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Dietary supplement

Cordyceps Extract Ingredients & Drug Interactions

by Host Defense Mushrooms

Cordyceps Extract label
See full label image
Liquid Category: Botanical
Most serious interaction: Moderate
Clinical methodology reviewed by · Updated Sep 16, 2026 · Label data from the NIH DSLD
What is this page for?

First and foremost: checking Cordyceps Extract against your medications. The heart of this page is the interaction checker and the full interaction report — how this product’s ingredients may interact with prescription and over-the-counter medicines you may be taking.

Around that, we add a pharmacist’s high-level view of the product as a whole — what’s inside, the evidence for its stated use, how transparent the label is, and what safety data exists — so you can see the full picture in one place. It’s educational information from our licensed clinical databases and the clinical staff at HelloPharmacist — not medical advice — and we don’t sell or endorse products. Our editorial policy

The interaction bottom line Most serious interaction: Moderate

Cordyceps Extract is a dietary supplement by Host Defense Mushrooms with 1 active ingredient. Its ingredients are commonly taken for fatigue and low energy, athletic performance and stamina, respiratory and lung support.Based on those ingredients, 249 medications have a known interaction with it, the most serious rated moderate. The ingredients most likely to interact are fresh Cordyceps (Cordyceps militaris) mycelium extract. Use the checker below to test your specific medication, or read the full HelloPharmacist Interaction Report.

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Check Your Meds Against Cordyceps Extract by Host Defense Mushrooms

Ask about any prescription or over-the-counter medication and we check it for interactions with Cordyceps Extract by Host Defense Mushrooms — and tell you which ingredient is responsible.

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HelloPharmacist Scorecard of Cordyceps Extract by Host Defense Mushrooms

Our pharmacy team’s full take, with four database checks built into the cards below — a summary of what is known, not a grade of the product itself.

From our pharmacy team — supplement deep dive

Generated from HelloPharmacist’s pharmacist-curated databases and editorial rules · Last generated Jul 16, 2026

What’s inside

Full disclosure
Ingredient Transparency · database check
Full

Every active ingredient lists its own amount on the label.

Why this rating?
  • The label discloses an exact amount for 1 of its 1 active ingredient.
  • No proprietary blends here — you can verify the dose of every single component.

This is a single-ingredient extract: fresh Cordyceps (Cordyceps militaris) mycelium — the vegetative part of this medicinal mushroom. The liquid form also contains water, alcohol, and myceliated brown rice (rice that's been colonized by the mushroom culture).

Does it work?

No specific claim
Evidence for Intended Use · database check
By FDA rules, dietary supplements can’t claim to treat, cure, or prevent disease — so labels speak in careful marketing language. We discern each product’s intended use from its name, label claims, and label statements, then grade the clinical evidence for that use. How these ratings are computed
General wellness

This Cordyceps product is marketed for general wellness, not a specific health condition, so there's no single claim to grade — see Cordyceps's own graded uses on its monograph.

Why this rating?
  • The label markets general wellness (“Energy support”), not a specific health condition, so there is no single claim to grade against clinical-evidence data.

The evidence for cordyceps is mixed and often limited. For athletic performance, the data suggests it's possibly ineffective — don't count on it to boost endurance or strength.

For sexual dysfunction, asthma, lung cancer, COPD, and irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia), we don't have enough reliable evidence to say whether it works. If you're considering cordyceps for one of these purposes, talk with your doctor about whether the research supports it for your situation.

The evidence, ingredient by ingredient Cordyceps

How safe is it?

Well-documented data
Safety Information · database check
Well characterized

Adverse-effect, pregnancy, and general safety data are on file for most of these ingredients.

Why this rating?
  • We hold adverse-effect (side-effect) data for 1 of the 1 matched ingredient.
  • Pregnancy & breastfeeding safety ratings cover 1 of 1.
  • General safety write-ups exist for 1 of 1.
  • Remember: this measures how much safety information exists. Thin data is not the same as being safe.

Cordyceps appears to be generally well tolerated when taken for up to a year, though the safety evidence overall is limited and product quality varies widely between brands. The most common side effects are gastrointestinal — abdominal discomfort, constipation, or diarrhea — though these are uncommon, and taking it with food may help.

