{
  "slug": "cordyceps",
  "name": "Cordyceps",
  "alternate_names": [
    "Cordyceps",
    "Cordyceps sinensis",
    "Ophiocordyceps sinensis",
    "Cordyceps militaris",
    "Cs-4 (CordyMax)",
    "Cordycepin (3'-deoxyadenosine)"
  ],
  "mechanism": [
    "Cordycepin acts as a 3'-deoxyadenosine adenosine-analog that perturbs poly(A) polymerase / mRNA processing and engages adenosine-receptor signaling (research model)",
    "AMPK activation with mTOR inhibition modulating energy metabolism, autophagy and cellular-senescence pathways (largely preclinical)",
    "NF-kB suppression dampening TNF-alpha / IL-6 pro-inflammatory signaling (anti-inflammatory research model)",
    "Cordyceps polysaccharide (beta-1,3-glucan) activation of NK cells / macrophages via TLR2 / TLR4 / Dectin-1 (innate-immunity research model)",
    "NRF2 / antioxidant-response (Phase II enzyme) induction and ROS scavenging (preclinical)"
  ],
  "target": [
    "Poly(A) polymerase / mRNA polyadenylation machinery",
    "Adenosine receptors",
    "AMPK / mTOR energy-sensing axis",
    "NF-kB inflammatory cascade",
    "NK-cell / macrophage innate-immune effectors (TLR2/TLR4/Dectin-1)",
    "NRF2 / oxidative-stress markers",
    "Renal function / proteinuria markers (disease-context SR populations)"
  ],
  "use_case": [
    "exercise performance / VO2max and metabolic-threshold markers in older adults (research-context; RCT results CONTRADICTORY — positive 2010 vs negative 2004)",
    "cell-mediated / innate immune-response markers in healthy adults (research-context)",
    "physical fatigue / exercise-recovery markers (research-context)",
    "renal-function markers as an ADJUNCT in chronic-kidney-disease / transplant / diabetic-kidney disease populations (research-context; SR-level but mostly small low-quality Chinese RCTs — NOT a wellness monotherapy claim)"
  ],
  "body_system": [
    "MITO",
    "IMMUNE",
    "MUSCULO",
    "RESP",
    "RENAL"
  ],
  "evidence_tier": "B",
  "evidence_anchor_pmid_count": 3,
  "dosage_range": "Cs-4 fermented mycelium 1-4 g/day in exercise/fatigue RCTs (renal-adjunct Chinese protocols used 3-6 g/day); C. militaris fruiting-body extract ~1-3 g/day in immune RCTs. DSLD US market: 48 products, median 1100 mg/day (range 125-2938 mg). Species/standardization matters greatly (C. militaris fruiting body is cordycepin-rich vs Cs-4 mycelium which is cordycepin-poor but RCT-backed). Educational reference, not a dosing instruction.",
  "safety_notes": "Generally well tolerated in clinical trials at typical doses (mild GI upset, dry mouth occasionally reported); no formal UL established. Mushroom/fungal-allergy contraindication. Immune-activation profile warrants caution in autoimmune disease and in organ-transplant / immunosuppressant patients. Wild Cordyceps sinensis carries a documented heavy-metal (arsenic) bioaccumulation risk — products should provide heavy-metal testing. Renal use is ADJUNCT to medical care, never a substitute. Species standardization (C. militaris vs Cs-4 mycelium vs wild C. sinensis) must be labeled. Not pregnancy/lactation safety-established.",
  "regulatory": {
    "fda": "Cordyceps sinensis and C. militaris extracts are legal dietary-supplement ingredients under DSHEA; structure/function claims only with the mandatory disclaimer; no FDA-authorized health/disease claim; FDA GRAS GRN = 0. DSLD lists 48 marketed products.",
    "efsa": "Marketable as a food supplement / traditional herbal product in some member states, but 0 EFSA-authorized health claims; both Art.13(1) applications were REJECTED — antioxidant (EFSA Journal 2010;8(10):1752) and exercise/endurance (EFSA Journal 2011;9(6):2247). Functional copy limited to ingredient-fact / mechanism description.",
    "anvisa": "No Cordyceps-specific authorization; fungal-extract supplement ingredients require case-by-case ANVISA assessment and Cordyceps is not on the approved functional-claim positive list."
  },
  "authorized_claims": [],
  "ingredient_hub_url": "https://asxan.ai/ingredients/cordyceps/",
  "related_goal_slugs": [
    "athletic-performance",
    "longevity-stack"
  ],
  "related_lifestyle_slugs": [
    "athletic-performance",
    "senior-60-plus"
  ],
  "last_evidence_review": "2026-06-13",
  "schema_version": "nc-public-v0.2",
  "api_version": "nc-public-v0.3",
  "_meta": {
    "last_evidence_review": "2026-06-13",
    "ip_axes_disclosed": {
      "public_axes": [
        "mechanism",
        "target",
        "use_case",
        "body_system",
        "evidence_tier",
        "dosage_range",
        "safety_notes",
        "regulatory",
        "authorized_claims"
      ],
      "ip_axes_not_exposed": [
        "proprietary_formula_ratios",
        "clinical_protocol_internals",
        "rnd_pipeline_compounds",
        "supplier_specific_grade_specifications",
        "unpublished_endpoint_data"
      ],
      "rationale": "asxan.ai surfaces the educational, evidence-tier-disclosed slice. Formula composition, clinical-protocol internals, and RnD pipeline data are intentionally outside this public surface."
    }
  }
}