Cordyceps for Women: Benefits, Militaris, Over 50 and Side Effects

Cordyceps is a functional mushroom that suits women looking for steady daily energy, exercise support and immune support. In an 8-week trial that enrolled 20 women and 20 men aged 25 to 60, women who drank a Cordyceps militaris beverage each morning had higher natural killer cell activity than women on placebo. In healthy adults aged 50 to 75, about 1 g of a cordyceps strain a day for 12 weeks went with better exercise threshold scores.

Key Takeaways

• In a trial split evenly by sex, women taking a Cordyceps militaris drink for 8 weeks had a larger rise in natural killer cell activity, a measure of immune cell function, than women on placebo (Ontawong et al., 2024).
• In healthy adults aged 50 to 75, a cordyceps strain called Cs-4 taken at 333 mg three times a day for 12 weeks raised two exercise threshold markers on a cycling test (Chen et al., 2010).
• A mushroom blend with Cordyceps militaris taken at 4 g a day for 3 weeks improved maximal oxygen uptake in young adults (Hirsch et al., 2017).
• Most people tolerate cordyceps well; in the 8-week trial no one dropped out because of side effects and routine safety blood tests stayed in the usual range.
• Studies in women measured energy, exercise and immune markers, not hormones.

What Is Cordyceps?

Cordyceps is a group of fungi used in traditional Asian practice. Two kinds show up in human research. Older trials used Cs-4, a strain of Cordyceps sinensis. Newer trials, including five intervention studies published from 2017 to 2024, used Cordyceps militaris (Jędrejko et al., 2026). Its natural compounds include cordycepin, adenosine, galactomannan and sterols (Ontawong et al., 2024). Our guide to Cordyceps militaris covers the mushroom in general; this guide looks at what the research means for women.

What Studies Including Women Measured

Trial	Who took part	Amount and length	What was measured
Ontawong, 2024	40 healthy adults aged 25 to 60: 20 women, 20 men	75 mL Cordyceps militaris drink after breakfast (2.85 mg cordycepin), 8 weeks	Immune cell activity, safety blood tests
Chen, 2010	20 healthy adults aged 50 to 75	Cs-4, 333 mg three times a day, 12 weeks	Exercise thresholds on a cycling test
Hirsch, 2017	28 young adults, average age about 23	4 g a day of a blend with Cordyceps militaris, 1 to 3 weeks	Oxygen uptake, time to exhaustion

These are small trials with different products, so read them as early, encouraging results. The first one is the most useful for women because it reported results for women and men separately.

Cordyceps Benefits for Women

Immune support

In a randomized trial, 40 healthy adults aged 25 to 60 were split into four groups of 10: women and men each got either a fermented Cordyceps militaris drink or a placebo drink, 75 mL once a day after breakfast for 8 weeks. Each serving held 2.85 mg of cordycepin. In women, natural killer cell activity, a measure of how actively a type of immune cell works, rose by week 8, and the change was larger than in the women on placebo. In men, it rose from baseline by week 4 (Ontawong et al., 2024). For more on daily immune habits, see our immune system guide.

Energy and exercise

Cordyceps is best known as an energy mushroom, and the exercise trials explain why. In a young adult trial, people took 4 g a day of a mushroom blend containing Cordyceps militaris or a placebo. After 1 week there was no clear change in maximal oxygen uptake, but in the 10 volunteers who continued for 3 weeks, the cordyceps group's maximal oxygen uptake rose by 4.8 ml per kg per minute, against 0.9 with placebo, and time to exhaustion also improved (Hirsch et al., 2017). The authors suggested the bigger benefit comes from consistent use. Our guide to cordyceps for athletes goes deeper on training.

Many women also want energy without more coffee. Cordyceps works differently from a cup of coffee, and our guide to cordyceps vs caffeine compares the two. If you are also considering ashwagandha, our guide to cordyceps vs ashwagandha compares the two for energy, exercise and stress.

Cordyceps for women over 50

Staying active gets more important with each decade. In a double-blind pilot trial, 20 healthy adults aged 50 to 75 took Cs-4 at 333 mg three times a day, about 1 g in total, or a placebo for 12 weeks. On a cycling test, the Cs-4 group's metabolic threshold rose from 0.83 to 0.93 liters of oxygen per minute and their ventilatory threshold from 1.25 to 1.36, while the placebo group saw no significant change (Chen et al., 2010). These thresholds are markers used to track aerobic exercise capacity. If you are going through menopause and take medication, check with your clinician before adding cordyceps.