There's one case report of liver inflammation in a patient taking a cordyceps product, but it's unclear whether cordyceps itself or a contaminant was responsible. During pregnancy, there isn't enough safety data, so it's best avoided.

The same goes for breastfeeding — talk with your doctor or pharmacist before using cordyceps while nursing.

Side effects, ingredient by ingredient Cordyceps

Meds to double-check

Moderate interaction found
Known Interaction Concern · database check
Moderate identified

The most serious documented interaction for these ingredients is Moderate. Check your medications for a personalized result.

Why this rating?
  • 1 of the 1 matched ingredient can interact with medications — Cordyceps.
  • The most serious interaction on file is rated Moderate.
  • Some involve high-stakes drug classes: anticoagulant / antiplatelet drugs; immunosuppressants / transplant drugs.
  • For scale: 249 individual medications appear in the full list. A big number alone doesn't make a product dangerous — what matters is whether YOUR medication is on it, so run yours through the interaction checker on this page.

Before you take this product, check your exact medications if you're on blood thinners or antiplatelet drugs (Moderate risk), immunosuppressants (Moderate risk), or testosterone therapy (Minor risk). Use the medication checker on this page to confirm your specific drugs, then talk it over with your doctor or pharmacist.

Check your own medication Run your meds through the checker above

The bottom line

Scorecard at a glanceFully disclosed formula marketed for general wellness rather than one specific gradeable purpose. Moderate medication interactions have been identified, and safety information is well characterized.

Cordyceps is generally well tolerated short-term, but the evidence for what it actually does is weak or absent for most claims. If you take blood thinners, immunosuppressants, or testosterone therapy, you'll want to check with your doctor or pharmacist before starting this product.

For anyone else, the main risk is an upset stomach — and the variable quality between brands.

Educational only — not medical advice; always confirm with your pharmacist. Our editorial policy · How we use AI

Assessment coverage: 1 of 1 active ingredient matched to our full ingredient reviews (monographs). Based on the product label dated Dec 13, 2022.

This Scorecard evaluates available label information, ingredient evidence, and known medication-safety considerations. It does not independently verify product identity, purity, potency, contamination, or manufacturing quality. How these ratings are computed

At a glance

General information

Key facts about Cordyceps Extract, straight from the product label.

Brand Host Defense Mushrooms
Net contents 2 Fluid Ounce(s); 60 mL
Market status On market
Date entered into DSLD Dec 13, 2022
DSLD ID 278576
Product type Botanical
Supplement form Liquid
Dietary claims / uses All Other, Structure/Function
Intended target group(s) Adult (18 - 50 Years), Organic, Gluten Free
From the label
Everything in this section is reproduced from the manufacturer’s own product label — it’s the label speaking, not HelloPharmacist. We show it so you can see exactly what the maker states; we don’t verify or endorse those statements.

Supplement Facts

The label details for Cordyceps Extract by Host Defense Mushrooms, sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database.

Supplement Facts

Daily Value (DV) Target Group(s):
Adults and children 4 or more years of age
Minimum serving Sizes:
1 mL
Maximum serving Sizes:
1 mL
Servings per container
60
IngredientAmount% DV
fresh Cordyceps (Cordyceps militaris) mycelium extract1 mL--

Other ingredients: Water, Alcohol, myceliated Brown Rice

Tap any ingredient to jump to its full detail below.

Label statements
These statements are the manufacturer’s wording, reproduced from the product label — the label is saying it, not HelloPharmacist. We don’t verify or endorse them.
Formula

Made with U.S. grown, double extracted organic mushroom mycelium

Suggested/Recommended/Usage/Directions

Directions for use: As a dietary supplement, take 1 mL twice per day. Can be taken with food or without, on an empty stomach or as recommended by your healthcare advisor.

Precautions

If you have a medical condition, are taking medications, or are pregnant or nursing, consult your healthcare professional before using this product.

Keep out of reach of children.

FDA Disclaimer Statement

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Seals/Symbols

USDA Organic

Producer Certified Organic Washington State Dept. of Agriculture

Formulation

USDA Organic

Energy support

Gluten free

Certified organic by the Washington State of Department of Agriculture.

FDA Statement of Identity

Dietary Supplement

Is this label outdated? Report a formula or label change and our pharmacy team will review it.

