Effect of Cs-4^® (Cordyceps sinensis) on Exercise Performance in Healthy Older Subjects: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to examine the effect of Cs-4 Ò (Cordyceps sinensis) on exercise performance in healthy elderly subjects. Design: Twenty (20) healthy elderly (age 50-75 years) subjects were enrolled in this double-blind, placebocontrolled, prospective trial. The subjects were taking either Cs-4 333 mg or placebo capsules 3 times a day for 12 weeks. Measurement: Subjects received baseline screening including physical examination and laboratory tests. Maximal incremental exercise testing was performed on a stationary cycle ergometer using breath-by-breath analysis at baseline and at the completion of the study. Results: After receiving Cs-4 for 12 weeks, the metabolic threshold (above which lactate accumulates) increased by 10.5% from 0.83 AE 0.06 to 0.93 AE 0.08 L=min ( p < 0.02) and the ventilatory threshold (above which unbuffered H þ stimulates ventilation) increased by 8.5% from 1.25 AE 0.11 to 1.36 AE 0.15 L=min. Significant changes in metabolic or ventilatory threshold were not seen for the subjects in the placebo group after 12 weeks, and there were no changes in _ v vo 2 max in either group. Conclusion: This pilot study suggests that supplementation with Cs-4 (Cordyceps sinensis) improves exercise performance and might contribute to wellness in healthy older subjects.

Cordyceps sinensis promotes exercise endurance capacity of rats by activating skeletal muscle metabolic regulators

“…3). The supplementation of both CS powder and Cs-4 along with exercise increases the metabolic threshold (above which lactate accumulates) of young and elderly human volunteers (Yi et al, 2004;Nagata et al, 2006;Chen et al, 2010). Our current findings along with these previous reports tend us to speculate that the enhanced expression of endurance training responsive MCT1 might be responsible for such observed effect.…”

“…These include improvements in metabolic and ventilatory threshold, anti-fatigue and anti-stress parameters (Xiao et al, 1999;Nagata et al, 2002Nagata et al, , 2006Koh et al, 2003;Zhu and Rippe, 2004;Li and Li, 2009;Chen et al, 2010). However, the studies with whole mycelia and mycelia products widely vary in dose (up to 50 g per day) and the duration (2-12 weeks) of supplementation (Holliday and Cleaver, 2008).…”

“…Similarly, supplementation of cultured CS powder to healthy young volunteers (0.5 g/day for 2 weeks) during exhaustive running have resulted in significant augmentation of energy generation and antifatigue ability as compared to placebo controls (Nagata et al, 2002(Nagata et al, , 2006. In double-blind, placebo-controlled studies, supplementation of fermented product of CS (Cs-4) for 6 weeks (3 g/day; Yi et al, 2004) and 12 weeks (333 mg, 3 times a day; Chen et al, 2010) to elderly healthy volunteers have significantly improved the ventilatory threshold and resistance to fatigue over the placebo group. In animal models, oral supplementation of hot water fraction of CS mycelia (150 mg/kg/day, 8 days; Koh et al, 2003) and polysaccharides (200 mg/kg/day, 21 days; Li and Li, 2009) increased exhaustion time, decreased fatigue and stress in mouse swim test.…”

Medicinal Value of Cordyceps sinensis

“…Some outstanding performances among the athletes and sports man were reported confessing their credits of performance to the use of CS [3]. 20 elderly persons at the age between 50-75 were randomly selected and a small pilot study was conducted in University of California, Los Angeles(UCLA) [13], their evaluation consisted of the measurement of metabolic threshold based on the accumulation of lactate which indicate improved aerobic activity in the particular subject and the other parameter was ventilatory threshold, increase in this factor down regulates the accumulation of lactate and further facilitates buffering of accumulated lactic acid. In the experiment, after 12 weeks of treatment with CS, metabolic threshold and ventilatory threshold were observed to be increased by 10.5% and 8.5% respectively, ultimately leading to decrease in muscle fatigue and improved strength and exercise load.…”

“…2 degeneration in mice treated with CSE compared to control group mice, suggesting the enhancement of brain function by CSE [12,13]. [14][15][16].…”