Amber glass
Blocks UV light to protect compound integrity.
Whole raw material
Extracted from the full material, never an isolate.
Cordyceps Liquid Extract
Available to order · ships in 1 to 2 business days
Cordyceps sinensis, extracted and lab tested in Queensland.
A 60 mL liquid extract for active mornings. Take 2 mL in water or your pre-workout drink, early in the day. One bottle lasts about a month.
- Clearly identified. Organic Cordyceps sinensis, with the species confirmed on our supplier's Certificate of Analysis.
- Made by us. Our biocatalyst-assisted, triple-stage extraction is developed and run at our licensed facility in Redbank Plains, Queensland.
- Tested, with proof. Every batch is tested by a NATA-accredited lab. Read the current Certificate of Analysis on this page. For an older batch, email us the batch number and we'll send it.
- Honest about origin. The raw material is grown in China. We extract and test it in Queensland.
How to take it: Shake well. Take 2 mL (1 full dropper) once a day, in the morning or before exercise.
Good to know: Avoid late in the evening. Check with your healthcare practitioner first if you take blood-thinning or immunosuppressant medication, or have an autoimmune condition.
What does it taste like?
Earthy and slightly bitter, with a gentle warmth from the alcohol. Reishi is the most bitter of the five. Most people take it in water, tea, coffee or juice rather than straight.
Can I take more than one extract?
Yes. Many people pair them by time of day, for example Lion's Mane or Cordyceps in the morning and Reishi in the evening. Keep each to its suggested 2 mL serve, and check with your healthcare practitioner first if you take medication or are managing a health condition. Buying 2 or more together saves up to 30%: see our bundles.
How long until I notice anything?
Mushroom extracts work gradually rather than straight away. Take it daily at a similar time and give it at least a month before you judge it. The What to expect timeline on this page shows how it typically builds. Everyone responds differently.
How much alcohol is in it?
About 20-25% food-grade ethanol, which carries and preserves the extract. A 2 mL serve contains about 0.3 to 0.4 g of alcohol, roughly 3 to 4% of a standard drink. If you avoid alcohol, or are pregnant or breastfeeding, talk to your healthcare practitioner before use.
How do I store it after opening?
Keep the cap tight and store the bottle in the fridge after opening to help preserve freshness, away from direct sunlight. Shake well before each use.
- Ships within Australia and New Zealand. Orders are processed within 1 to 2 business days.
- Australia: Standard ($5.00) 3 to 5 business days, Express ($7.00) 1 to 2 business days. Free Standard shipping on orders of $50 or more, and free Express on orders of $100 or more.
- New Zealand: Economy 5 to 10 business days, Express 3 to 6 business days. Free shipping on orders of $150 or more.
- Changed your mind? Unopened products can be returned within 30 days of delivery. Opened bottles can't be returned for change of mind, for hygiene and safety reasons. See our Refund policy.
- Faulty, damaged or incorrect orders: contact hello@vitalvial.com.au with your order number and a photo, and we'll arrange a replacement or refund.
- Full rates and details are on our Shipping & delivery page.
Cordyceps sinensis · 60 mL · about 30 days
about $0.99 a day- Morning or pre-workout
- Caffeine-free, no jitters
- Supports energy & stamina
Cordyceps sinensis, extracted and lab tested in Queensland.
A 60 mL liquid extract for active mornings. Take 2 mL in water or your pre-workout drink, early in the day. One bottle lasts about a month.
What makes it different
- Clearly identifiedOrganic Cordyceps sinensis, with the species confirmed on our supplier's Certificate of Analysis.Species confirmed by COA.
- Made by usOur biocatalyst-assisted, triple-stage extraction is developed and run at our licensed facility in Redbank Plains, Queensland.Triple-stage extraction in our licensed Queensland facility.
- Tested, with proofEvery batch is tested by a NATA-accredited lab. Read the current Certificate of Analysis.Every batch NATA-lab tested. View the COA.
- Honest about originThe raw material is grown in China. We extract and test it in Queensland.Grown in China, extracted and tested here.
How to take it
Ingredients Cordyceps sinensis (Cordyceps) extract, filtered water, food-grade ethanol (about 20-25%).
Cordyceps · Cordyceps sinensis
Why choose Cordyceps
A traditional energy tonic, tested in modern exercise trials.
