Cordyceps for Immune Function
Cordyceps can nudge laboratory markers of immune activity, but there is no reliable human evidence that it actually strengthens immune function or reduces illness. Treat any "boosts immunity" claim as unproven.
Why this grade7-layer evidence engine
The grade is held to Weak (Tier C) because every supporting human study measures surrogate lab markers rather than real-world outcomes such as fewer or shorter infections. Two small, short trials in healthy adults (PMID 26284906, n=79, 4 weeks; PMID 30925876, n=79, 8 weeks) reported higher NK-cell activity and related immune signals versus placebo, but the latter was industry-funded, and neither tracked whether participants actually got sick less often.
The strongest dataset, a meta-analysis of cordyceps added to lung-cancer chemotherapy (PMID 38484953, n=928), found modest rises in NK cells, CD4 and CD8. That is an oncology-treatment setting, however, and cannot be extrapolated to everyday immune support in healthy people. A 2026 review (PMID 41432716) likewise concluded the immunomodulatory case rests mostly on cell and animal work, with few clinical trials.
The status is Disputed because authoritative bodies do not back these claims: EFSA judged the cordyceps immune claim 'not supported by pertinent human data,' and the NIH, Mayo Clinic, Harvard and CDC offer no endorsement. Cordyceps stimulates rather than calms the immune system, so people with autoimmune disease, transplants, or on immunosuppressants should be cautious.
Scoring transparency
All scores computed by a 7-layer evidence engine — fully auditable▸View the full decision path (audit trail)
- compute_raw_score — 加權公式: L2×0.30 + L3×0.25 + L5×0.25 + L11×0.10 + L1×0.10 = 0.551
- tier_from_score — 依分數區間映射至 tier letter
- apply_hec_rules — 高品質 SR/MA 顯示 positive (1 篇 > 0 negative)
- tier_strict_requirement_check — | B→C 因 scope.conflation_risk=true 且 L11 獨評較低 (B7-2 tier cap)
- detect_disputes — 偵測到 1 個 hard + 1 個 soft dispute
- decide_status — 依 tier + dispute 結果決定 status