If you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. This supports our mission to get more people active and outside.Learn about Outside Online’s affiliate link policy
Published July 10, 2026 10:14AM
Every runner eventually goes looking for a magic bullet. We dream of finding that one thing that will give our training an edge without veering into the illicit or illegal —be it shoes with barely legal stack height, compression boots, or perfectly timed carb loading
Each June, when New York City turns into a swamp, my search for the magic bullet that will decrease my fatigue levels and boost my recovery begins again
One thing that kept popping up in every one of my desperate Google searches this spring was adaptogenic mushrooms. Some runners swear by them, saying they’ve had a hugely beneficial effect on their fatigue levels and recovery times (that’s what I need!), while others reported little noticeable difference after several weeks of adding them into their routines
Still, the positive results were tempting enough that I had to try them for myself. So I spent all of June experimenting with various adaptogenic mushrooms in my training and recovery. Once I was done, I spoke with registered dietitian and food scientist Jennifer Pallian, to learn if what I experienced was expected. Here’s what I found
What are Adaptogenic Mushrooms?
Adaptogens are the active compounds found in plants and fungi that impact how your body deals with things like stress, anxiety, and fatigue, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Although researchers are still working to understand exactly how they work, they’re generally believed to influence the body’s stress-response systems
Three mushrooms have been identified as potentially having adaptogenic effects: cordyceps (yes, that one, from The Last of Us), lion’s mane, and reishi
Some research suggests that cordyceps may increase the body’s production of adenosine triphosphate, which helps deliver energy to the muscles, making those long runs feel a little easier
Lion’s mane contains powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds that may help your muscles recover faster after a hard workout. And reishi has polysaccharides that preliminary research suggests could help decrease fatigue and shorten recovery times
For my purposes—wanting to make my summer runs feel easier and my recovery times shorter—I decided to start my adaptogenic mushroom journey with cordyceps and reishi supplements
My Month-Long Experiment with Adaptogenic Mushrooms
After some research into the various types of adaptogenic mushrooms, I settled on four products to try: two cordyceps and two reishi
One thing I learned pretty quickly is that the supplement industry is messy. Its lack of regulation means that products can vary widely in extraction methods, concentrations, and whether they use the fruiting body (the spore-bearing cap and stem) or mycelium (the underground root-like structure), making apples-to-apples comparisons difficult
Fungies Cordyceps Mushroom Gummies
Fungies cordyceps mushroom gummies promise to elevate energy, help with fatigue, and support endurance and overall stamina
I took a Fungies gummy every morning for the second half of the month, regardless of whether I was running, and noticed an increase in my energy levels from the start. Throughout June, I was much more alert for those early-morning weekday runs, and found myself skipping my afternoon coffee on a number of days
That bump in energy held steady throughout the month, but it feels next to impossible to know whether the mushrooms deserve all the credit
My training, sleep, nutrition, and general expectations about how the experiment could have also played a role. While my mileage goes up in the summer, my average pace and high-intensity frequency goes down, meaning I tend to have more energy even at the end of a long run. I also expected to feel noticeable results from this experiment, so there may be some element of a placebo effect at play here
Still, I noticed enough of a difference in the ease of my runs and my post-run energy levels to keep taking them, and plan to keep them in rotation for the rest of the summer
365 by Whole Foods Market Cordyceps Mushroom Capsules
The 365 by Whole Foods Market cordyceps mushroom capsules also promised energy and stamina support, but I noticed much less dramatic results
For the first half of the month, I tested the Whole Foods supplements, taking them each morning with my pre-run snack. But after several days of only a minimal increase in energy, I abandoned them completely
Both cordyceps products contain 500 mg of mushroom, so their effects should have been the same, or at least very similar, but for whatever reason these just didn’t do it for me. Perhaps it comes down to differences in how the two were made, and what part of the mushroom they were made from
Real Mushrooms Reishi Mushroom Capsules
Real Mushrooms reishi mushroom capsules say they can help with a host of things, from restful sleep and relaxation to immune resilience, cardiovascular health, and resilience to stress
On days I ran or did any other high-intensity workout, I took a Real Mushrooms capsule before bed as part of my unwind and recovery routine (which typically includes gentle stretching, foam rolling, and PT exercises for my nagging tendonitis). The following morning, I experienced less soreness, better energy levels, and a consistently higher sleep score than typical
Like with the Fungies gummies, it’s hard to say whether the capsules were solely responsible for these improvements, but I’ve been convinced enough that I continue to take them after long, hard days
Gaia Herbs Reishi Mushroom Capsules
Gaia Herbs reishi mushroom capsules were the last product I tested. They promise overall support to help support health resilience in times of stress
I took these each morning, alongside my breakfast and the rest of my daily vitamins and supplements. However, I didn’t notice a real difference in any aspect of my training or health, neither positive nor negative
So while I wouldn’t dissuade you from taking these, I’m also not sure that they’re worth seeking out
The Science Behind Adaptogenic Mushrooms and Running
By the end of June, my watch-estimated VO₂ max had ticked upward, and I was finishing double-digit long runs in New York’s heat feeling less wiped out than I’d expected. I can’t say for certain whether the mushrooms were the sole reason for those improvements, but they coincided with the month I was taking them.
I shared my findings with Pallian:
“The current research is encouraging, particularly for cordyceps and reishi, but it would be premature to describe these supplements as miracle performance enhancers,” she told me, citing a 2025 meta-analysis of 14 randomized controlled trials
The research, while still relatively limited, suggests cordyceps may offer the strongest performance benefits. Some studies have found it can improve tolerance to high-intensity exercise by increasing VO₂ max and time to exhaustion, while others suggest it may help support immune function after strenuous training
Potential benefits, however, are less about making runners faster and more about helping them recover. Research has linked it to lower levels of blood lactate and other markers associated with exercise stress, suggesting that it could help athletes bounce back more quickly between hard efforts
“For runners, these effects may be particularly valuable during periods of high training volume,” Pallian says
Still, she cautions against treating the supplements like a magic bullet
“The evidence suggests these supplements may offer meaningful benefits for some athletes, particularly endurance athletes, but they should be viewed as one potential tool within a broader training and nutrition strategy rather than a shortcut to performance gains,” she says
I largely agree with Pallian. I wouldn’t call adaptogenic mushrooms a magic bullet, but I also wouldn’t dismiss them
They can’t replace smart training, good nutrition, or sleep, but they have made my summer running feel just a little less punishing. It’s not magic. But in the summer, I’ll take it
nutrition for runners
Add run as a preferred source on GoogleAdd
