Traditional energy mushroom. Modern endurance research. Concentrated liquid form.

Cordyceps (Cordyceps militaris) is one of the most unusual organisms in the natural world - a parasitic fungus that grows from insect larvae in high-altitude Himalayan regions, used in traditional Chinese and Tibetan medicine for over a thousand years as a tonic for vitality and respiratory capacity. Modern cultivated Cordyceps militaris has made it widely accessible as a supplement without the eye-watering cost of the wild-harvested variety, and the active compounds are well-characterised.

This Feel Supreme tincture is a dual-extracted 10:1 concentrate from full fruiting body Cordyceps militaris, delivering 9,000mg of extract per 60ml bottle - equivalent to 90g of dried mushroom per bottle, or 1,500mg per serving.

What Cordyceps contains and why it matters

Three compounds in Cordyceps militaris have attracted the most research attention:

• Cordycepin (3'-deoxyadenosine) — a nucleoside analogue unique to Cordyceps militaris. It influences cellular energy pathways and has been the subject of significant research interest for its potential effects on ATP metabolism - the process by which cells generate and use energy.
• Adenosine — a naturally occurring purine nucleoside involved in energy transfer and cardiovascular function at a cellular level.
• Beta-glucans — the same class of polysaccharides found in Turkey Tail and other medicinal mushrooms. The beta-glucans in Cordyceps militaris interact with immune cell receptors in the same way as other medicinal mushrooms - research on beta-glucans and immune cell function suggests they may help support the body's natural defences.

What the research is looking at

The most active area of human research on Cordyceps is exercise performance and oxygen utilisation. A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial found that three weeks of supplementation with a Cordyceps militaris-containing mushroom blend was associated with a significant improvement in VO2max compared to placebo - the key physiological marker of aerobic capacity. Time to exhaustion also improved meaningfully.

A separate double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in healthy older adults taking Cordyceps over 12 weeks found that the metabolic threshold - the intensity above which lactate begins to accumulate - increased by 10.5%, suggesting improved capacity for sustained effort before fatigue sets in.

As with Turkey Tail, it's worth being clear: Cordyceps is a food supplement, not a medicine. The research describes what scientists are investigating in controlled settings, not what this product does for any given individual. Results vary, and the studies above used specific doses and populations.

Dual extraction - why it matters

Cordyceps contains both water-soluble compounds (beta-glucans, polysaccharides) and alcohol-soluble compounds (cordycepin, adenosine, triterpenes). A water-only extraction - which is how most capsule powders are made - misses the alcohol-soluble fraction entirely. Dual extraction uses both water and alcohol at different stages of the process, capturing the full spectrum of active compounds. This is why Feel Supreme uses a tincture format rather than a capsule: it allows dual extraction in a way that a simple dried powder does not.

How to take it

Three pipettes (1.5ml) daily, either directly under the tongue or mixed into water, coffee, or a smoothie. At three pipettes per serving, the 60ml bottle delivers approximately 40 servings - around 6 weeks of daily use at the standard dose. The research cited above started showing measurable effects at 3 weeks of consistent supplementation; most of the stronger evidence comes from studies of 8-12 weeks.

Full product details

Not suitable for children, pregnant or nursing individuals, or anyone on immunosuppressant or anticoagulant medication. Consult your GP if you have a pre-existing condition or are taking prescription medication.

Why Feel Supreme?

Feel Supreme's mushroom range uses full fruiting body extracts rather than mycelium on grain - a distinction that matters because mycelium-on-grain products often contain significant amounts of starch filler from the growing substrate, diluting the active compound content. Full fruiting body, dual extracted, with disclosed extract ratios - it's a cleaner product specification than most of what's available in the Irish market.

Want to understand more about medicinal mushrooms?

Cordyceps is one of six main functional mushroom varieties with deep traditional use and a meaningful modern research base. We've put together a guide covering Cordyceps alongside Lion's Mane, Reishi, Chaga, Turkey Tail and Shiitake - what they're traditionally used for, what the research is currently looking at, and how they differ. Read the guide here →