2024 – Improved Oxygen Saturation and Performance of Athletes using Cordyceps militaris

Authors: Shaik Muzammil Pasha, Anju Nitin Rajan, Laxmikanth Rathod, Shaik Musfera, Chand Pasha

Journal: Asian Journal of Biological Sciences

Study Design: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Participants: 48 young, non-obese athletes (24 males, 24 females) aged 16-35 years

Intervention: The participants were divided into four groups and received the following interventions for 3 weeks:

• Group 1 (Placebo Control): 150 mL black tea
• Group 2 (Cordyceps militaris): 150 mL black tea with 1g active live (fresh, non-dried) Cordyceps militaris mushroom infusion
• Group 3 (Whey Protein Control): 150 mL black tea with 10g whey protein
• Group 4 (Dried Cordyceps militaris): 150 mL black tea with 1g dried Cordyceps militaris infusion

Outcome Measures:

• Oxygen saturation (SpO2)
• Fatigue time (treadmill and track running)
• Hematological parameters (RBC count, RBC size, hemoglobin, hematocrit, lactate, clotting time, blotting time)

Summary: The study aimed to evaluate the impact of Cordyceps militaris on athletic performance by measuring oxygen saturation, fatigue time, and hematological parameters. The findings revealed that Cordyceps militaris supplementation led to a significant increase in oxygen saturation (SpO2) and a reduction in fatigue time, allowing athletes to perform better in both treadmill tests and 5km/200m runs. The study also highlighted the role of increased red blood cell (RBC) size in enhancing oxygen-carrying capacity and oxygen flow, contributing to the observed performance improvements. The study also revealed that only fresh Cordyceps was effective compared to controls using the dried Coryceps.