Cordyceps Militaris for Women

Searches for cordyceps militaris for women usually ask whether this species is a good choice. The most useful trial for women, the 8-week immune study, used Cordyceps militaris, and so did the 3-week exercise blend. When you compare products, look at the species, whether it is a fruiting body or mycelium, and the amount per serving. Our guide to choosing a cordyceps supplement walks through the label.

Cordyceps Side Effects for Women

Most people tolerate cordyceps well. In the 8-week trial with 20 women, no one dropped out because of side effects, and liver, kidney and blood safety tests stayed within the usual range (Ontawong et al., 2024).

The trials in women measured immune markers, exercise and routine safety tests rather than hormones, so we do not make hormone claims for cordyceps. Skip it if you are allergic to mushrooms. Talk with your clinician first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding or take prescription medicine.

How to Take Cordyceps

The trials above used about 1 g a day of Cs-4, a cordyceps drink with 2.85 mg of cordycepin, or 4 g a day of a cordyceps blend, taken daily for 1 to 12 weeks. Morning or early in the day is the natural time if energy is your goal; the women in the immune trial took their drink after breakfast. Benefits build with consistent daily use: months 1 to 2 can bring early changes, and 3 months and beyond is where the full benefit builds.

Where Our Mushroom Cacao and Forage Fit

Our Mushroom Cacao is a mushroom hot chocolate made with cocoa, cacao and a high polyphenol, high theobromine cocoa extract, plus 500 mg each of cordyceps and lion's mane 8:1 fruiting body extracts per serving. Stir one rounded teaspoon (5 g) into 6 to 8 oz of hot water or milk. Each serving has 15 calories and 0 g sugar, sweetened with stevia, and the jar holds 28 servings. Cocoa and cacao naturally contain a small amount of caffeine, so it is not caffeine free; its lift comes mainly from theobromine, so morning or early afternoon suits it best.

Prefer capsules? Our Forage gives 200 mg of cordyceps per 2 capsules alongside lion's mane, reishi, chaga, maitake, turkey tail and shiitake, plus Himalayan shilajit extract 100 mg and ashwagandha root extract 100 mg. Take 2 capsules daily in the morning, with or without food. Both are made with third-party tested ingredients. Learn more on our cordyceps ingredient page, in our non-stimulant energy guide and in our guide to mushroom hot chocolate.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the benefits of cordyceps for women?

Trials that included women measured energy, exercise capacity and immune markers. In an 8-week trial, women taking a Cordyceps militaris drink had higher natural killer cell activity than women on placebo.

Is cordyceps good for women?

Yes, for most women it is a good fit for daily energy and immune support. In the 8-week trial with 20 women, no one dropped out because of side effects, and safety blood tests stayed in the usual range.

Is Cordyceps militaris good for women?

The trial that reported results in women separately used Cordyceps militaris, and women in that trial saw a rise in immune cell activity over 8 weeks.

What are the side effects of cordyceps for women?

Most people tolerate it well. Skip it if you are allergic to mushrooms, and check with your clinician first if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or take prescription medicine.

Does cordyceps affect female hormones?

The trials in women measured immune markers and exercise, not hormones, so we do not make hormone claims for cordyceps.

Is cordyceps good for women over 50?

It suits many women over 50. A 12-week trial in healthy adults aged 50 to 75 found better exercise threshold scores with a cordyceps strain taken three times a day.

How much cordyceps should a woman take?

Trials used about 1 g a day of Cs-4 or 4 g a day of a cordyceps blend. Follow the directions on your product; our Mushroom Cacao gives 500 mg of cordyceps extract per serving.

When should women take cordyceps?

Morning or early in the day suits most people, since energy is the usual goal. Take it daily and give it at least 3 months.

Sources

• Ontawong A, Pengnet S, Thim-Uam A, et al. A randomized controlled clinical trial examining the effects of Cordyceps militaris beverage on the immune response in healthy adults. Scientific Reports, 2024. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38580687/
• Chen S, Li Z, Krochmal R, Abrazado M, Kim W, Cooper CB. Effect of Cs-4 (Cordyceps sinensis) on exercise performance in healthy older subjects: a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2010. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20804368/
• Hirsch KR, Smith-Ryan AE, Roelofs EJ, Trexler ET, Mock MG. Cordyceps militaris improves tolerance to high-intensity exercise after acute and chronic supplementation. Journal of Dietary Supplements, 2017. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27408987/
• Jędrejko M, Jędrejko K, Granda D, et al. Current evidence of ergogenic and post-exercise recovery effects of dietary supplementation with Cordyceps militaris in humans: a narrative review. Nutrients, 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41829950/

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This content is for education and is not medical advice. Our products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Talk with a healthcare provider before starting a new supplement if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or taking medication.