Cordyceps Militaris in Breathizen: Benefits, Dosage and Safety
Quick answerOrganic Cordyceps militaris fruit extract is the fifth ingredient named for Breathizen; the amount per 0.60 mL serving is not published. Exercise studies used about 1 to 4 g a day with mixed results, and one used a different species. Cordyceps may lower blood sugar and raise bleeding risk with blood thinners.
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Where does cordyceps sit in Breathizen?
05 of 5- Where it is named
- 5 of 5 on the sales page list
- Amount per daily serving
- Amount not published
- Doses used in studies
- About 1-4 g a day in exercise studies (Hirsch et al., 2017)
- Share of the studied dose
- Cannot compare
- Also called
- Cordyceps militaris (fruiting body)
Organic Cordyceps militaris fruit extract is the fifth and last ingredient named on the Breathizen sales page. Its amount is not published.
Cordyceps is the ingredient with the most human exercise research in this formula. It also has the most important safety cautions. The ingredients overview shows how it fits with the other four.
What is Cordyceps militaris?
Cordyceps militaris is a bright orange mushroom. In nature it grows on insects, but the mushroom sold in supplements is cultivated. The part used in this spray is the fruiting body, the part that grows above ground.
Cordyceps is a group of related fungi. The two names you will see most on labels are C. militaris and C. sinensis.
- 5thNamed on the sales page
- 1-4 gDaily amounts in exercise studies
- 12Weeks in the longest study cited
Cordyceps militaris vs sinensis: what is the difference?
They are different species. Research on one is not proof for the other, even though both are sold as cordyceps.
Wild C. sinensis is scarce and costly, so many sinensis products are made in a lab from a fungal strain. C. militaris is easier to grow, which is one reason it shows up in so many products.
| Feature | C. militaris | C. sinensis |
|---|---|---|
| Species | Cordyceps militaris | Cordyceps sinensis |
| Common source in products | Cultivated mushroom | Wild form is scarce; lab-made products such as Cs-4 are common |
| In Breathizen? | Yes, organic fruit extract, amount not published | No |
| Exercise study in our sources | Blend with C. militaris, 4 g a day, 3 weeks | Cs-4 product, about 1 g a day, 12 weeks |
| Who was studied | Young healthy adults | Healthy adults aged 50 to 75 |
| Source | (Hirsch et al., 2017) | (Chen et al., 2010) |
How was cordyceps used traditionally?
Cordyceps has a long history in traditional Chinese and Tibetan medicine. It was prized as a tonic for energy and stamina.
That reputation for stamina is why modern researchers tested it during exercise. Tradition points to a question. The trials are where the answer starts.
What do Cordyceps militaris exercise studies show?
The results are mixed. Memorial Sloan Kettering's summary says exercise studies in healthy people gave mixed results (MSKCC, Cordyceps).
In a 2017 study, young healthy adults took 4 g a day of a mushroom blend that included C. militaris. Some exercise measures improved after 3 weeks, but not after 1 week (Hirsch et al., 2017). Because it was a blend, the effect cannot be pinned on cordyceps alone.
In a 2010 trial, 20 adults aged 50 to 75 took about 1 g a day of a C. sinensis product called Cs-4 for 12 weeks. Some breathing-threshold measures during exercise improved (Chen et al., 2010). That was a different species, and the people did not have lung disease.
- Week 1
In the 4 g a day blend study, exercise measures had not yet changed.
- Week 3
In the same study, some high-intensity exercise measures improved.
- Week 12
In the older-adult Cs-4 study, at about 1 g a day, some breathing-threshold measures improved.
- Breathizen
No trial of the spray has been published, and its cordyceps amount is not public.
Cordyceps militaris dosage: how much is enough?
No official dose exists. The exercise studies we cite used about 1 to 4 g a day, taken as powders or capsules.
The full Breathizen serving is 4 pumps, or 0.60 mL of liquid. That small volume holds five extracts and the base. The cordyceps amount is not published, and no Supplement Facts panel was supplied to us (21 CFR 101.36).
Do not add extra pumps to try to match a study dose. Follow the bottle, and see the how it works page for the routine.
