Ultra Cordyceps
60 Capsules
Ingredients per capsule:
Cordyceps sinensis (mycelium) ..................... 750
mg
Supplying: 8% cordycepic acid (60mg), 0.27% adenosine (2
mg)
Excipients: none
Gelatin capsule
Suggested Use:
Four capsules daily with food.
Note: Cordyceps may exhibit
mild blood-thinning properties. Use with caution when taking
anti-coagulant (blood-thinning) medications. Use with caution
when taking MAO inhibitors.
Ingredients
Cordyceps sinensis
Ultra Cordyceps contains a
strain of pure cultivated Cordyceps sinensis recognized by the
Chinese government as very similar to wild Cordyceps sinensis.
Highly valued in China as a food and tonic herb, wild Cordyceps
is a black, blade-shaped fungus found mainly above 13,000 feet
in a mountainous region of China known as the Qinghai-Tibetan
Highlands. Also called "Chinese caterpillar fungus," wild
Cordyceps grows on, and derives nutrients from, several species
of caterpillars. Because wild Cordyceps is rare and difficult to
harvest, due to its harsh growing environment, efforts have been
made to cultivate Cordyceps mycelia for commercial application.
Ultra Cordyceps contains an award-winning strain of cultivated
Cordyceps mycelia standardized by HPLC for consistent potency.
It contains a minimum level of 8% cordycepic acid, a
polysaccharide considered to be the major active component.
Cordyceps naturally contains many other ingredients, including
proteins, peptides, polysaccharides, nucleic acids such as
adenosine, fatty acids, sterols, vitamins and
minerals.
Benefits
Boosts energy and stamina*
Improves
general vitality*
Supports sexual health*
Benefits the
heart*
Supports the lungs and improves respiratory
function*
Benefits the kidneys and liver*
Supports the immune
system*
Scavenges free radicals
(antioxidant)*
Cordyceps-History and Science
The
historical use of Cordyceps as an anti-aging herb in traditional
Chinese medicine (TCM) dates back to 1700 BCE. During China's
Chin Dynasty, one emperor is said to have paid an ounce of gold
for a three days supply of the precious fungus. Tibetan scholars
wrote detailed descriptions of Cordyceps in 15th and 18th
century texts. Cordyceps was introduced to Europe at a
scientific meeting in Paris in 1726, and first imported to Japan
in 1728.
The traditional use of Cordyceps includes improving
circulation, as well as health of the lungs, heart, kidneys and
liver. Cordyceps was also used to boost general vitality,
increase longevity and improve sexual health.1 Cordyceps is
known as a "kidney tonic" in traditional Chinese medicine. In
the terminology of TCM theory, "the kidneys" refer to a
functional organ system that stores vital energy and governs
reproduction/sexual ability. Cordyceps promotes both the "yin
and yang" aspect of the body, thus it has a very balancing,
normalizing effect on many facets of human
physiology.2
Commercial cultivation of Cordyceps sinensis
began in the early 1980s, making the herb readily available for
clinical research. More than 2000 patients have been enrolled in
clinical trials in China. The results of this research show that
cultivated Cordyceps has the same effects as wild Cordyceps on
energy, vitality and numerous other parameters of
health.
Pre-clinical Animal Studies: Higher biochemical
energy levels; more efficient use of oxygen
Animal experiments
suggest Cordyceps may increase the body's supply of ATP, which
is the primary form of biochemical energy used by cells to
produce metabolic energy. Mice given Cordyceps show substantial
increases in liver stores of ATP.3 Cordyceps increased survival
time of mice kept in a low oxygen environment, suggesting that
Cordyceps helps the body use oxygen more efficiently.4 Studies
are underway in China to determine if these findings explain the
energy enhancing, anti-fatigue effects of Cordyceps observed in
humans. Animal experiments indicate Cordyceps may improve blood
supply to the brain and heart by increasing arterial blood flow
to these organs.5
Human Clinical Trials
The various effects
of Cordyceps on humans have been seen in both open
(uncontrolled) and placebo-controlled human trials. Cordyceps
was given to a group of elderly persons experiencing fatigue and
other age-related complaints. Compared to subjects on placebo,
those taking Cordyceps reported better energy, greater tolerance
to cold, better memory and improved libido.6 Similar
improvements in energy, mental health and sexual function, along
with improvements in heart function, were seen in a long-term
study giving Cordyceps to patients with chronic heart failure.7
Further evidence that Cordyceps benefits the cardiovascular
system is shown in trials where the herb has improved heart
rhythm as seen on ECG.8
Clinical trials appear to validate
the traditional uses of Cordyceps as a beneficial herb for the
lungs, respiratory system, kidneys, liver and immune system. At
a dose of 3 grams per day, Cordyceps improved respiratory
function and lung health by as much as 92 % after 12 weeks.9 In
several trials, Cordyceps has improved various parameters of
kidney function such as increased creatinine clearance, reduced
BUN and decreased in urinary protein excretion.10 Cordyceps also
protects the kidneys from the toxic effects of potent
antibiotics, as seen in both human and animal studies.11
Cordyceps has successfully improved liver health, as measured by
liver function tests, in patients with hepatitis and liver
cirrhosis.12 Numerous in vitro and in vivo animal studies have
shown that Cordyceps influences various aspects of immune
function, including phagocytosis, natural killer cells,
interleukin-2 and T lymphocytes. Positive changes in T cells
have been observed in human trials, as well.13
Antioxidant
effects
Extracts of Cordyceps exhibit strong free radical
scavenging properties. Cordyceps has increased red blood cell
SOD activity in humans, while at the same time reducing blood
levels of MDA (monodialdehyde), a free radical by-product.14
Cordyceps shows an ability to inhibit both oxidation of LDL by
free radicals and the accumulation of oxidized LDL in
macrophages.15 Cordyceps has also decreased cholesterol
deposition in the aortas of atherosclerotic
mice.16
Safety
Cordyceps has been regarded as a very safe
herb throughout its traditional history, and is considered
completely safe for clinical use today. Experiments on animals
have not found a lethal dose, even when Cordyceps is given in
extremely high amounts (10 to 80 grams per kilogram of body
weight), nor does Cordyceps have any teratogenic or mutagenic
effects.17 Instances of mild stomach discomfort have been
reported in clinical trials.18
Scientific References
1 Zhu,
J., Halpern, G., Jones, K. The scientific rediscovery of an
ancient Chinese herbal medicine: Cordyceps sinensis Part I. The
Journal of Alternative and Complimentary Medicine
1998;4(3):289-303.