See for yourself

Cordyceps Extract by Host Defense Mushrooms label

The label scan from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Tap to enlarge.

Cordyceps Extract label

Label images are published by the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database for the version of this product on file. Always read your actual product label.

View the full label (PDF)
What’s inside

The Ingredients in Cordyceps Extract by Host Defense Mushrooms

This is the 1 active ingredient this product is made of. Select it to open its full monograph.

Serving size1 mL Dosage formLiquid Servings per container60 Amounts shown are per serving.

Fresh Cordyceps (Cordyceps militaris) mycelium extract

Interacts with
249 drugs
1 mL per serving

Cordyceps is a fungus used in traditional Chinese medicine for energy, exercise performance, and lung and immune support. Human research is limited an...

Fresh Cordyceps (Cordyceps militaris) mycelium extract monograph & interactions

Other (inactive) ingredients: Water, Alcohol, Myceliated Brown Rice. These complete the product’s ingredient list but are not active constituents.

Interaction report

Cordyceps Extract by Host Defense Mushrooms Drug Interactions

Want to check YOUR meds against Cordyceps Extract?

Ask about interactions with your drugs in plain English — “Can I take it with lisinopril?” — and we find you the answer in seconds, ingredient by ingredient.

 Go to the checker
249Drugs
241 Moderate 8 Minor

Ingredients driving the most interactions

fresh Cordyceps (Cordyceps militaris) mycelium extract 249

Individual Drug Interactions

The ingredients in Cordyceps Extract interact with 249 drugs. Click any drug to see the details.

1 of the 1 ingredient in Cordyceps Extract interact with drugs. Each result below shows which ingredient is responsible. fresh Cordyceps (Cordyceps militaris) mycelium extract

Each ingredient & the kinds of drugs it affects

For each ingredient in Cordyceps Extract with known interactions, here are the types of medications it can affect. Open any type for the detail — or search your exact drug in the checker above.

fresh Cordyceps (Cordyceps militaris) mycelium extract3 drug types · 249 drugs

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
fresh Cordyceps (Cordyceps militaris) mycelium extract full monograph & interactions
The maker

Brand information

Manufacturer and brand details for Cordyceps Extract, from the product label.

Host Defense Mushrooms

See all Host Defense Mushrooms products
Name
Fungi Perfecti, LLC
Street Address
PO Box 7634
City
Olympia
State
WA
ZipCode
98507
Phone Number
877-504-6926
Web Address
Hostdefense.com
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Cordyceps Extract by Host Defense Mushrooms: Common Questions

Does Cordyceps Extract by Host Defense Mushrooms interact with any medications?
Yes. Based on its ingredients, Cordyceps Extract has a known interaction with 249 medications. Use the checker to see how it interacts with a specific drug.
How can one product interact with so many drugs?
Cordyceps Extract contains a single active ingredient, and that one ingredient can interact with many different medications on its own. We check it against each medication and show the mechanism responsible.
Where does this information come from?
The product label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database (DSLD); the interaction data is built on the Natural Medicines database and reviewed by HelloPharmacist pharmacists.
Does cordyceps actually work for athletic performance?
The evidence suggests it's possibly ineffective for that — so don't expect a real boost to endurance or strength. If athletic performance is your goal, talk with your doctor about approaches with stronger evidence behind them.
Can I take this while pregnant or breastfeeding?
No — there isn't enough safety data, so it's best avoided in both cases. If you're pregnant or nursing and interested in cordyceps, talk with your doctor or pharmacist first.
What side effects should I watch for?
The most common ones are mild and gut-related: abdominal discomfort, constipation, or diarrhea. Taking it with food may help. These are uncommon, and cordyceps has been well tolerated in studies lasting up to a year.
I'm taking warfarin for my heart. Can I use this?
You'll need to check with your doctor or pharmacist first. Lab research suggests cordyceps might increase bleeding risk when combined with blood thinners, though it hasn't been reported in actual patients — but that's a Moderate concern worth clarifying before you start.
Is this product pure cordyceps with no fillers?
The active ingredient is cordyceps mycelium extract, and it also contains water, alcohol, and myceliated brown rice — those are the inactive ingredients that make up the liquid form.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Not sure if Cordyceps Extract is safe with your meds?

