as a parasite to caterpillars and comes from the northern Sikkim plateau, India. This herb began to be investigated after it was suspected to provide benefits to farm animals. Furthermore cordyceps is used as a herbal remedy, both as a single ingredient or as a mixture with other herbal plants, to deal with various diseases. Through research in the laboratory, this material is then developed into a supplement. Cordyceps contains many nutrients, such as protein or essential amino acids, peptides, vitamins (B1, B2, B12, E, K), fatty acids, and minerals. Cordyceps may be able to increase the immune system by stimulating certain cells and chemicals. This fungus may also be able to fight cancer cells and reduce tumor size, especially skin and lung cancer. However, there are no accurate data on these benefits in general in humans. Therefore, the benefits of cordyceps still need to be further investigated.

Look at the Claims for Benefits and Limitations

The public recognizes cordyceps as a supplement that can alleviate certain health conditions. The benefits of cordyceps that are commonly known by the community include:

• Helps relieve respiratory disorders

Some substances contained in cordyceps, namely cordycepin and adenosine, can stimulate the effect of the spread of ions in the airways. This was found in research in the laboratory. Cordyceps also showed an increased capacity for oxygen use in animal studies. Especially for adults, consumption of cordyceps can be used to relieve asthma symptoms if consumed purely. On the other hand, consumption of cordyceps by children does not have any effect on the handling of symptoms of asthma, even if combined with other herbs. Another clinical study suggests the efficacy of the benefits of cordyceps to relieve asthma, bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. However, the usefulness is often associated with a combination with other ingredients. This makes the efficacy of cordyceps particularly difficult to ascertain.

• Improve physical performance

Although there is an assumption that cordyceps can be used to improve one's endurance and performance in sports, but several studies do not prove this.

• Fight aging

Cordyceps is traditionally used by the elderly to overcome the effects of aging, such as fatigue, weakness, and impotence. There have been several studies to confirm this benefit. But in reality, the methodology is often not well documented. Although experiments with mice have shown that using cordyceps can improve memory and learning ability, there are no studies that test its effects on humans.

• Protect the heart

In China, research on cordyceps shows this fungus has benefits for arrhythmias or heart rhythm disorders. Some research states this material can also maintain heart health. However, larger clinical trials are still needed to prove this.

• Helps reduce inflammation

A study at the cellular level found that cordyceps has the potential to reduce inflammation. In animals, cordyceps has been found to reduce the severity of lupus, increase survival in heart transplant conditions, and suppress the toxic effects of the Streptococcus bacteria.

• Slows kidney disease

A study shows that cordyceps can slow fibrosis or the process of formation of scar tissue in the kidney. Kidney fibrosis is one of the signs of advanced stage kidney disease. However, these studies have also not been carried out clinically to see their effects on humans.

• Slows tumor growth

Some animal studies have proven that cordyceps can stimulate the immune system to fight tumors in certain types of cancer.

• Deal with diabetes

Research has found that polysaccharide extracts in cordyceps help reduce blood sugar levels by increasing insulin sensitivity and increasing glucose metabolism. But this finding has also not been proven in humans.

Although claimed to bring various benefits as mentioned above, but keep in mind that in general these claims are obtained from experimental results at the cellular level and on animals. Little research has been applied to humans. Therefore, it can be concluded that the effectiveness of this material in dealing with health problems in humans is still not proven to be accurate.

Conditions to Watch Out for

Apart from the effectiveness and safety of cordyceps, it still needs to be further investigated, several conditions can increase the risk of danger and side effects due to consumption of cordyceps. Among others are:

• Autoimmune diseases, such as lupus, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthtritis. In these diseases, cordyceps can increase the severity of symptoms.
• Pregnancy and breastfeeding, because there are no specific studies on the effectiveness and safe dosage of using cordyceps in pregnant and lactating women.
• Bleeding disorders and before surgery, because cordyceps can increase the risk of bleeding.

If you decide to take cordyceps supplements, it is recommended to be sure of their contents, because they may use other types of cordyceps mushrooms or mixed ingredients that can harm your health. We recommend that you consult a doctor to get more complete information about this supplement.