Best for
- Energy
- Exercise routines
- Morning ritual
Best time: Morning or pre-workout
- 12weeksOf daily Cs-4 in a trial with adults aged 50 to 75
- 10.5%Rise in metabolic threshold in that trial, with no change on placebo
- 2trialsIn trained cyclists found no change in performance. We show both sides.
Cordyceps sinensis has centuries of use in traditional Chinese medicine as a tonic for tiredness. Modern human research is smaller and mixed: the clearest results come from older adults, while trials in trained endurance athletes found no benefit.
The main nucleoside in Cordyceps sinensis, and the marker the Chinese Pharmacopoeia uses to check its quality. Adenosine is also a building block of ATP, the molecule your cells use to carry energy. C. sinensis also contains polysaccharides and mannitol.
What the research shows
-
Human trial
Exercise in older adults
Better aerobic thresholds after 12 weeks.
See the evidence
Adults aged 50 to 75 took 1 g a day of Cs-4, a fermented Cordyceps sinensis strain, for 12 weeks. Their metabolic threshold rose 10.5% and ventilatory threshold 8.5%, while VO2 max did not change. A small pilot: 20 enrolled, 15 completed.1
-
Human trial
Immune cell activity
More active natural killer cells after 8 weeks.
See the evidence
Healthy adults took 1.68 g a day of a Cordyceps mycelium extract (Paecilomyces hepiali, a strain isolated from wild C. sinensis) for 8 weeks. Natural killer cell activity rose about 39% compared with placebo.3
-
Human trial
Best for everyday activity, not elite performance
Little effect in people who are already highly trained.
See the evidence
Trained male cyclists took 3 g a day of Cs-4 for 5 weeks. VO2 peak, ventilatory threshold and time-trial performance did not change compared with placebo.2
-
How to take it
Consistency matters
A daily morning habit, not a one-off.
See the evidence
In the positive exercise trial, changes were measured after 12 weeks of daily use. We suggest taking it every morning or before exercise, and avoiding it late in the evening.1
In the wild, Cordyceps sinensis grows from ghost moth caterpillars buried in alpine meadows on the Tibetan Plateau, which is why it is called caterpillar fungus. Wild harvests are scarce and very costly, so the C. sinensis used in supplements today is cultivated or fermented.
What to expect
- 1Week 1Take it each morning or before exercise. Early changes are usually subtle.
- 2Weeks 4 to 12In the main human trial, changes were measured after 12 weeks of daily use.
- 33 months and beyondKeep it in your routine on training days and rest days alike.
Research references (3)
- Chen S, Li Z, Krochmal R, Abrazado M, Kim W, Cooper CB. Effect of Cs-4 (Cordyceps sinensis) on exercise performance in healthy older subjects: a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. 2010;16(5):585–590. doi:10.1089/acm.2009.0226
- Parcell AC, Smith JM, Schulthies SS, Myrer JW, Fellingham G. Cordyceps sinensis (CordyMax Cs-4) supplementation does not improve endurance exercise performance. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. 2004;14(2):236–242. doi:10.1123/ijsnem.14.2.236
- Jung SJ, Jung ES, Choi EK, Sin HS, Ha KC, Chae SW. Immunomodulatory effects of a mycelium extract of Cordyceps (Paecilomyces hepiali; CBG-CS-2): a randomized and double-blind clinical trial. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2019;19:77. doi:10.1186/s12906-019-2483-y
Studies 1 and 2 used Cs-4, a fermented mycelium of Cordyceps sinensis; study 3 used a Cordyceps mycelium strain, Paecilomyces hepiali. None was conducted on Vital Vial products. Individual results vary. This product is a food and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Consult your healthcare practitioner before use if pregnant, breastfeeding, taking blood-thinning or immunosuppressant medication, or managing an autoimmune or other medical condition.
Our biocatalyst-assisted, triple-stage extraction is designed to release more of what the whole raw material holds, with every batch verified against defined quality specifications.
Whole raw material
We start with the whole mushroom: the fruiting body, or the sclerotium for Chaga. Never mycelium grown on grain.
Break
Biocatalysts break down the tough fungal cell wall that heat alone leaves largely intact.
Capture
A triple-stage extraction captures both water-soluble and alcohol-soluble compounds.
Verify
Every batch is tested by a NATA-accredited laboratory, with the current Certificate of Analysis published.