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Ask a pharmacist

Label information is sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database and reflects the product version on file; always read your actual product label. This page is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Confirm with your pharmacist or doctor before combining supplements and medications.

Cordyceps Extract label
Go deeper

The Full Monographs Behind Cordyceps Extract’s Ingredients

Every ingredient we hold a full HelloPharmacist monograph for — uses, evidence, safety, and the complete interaction list.

Herb & supplement monograph

Cordyceps

Interacts with 249 drugs

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 ar...

Read the full Cordyceps monograph →
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Cordyceps Extract's label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database; the ingredient interaction data is from the Natural Medicines database, reviewed by our pharmacists.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

The 14 references behind this product’s interaction data

Every citation that drives the interaction findings for this product’s ingredients, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Open an ingredient to browse its citations — links open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

Cordyceps 14 references
  1. Zhu JS, Halpern GM, Jones K. The scientific rediscovery of an ancient Chinese herbal medicine: Cordyceps sinensis: part I. J Altern Complement Med 1998;4:289-303.
  2. Zhu JS, Halpern GM, Jones K. The scientific rediscovery of a precious ancient Chinese herbal regimen: Cordyceps sinensis: part II. J Altern Complement Med 1998;4:429-57.
  3. Chen YJ, Shiao MS, Lee SS, Wang SY. Effect of Cordyceps sinensis on the proliferation and differentiation of human leukemic U937 cells. Life Sci 1997;60:2349-59. PubMed
  4. Zhao Y. [Inhibitory effects of alcoholic extract of Cordyceps sinensis on abdominal aortic thrombus formation in rabbits]. Chung Hua I Hsueh Tsa Chih (Taipei) 1991;71:612-5, 42.
  5. Chen GZ, Chen GL, Sun T, et al. Effects of Cordyceps sinensis on murine T lymphocyte subsets. Chin Med J (English) 1991;104:4-8.
  6. Zhu XY, Yu HY. [Immunosuppressive effect of cultured Cordyceps sinensis on cellular immune response]. Chung Hsi I Chieh Ho Tsa Chih 1990;10:485-7, 454.
  7. Hsu, C. C., Huang, Y. L., Tsai, S. J., Sheu, C. C., and Huang, B. M. In vivo and in vitro stimulatory effects of Cordyceps sinensis on testosterone production in mouse Leydig cells. Life Sci 9-5-2003;73(16):2127-2136. PubMed
  8. Ikumoto, T., Sasaki, S., Namba, H., Toyama, R., Moritoki, H., and Mouri, T. [Physiologically active compounds in the extracts from tochukaso and cultured mycelia of Cordyceps and Isaria]. Yakugaku Zasshi 1991;111(9):504-509. PubMed
  9. Wu, T. N., Yang, K. C., Wang, C. M., Lai, J. S., Ko, K. N., Chang, P. Y., and Liou, S. H. Lead poisoning caused by contaminated Cordyceps, a Chinese herbal medicine: two case reports. Sci.Total Environ. 4-5-1996;182(1-3):193-195. PubMed
  10. Hong T, Zhang M, Fan J. Cordyceps sinensis (a traditional Chinese medicine) for kidney transplant recipients (Review). Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015;(10):CD009698. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD009698.pub2.
  11. Zhang HW, Lin ZX, Tung YS, Kwan TH, Mok CK, Leung C, Chan LS. Cordyceps sinensis (a traditional Chinese medicine) for treating chronic kidney disease (Review). Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014;(12):CD008353. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD008353.pub2. PubMed
  12. Bee Yean O, Zoriah A. Efficacy of Cordyceps sinensis as an adjunctive treatment in hemodialysis patients: a systematic review and Meta-analysis. J Tradit Chin Med. 2019;39(1):1-14.
  13. Thurian D, Montani M, Stickel F. Drug-induced, mixed-type hepatitis following ingestion of Cordyceps sinensis. Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther 2022;60(2):115-120. PubMed
  14. Yu X, Mao Y, Shergis JL, et al. Effectiveness and safety of oral Cordyceps sinensis on stable COPD of GOLD stages 2-3: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2019;2019:4903671.

See these in context on the Cordyceps monograph →

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

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