Herb & supplement monograph

Cordyceps Drug Interactions, Uses, Effectiveness, Safety & More

Medically reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS ·Updated July 2026

What is this page for?

First and foremost: how Cordyceps interacts with medications. The heart of this page is the interaction list — every drug Cordyceps is known to interact with, and how serious each one is.

But these pages have grown well beyond that into a full monograph — what Cordyceps is, what people use it for and how strong the evidence is, its safety and side effects, and answers to the questions we’re asked most — written and reviewed by the clinical staff at HelloPharmacist. It’s educational information from our licensed clinical databases, not medical advice, and we don’t sell or endorse products. Our editorial policy

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On this page

Interaction report

Drugs that interact with Cordyceps

249 medications have a known interaction with Cordyceps, graded by severity. Select any drug for the full evidence-based detail.

Don’t want to scroll the list? Just ask.

Tell us the medications you take and we’ll check each one against Cordyceps using our pharmacist-reviewed interaction data.

AI summaries are generated from our Cordyceps interaction data for education only — always confirm with your pharmacist. How we use AI

2,830 drugs

Read The List Like a Pharmacist

What Severity, Likelihood & Evidence Mean

Severity — How Serious It Can Be

Major. Clinically significant; generally best avoided, or used only under direct professional supervision.
Moderate. May need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one.
Minor. Generally not clinically significant, but still worth noting and mentioning to your pharmacist.
No known interaction. Checked against our sources with nothing documented — not the same as proven safety.

Likelihood — How Well It’s Documented

Likely. Well-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction
Probable. Interaction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
Possible. Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists
Unlikely. Interaction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.

Where This Data Comes From

Interaction records are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database (TRC Healthcare), the same reference used by pharmacists and hospitals.
Each drug listed above links to the full report for that exact Cordyceps combination — clinical detail, likelihood, evidence level, and citations.
Content is reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

The big picture

The kinds of drugs Cordyceps affects

Every type of medication (drug category) Cordyceps is known to interact with. Open any category for the detail — or search your exact drug in the checker above.

All 3 drug categories Cordyceps interacts with

Anticoagulant/antiplatelet DrugsImmunosuppressantsTestosterone

Anticoagulant/Antiplatelet Drugs

Theoretically, cordyceps may increase the risk of bleeding when used with antiplatelet or anticoagulant drugs.
In vitro and animal research suggests that cordyceps extract inhibits platelet aggregation and function. However, this interaction has not been reported in humans.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Immunosuppressants

Theoretically, concurrent use of cordyceps might interfere with immunosuppressive therapy.
Animal and in vitro research suggests that cordyceps stimulates the immune system. However, limited clinical research suggests that taking cordyceps may lower the necessary therapeutic dose of the immunosuppressant cyclosporine, which suggests that cordyceps may have an immunosuppressive effect.

Likelihood Possible Evidence B

Testosterone

Theoretically, concurrent use of cordyceps and testosterone might have additive effects.
Animal research suggests that cordyceps can increase testosterone levels. The clinical significance of this finding is unclear.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Monograph

Cordyceps: Uses, Safety & Side Effects

Medically reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS · Reviewed July 2026 ·

The bottom line

Cordyceps is a fungus used in traditional Chinese medicine for energy, exercise performance, and lung and immune support. Human research is limited and mostly low quality, so its benefits are not well proven. It appears generally well tolerated in the short term, but quality varies and it should be avoided in pregnancy and breastfeeding due to lack of safety data.

Scientific name: Ophiocordyceps sinensis
Family: Ophiocordycipitaceae
Part used: Whole fungus (fruiting body and mycelium), often grown in culture as the Cs-4 strain
Common forms: Capsules, tablets, powders, extracts, teas, and tinctures

People commonly use it for

Fatigue and low energy
Athletic performance and stamina
Respiratory and lung support
Immune support
Kidney health support
General wellness/anti-aging

Popular and traditional uses — not proof it works. See “Uses & effectiveness” below for the evidence.

Safety at a glance

OverallUse caution

Generally well tolerated short-term, but evidence is limited and product quality varies widely.

PregnancyInsufficient reliable information

Insufficient reliable information available; avoid using.

Read the full pregnancy detail

BreastfeedingInsufficient reliable information

Insufficient reliable information available; avoid using.

Read the full breastfeeding detail

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center). Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

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Overview

Cordyceps is a type of fungus. The best-known kind, Ophiocordyceps sinensis, naturally grows on the larvae of certain insects (caterpillars) high in the mountains of Asia, which is why it is often called "caterpillar fungus." Wild cordyceps is rare and very expensive.

Because the wild form is so costly, most supplements today use cordyceps grown in a laboratory. A common cultivated form is known as the Cs-4 strain. Some products instead use a related species, Cordyceps militaris, which is easier to grow.

In traditional Chinese medicine, cordyceps has long been used as a tonic for energy, stamina, the lungs, and the kidneys. Today people take it as capsules, powders, teas, and extracts hoping to boost energy, exercise performance, and the immune system.

How it works

Cordyceps contains several compounds that scientists believe may be active, including cordycepin, polysaccharides, and adenosine. These may have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in the body.

Researchers think cordyceps might help the body use oxygen more efficiently or support how cells make energy, which could explain its traditional use for stamina. It may also affect parts of the immune system.

It is important to know that most of this information comes from laboratory and animal studies. How these effects translate to real benefits in people is still not well understood.

Effectiveness

Does Cordyceps work?

Here’s what the research actually shows for each use — graded by Natural Medicines and reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD.

Evidence overview · 18 uses evaluated

1 Leans ineffective 17 Insufficient evidence

How to read these evidence grades

Natural Medicines’ 7-point scale. We show each rating’s label word-for-word.

1EffectiveStrong, consistent evidence it works.

2Likely EffectiveGood evidence, though not yet conclusive.

3Possibly EffectiveSome evidence suggests a benefit.

4Possibly IneffectiveSome evidence it may not help.

5Likely IneffectiveFairly strong evidence it doesn’t help.

6IneffectiveStrong evidence it doesn’t work.

7Insufficient Reliable Evidence to RateToo little research to say either way.

Possibly Ineffective Athletic performance