The concomitant effects of cordyceps sinensis supplementation on physiological performance indices during cycling in males

Cordyceps sinensis (Cs) is a well-known herb used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat a multitude of ailments as well as to enhance performance. The purpose of this research was to examine the effects of Cs supplementation on the potential relationships between maximum oxygen consumption (VO _2max), muscle tissue oxygen saturation (StO₂), and oxygen (O₂) kinetics in male participants during maximal exercise. This study followed a double blind, randomized, treatment-control, pretest-posttest design. Capsules were administered to eight (8) participants who were randomly assigned to one of two groups. The treatment group received Cs and the control group received a placebo. Both tests were performed on a cycle load ergometer. VO_2max, time to exhaustion (T_E), blood lactate (La), and StO₂ were measured as dependant variables. There were no significant (p ≤ 0.05) differences in performance between the treatment or control group. Cs does not enhance the tested performance indices in males.