If you’ve watched the hit show The Last of Us, you probably know about the “zombie fungus” cordyceps and would prefer to avoid it like the plague. Cordyceps is actually a highly coveted ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine. But what is it? And could this “zombie fungus” actually be useful in treating certain medical conditions?
Cordyceps is a fungus parasite that typically lives on caterpillars and other insects in the mountains of China (Natural Medicines, 2023b). To grow, cordyceps attach to a host, often a caterpillar, and the fungus root structure (mycelia) eventually spread throughout the host’s body, until the fungus has taken over the host’s tissue completely, thus killing the host (Natural Medicines, 2023a). The Last of Us portrays cordyceps as prevalent in the wild, but it’s actually pretty hard to find. So difficult to find in the wild, that the cordyceps that end up in commercial products (including dietary supplements with purported “anti-aging” benefits) are grown and fermented in a lab (Natural Medicines, 2023a).
While Cordyceps does “induce zombielike symptoms in insects” (Hume, 2023), it might help improve immunity and have positive effects on cancer and tumor size (Natural Medicines, 2023a). There is currently a lack of large, randomized controlled clinical trials on the use of cordyceps, which makes it difficult to make definitive statements about its efficacy (Lexicomp, 2020). However, it has been used in doses of 3-6 grams daily for up to one year with apparent safety (Natural Medicines, 2023b).
Cordyceps had traditionally been used to “improve weakness, impotence, and fatigue associated with aging” in elderly populations (Lexicomp, 2020). It has also been shown to produce modest improvements in biomarkers in some patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), as well as modestly improve COPD symptoms (Natural Medicines, 2023b). However, it’s important to note that the studies that produced these results were small clinical studies and that further research is needed. Cordyceps has also historically been used to treat heart disease, showing improvement in cardiac function, arrhythmias, and overall quality of life (Lexicomp, 2020). Again, it’s important to note that these results have not yet been confirmed by large, high-quality clinical trials (Lexicomp, 2020).
While cordyceps is enjoying a resurgence in popularity and is being discussed more widely thanks to the popularity of The Last of Us, more research is needed to determine if it has safe and effective medicinal uses, and there has yet to be any sound scientific evidence that supports it use (Natural Medicines, 2023a). However, perhaps its recent popularity will result in further research on cordyceps and its potential uses.
References:
Hume, M. (2023, January 15). ‘The Last of Us’ zombie fungus is real, and it’s found in health supplements. The Washington Post, https://www.washingtonpost.com/video-games/2023/01/15/last-of-us-hbo-cordyceps/
Lexicomp. (August 14, 2020). Cordyceps (Natural Products Database). Lexicomp. Retrieved from https://online.lexi.com/lco/action/home/
Natural Medicines. (March 2023a). What is cordyceps? Natural Medicines. Retrieved from https://naturalmedicines.therapeuticresearch.com/
Natural Medicines. (March 30, 2023b). Cordyceps. Natural Medicines. Retrieved from https://naturalmedicines.therapeuticresearch.com/
