Acute Cordyceps militaris supplementation and elevated resting oxygen uptake with faster reaction times: A randomized...

Cordyceps militaris (CM) demonstrates neuroprotective properties in chronic preclinical models, but its acute effects on cognitive and physiological parameters during exhaustive exercise remain uncharacterized in humans.

In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial with a 7-day washout, 12 recreationally active young men (mean age 21.6 ± 2.9 years, VO₂max: 38.6 ± 5.5 mL·kg ⁻ ¹·min ⁻ ¹) ingested 1 g of standardized CM extract or a cornstarch placebo 30 minutes before a maximal cycling test to exhaustion. Cognitive performance (Stroop reaction time and accuracy) and physiological measures (oxygen uptake, blood glucose, blood pressure, and heart rate) were assessed pre-exercise and 3 minutes' post-exercise.

Stroop reaction time exhibited a significant main effect of Condition (F(1,11) = 5.45, p = 0.040) and Time (F(1,11) = 16.37, p = 0.002), with faster responses overall in the CM condition. Both conditions improved from pre- to post-exercise (placebo: -148.92 ms; CM: -104.67 ms). The Condition × Time interaction was non-significant (F(1,11) = 1.01, p = 0.337). No between-group difference was observed at pre-exercise (p = 0.167), but CM produced faster reaction times at post-exercise (963.92 ± 84.99 ms vs. 1034.33 ± 84.16 ms; p = 0.042, d = 0.88). Accuracy remained near-ceiling (>99%) with no condition differences. CM elevated resting VO₂ (0.37 vs. 0.24 L/min; p = 0.022) without altering peak exercise VO₂ (p = 0.490). No significant Condition effects or interactions were observed for blood glucose, blood pressure, or heart rate (all p > 0.05).

Acute CM supplementation improved post-exercise reaction time and elevated resting oxygen uptake, but did not alter the magnitude of exercise-induced changes in cognitive or physiological parameters. This suggests CM exerts an acute cognitive benefit independent of exercise modulation.