2 Bensky, D., Gamble, A. Chinese Herbal
Medicine, Materia Medica. Seattle: Eastland Press;
1986:486-7.
3 Manabe, N. et.al. Effects of the mycelial
extract of cultured Cordyceps sinensis on in vivo hepatic energy
metabolism in the mouse. Jap J Pharmacol 1996;70(1):85-88.
4
Lou, Y, Liao, X., Lu, Y. Cardiovascular pharmacological studies
of ethanol extracts of Cordyceps mycelia and Cordyceps
fermentation solution. Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs
1986;17(5):17-21, 209-13.
5 Feng, M., et. al. Vascular
dilation by fermented mycelia of Cordyceps sinensis in
anesthetized dogs. J Chinese Materia Medica
1987;12(12):745-49.
6 Cao, Z., Wen, Y. Therapeutic effect
analysis of JinShuiBao capsule in treatment of 33 elderly
senescent XuZheng patients. J Applied Traditional Chinese Med
1993;1:32-33.
7 Chen, G. Effects of JingShuiBao capsule on
quality of life of patients with chronic heart failure. J
Administration Traditional Chinese Medicine
1995;5(suppl):40-43.
8 Tang, L. Jiang, X. Clinical
observation of fermented Cordyceps (JinShui Bao capsule) in
treating 38 elderly patients with intractable arhythmia.
Practical J Integrating Chinese with Western Medicine
1994;7(B8-9):532.
9 Han, S. Experiences in treating patients
of chronic bronchitis and pulmonary diseases with Cs-4 capsule
(JinShuiBao). J Administration Traditional Chinese Medicine
1995;5(suppl):33-34.
10 Jiang, J., Gao, Y. Summary of
treatment of 37 chronic renal dysfunction patients with
JinShuiBao. J Administration Traditional Chinese Medicine
1995;5(suppl):23-24.
11 Bi, J., Ma, S., Liu, X. Therapeutic
effects of JinShuiBao capsule on gentamycin nephrotoxic damage.
J Applied Med 1994;10(5):466-467.
12 Yang, Y. et. al.
Short-term observation of treating chronic hepatitis B and
post-hepatitis cirrhosis with XinGanBao. Res. Chinese Materia
Medica 1994;1:19-20.
13 Zhu, J., Halpern, G., Jones, K. The
scientific rediscovery of a precious ancient Chinese herbal
regimen: Cordyceps sinensis Part II. The Journal of Alternative
and Complimentary Medicine 1998;4(4):429-457.
14 Zhang, et.
al. Clinical and laboratory studies of JinShuiBao in scavenging
oxygen free radicals in elderly senescent XuZheng patients. J
Administration Traditional Chinese Medicine
1995;5(suppl):14-18.
15 Yamaguchi, Y. et. al. Antioxidant
activity of the extracts from fruiting bodies of cultured
Cordyceps sinensis. Phytotherapy Res 2000;14(8):647-49.
16
Yamaguchi, Y. et. al. Inhibitory effects of water extracts from
fruiting bodies of cultured Cordyceps sinensis on raised lipid
peroxide levels and aortic cholesterol deposition in
atherosclerotic mice. Phytotherapy Res 2000;14(8):650-52.
17
Zhu, J., Halpern, G., Jones, K. The scientific rediscovery of a
precious ancient Chinese herbal regimen: Cordyceps sinensis Part
II. The Journal of Alternative and Complimentary Medicine
1998;4(4):429-457.
18 Zhu, J., Halpern, G., Jones, K. The
scientific rediscovery of a precious ancient Chinese herbal
regimen: Cordyceps sinensis Part II. The Journal of Alternative
and Complimentary Medicine 1998;4(4):429-457.
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