Cordyceps safety: blood sugar, bleeding and cancer cautions
Cordyceps carries more interaction cautions than any other ingredient in this spray. Memorial Sloan Kettering lists these (MSKCC, Cordyceps).
- 01
Blood sugar
Cordyceps may lower blood sugar. With diabetes medicine, that could push levels too low.
- 02
Bleeding
It may raise bleeding risk with warfarin and other blood thinners. Plan ahead before any surgery or dental work.
- 03
Myelogenous cancers
Memorial Sloan Kettering advises people with myelogenous cancers, such as some leukemias, to avoid cordyceps. Results from lab and human studies are mixed.
- 04
Mushroom allergy
Cordyceps is a fungus. Anyone allergic to mushrooms should ask a doctor first.
Medicines and emergencies
Keep using your inhaler and medicines exactly as prescribed. For sudden or severe shortness of breath, chest pain or bluish lips, call 911 (MedlinePlus, Breathing difficulty).
Who should ask a doctor before using cordyceps?
Ask first if any of these apply
- People who take warfarin or any other blood thinner.
- Anyone on insulin or other diabetes medicine.
- People with a blood cancer or any cancer under treatment.
- Anyone scheduled for surgery.
- Pregnant or nursing women, and anyone with a mushroom allergy.
- People with asthma, COPD or another lung condition.
Cordyceps capsules, coffee, drops or spray: how do they compare?
Cordyceps comes in many forms. The key questions are which species, which part of the mushroom and how much per serving.
| Form | What it is | Amount per serving | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capsules or powder | Fruiting body or mycelium extract | Printed per serving | Can reach the 1 to 4 g used in studies |
| Mushroom coffee or tea | Cordyceps mixed into a drink | Often small or blended | Mostly a taste and habit product |
| Liquid drops or tincture | Extract in liquid | Printed per dropper on single-herb labels | Concentrated; check the species named |
| Breathizen oral spray | Organic C. militaris fruit extract with four other ingredients | Not published | 0.60 mL serving holds all five extracts |
Honest note about cordyceps in Breathizen
To be direct: the studies used gram amounts, one used a different species, and the amount in Breathizen is not published. There is also no published trial of the spray itself.
The routine itself is easy to keep. Four pumps each morning, no capsules to count, and a 60-day window from purchase. Read the side effects guide before you start if you take any medicine.
Which ingredients come before cordyceps?
Mullein leaf is named first, then ginger root. Bromelain and organic lemon extract come third and fourth, with cordyceps closing the list.
Cordyceps militaris FAQ: questions people ask
What are the benefits of Cordyceps militaris?
The main human research is on exercise, and the results are mixed. A blend with C. militaris at 4 g a day improved some exercise measures after 3 weeks in young adults, but not after 1 week.
What is the Cordyceps militaris dosage in studies?
The exercise studies we cite used about 1 to 4 g a day. The 4 g study used a mushroom blend, and the 1 g study used a different species.
What is the difference between Cordyceps militaris and sinensis?
They are two different species of the same mushroom group. Studies on one do not automatically apply to the other, so check which species a product and a study used.
Does cordyceps help breathing?
Not proven. A study in older adults using a Cordyceps sinensis product found some breathing-threshold measures improved during exercise, but that was a different species and a lab-made product.
Is Cordyceps militaris safe?
It may be fine for many adults, but it has real cautions. It may lower blood sugar and may raise bleeding risk with blood thinners such as warfarin.
Can I take cordyceps with diabetes medicine?
Ask your doctor first. Cordyceps may lower blood sugar, which could add to the effect of diabetes medicine.
Can I take cordyceps with warfarin or other blood thinners?
Ask your doctor first. Memorial Sloan Kettering warns that cordyceps may raise bleeding risk with blood thinners such as warfarin.
Should people with cancer take cordyceps?
Talk to your cancer team first. Memorial Sloan Kettering advises caution with myelogenous cancers, such as some leukemias, and lab and human results on cordyceps are mixed.
How much cordyceps is in Breathizen?
The amount is not published. The whole daily serving is 0.60 mL of liquid shared by five ingredients.
What is a cordyceps fruit extract?
It is an extract of the fruiting body, the part of the mushroom that grows above ground. Some other products use mycelium, the root-like part, instead.
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