☯️Traditional Chinese Medicine

Cordyceps

Cordyceps sinensis

About Cordyceps

Cordyceps (Cordyceps sinensis) is a herb used in the Traditional Chinese Medicine tradition to help with Fatigue, Respiratory Issues, Libido, and Immune Support. The fruiting body / mycelium is the part traditionally used, taken internally.

Botanical background

Ophiocordyceps sinensis (formerly known as Cordyceps sinensis), is known in English colloquially as caterpillar fungus, or by its more prominent names yartsa gunbu (Tibetan: .mw-parser-output .uchen{font-family:"BabelStone Tibetan Slim",Jomolhari,"Noto Sans Tibetan","Microsoft Himalaya",Kailash,"DDC Uchen","TCRC Youtso Unicode","Tibetan Machine Uni","Qomolangma-Uchen Sarchen","Qomolangma-Uchen Sarchung","Qomolangma-Uchen Suring","Qomolangma-Uchen Sutung","Qomolangma-Title","Qomolangma-Subtitle","DDC Rinzin","Qomolangma-Woodblock","Qomolangma-Dunhuang"}.mw-parser-output .ume{font-family:"Qomolangma-Betsu","Qomolangma-Chuyig","Qomolangma-Drutsa","Qomolangma-Edict","Qomolangma-Tsumachu","Qomolangma-Tsuring","Qomolangma-Tsutong","TibetanSambhotaYigchung","TibetanTsugRing","TibetanYigchung"}དབྱར་རྩྭ་དགུན་འབུ་, Wylie: dbyar rtswa dgun 'bu, literally "summer grass, winter worm"), or dōng chóng xià cǎo (Chinese: 冬蟲夏草) or Yarsha-gumba or Yarcha-gumba, यार्सागुम्बा (in Nepali language) or Keeda Jadi, or ရှီးပတီး (in Burmese language). It...

Source: Wikipedia, via iNaturalist

Parts used

Fruiting Body / Mycelium · internal
🍵

Tea / Infusion

1–3 cups daily
  • Steep 1–2 tsp of dried Cordyceps in freshly boiled water for 5–10 minutes.
  • Cover while steeping.
  • Strain and drink.
💧

Tincture

20–40 drops in water, 2–3× daily
  • Pack dried Cordyceps into a jar and cover with 40–60% alcohol.
  • Seal and steep for 4–6 weeks, shaking daily.
  • Strain and store in a dark dropper bottle.
💊

Powder / Capsule

500 mg – 1 g, 1–3× daily
  • Grind dried Cordyceps into a fine powder.
  • Fill size 00 capsules or stir into smoothies or honey.
♨️

Steam Inhalation

1–2× daily during acute symptoms
  • Add 2–3 tbsp of Cordyceps to a bowl of just-boiled water.
  • Drape a towel over your head and inhale steam for 5–10 minutes.

Pregnancy, Breastfeeding & Children

Pregnancy

Insufficient Data

Very limited formal safety research exists for cordyceps in pregnancy — treat as unstudied and avoid without practitioner guidance.

Breastfeeding

Insufficient Data

Very limited formal safety research exists for cordyceps during breastfeeding.

Children

Use Caution

Not well studied in children; typically reserved for adult use.

Contraindications

  • Autoimmune conditions (lupus, MS, RA) — may overstimulate immune response

Warnings

⚠️ Allergic Reactions

Discontinue immediately if you experience rash, itching, swelling, or difficulty breathing.

⚠️ Not Medical Advice

This information is for educational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using herbal remedies.

Drug & herb interactions

Immunosuppressants

May stimulate immune activity.

Blood thinners

Possible additive antiplatelet effect.

Where to find in nature

Native region

China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan

Climate

Temperate to subtropical

Habitat

Mountain forests, river valleys, and cultivated herb farms throughout East Asia

🌿 To see Cordyceps growing, visit botanical gardens, university plant collections, or specialist herb nurseries near you. If foraging in the wild, always work with an expert identifier — never consume a plant you are not 100% certain of.

Where to buy

In store

  • Chinese herbal medicine shops and TCM clinics
  • Chinatown herbal stores and Asian supermarkets with herbal sections
  • Health food stores (Whole Foods, Natural Grocers, Holland & Barrett, GNC)
  • Naturopathic clinics and integrative medicine practices
  • Specialist herbal apothecaries and herbalist practices

Online

iHerb

Wide selection of standardised extracts, capsules, and powders with lab testing

Mountain Rose Herbs

Premium bulk dried herbs — certified organic, ethically sourced

Starwest Botanicals

Large selection of certified organic bulk herbs and powders

Herb Pharm

High-quality liquid extracts and tinctures, rigorous quality standards

Amazon

Convenient — verify brand certifications and check third-party testing

Etsy

Small-batch artisan herbalists, hand-harvested and wildcrafted herbs

Quality tips

When buying Cordyceps, look for: certified organic labelling, clearly stated country of origin, third-party lab testing for heavy metals and pesticides, and a batch expiry date. Standardised extracts offer consistent dosing; bulk dried herbs are more economical for regular use. Avoid very cheap, unlabelled products — quality varies enormously.