Effects of Cordyceps militaris supplementation on the immune response and upper respiratory infection in healthy adults: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study

Su Jin Jung; Ji Hyun Hwang; Mi Ra Oh; Soo Wan Chae

doi:10.4163/jnh.2019.52.3.258

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Jung, Hwang, Oh, and Chae: Effects of Cordyceps militaris supplementation on the immune response and upper respiratory infection in healthy adults: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study

Research Article

Journal of Nutrition and Health 2019; 52(3): 258-267.

Published online: 24 June 2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4163/jnh.2019.52.3.258

Effects of Cordyceps militaris supplementation on the immune response and upper respiratory infection in healthy adults: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study

Su Jin Jung^1,²

, Ji Hyun Hwang¹

, Mi Ra Oh¹

, Soo Wan Chae^1,^2,³

¹Clinical Trial Center for Functional Foods, Chonbuk National University Hospital, Jeonju, Jeonbuk 54907, Korea.

²Biomedical Research Institute of Chonbuk National University Hospital, Jeonju, Jeonbuk 54907, Korea.

³Department of Pharmacology, Chonbuk National University, Medical School, Jeonju, Jeonbuk 54896, Korea.

To whom correspondence should be addressed. tel: +82-259-3040, soowan@jbnu.ac.kr

Received 25 January 2019 Revised 11 April 2019 Accepted 15 April 2019

The Korean Nutrition Society

(open-access):

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Purpose

Upper respiratory tract infections are major causes of the common cold throughout the world. Cordyceps militaris (C. militaris) is a well-known functional food for its anti-fatigue and immunomodulating activities. On the other hand, there are no reports on the protective effect against upper respiratory tract infections (URI). This study was a 12 week randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled trial in healthy volunteers.

Methods

A total of 100 subjects 20 ~ 70 years of age with a history of at least two colds in the year were enrolled in the study. The participants were required to record any adverse events and rate any cold-related incidents in a diary during the investigation period. The efficacy end point was the symptoms and incidence of URI, and changes in cytokines, IgA and natural killer (NK) cell activity.

Results

The Cordyceps militaris group over 12 weeks showed no significant impact on the incidence and symptomatology of URI compared to the placebo group. On the other hand, the experimental group showed significantly higher NK cell activity (p = 0.047) and IgA level (p = 0.035) compared to the placebo group. The NK-cell activity and IgA level were increased significantly by Cordyceps militaris over 12 weeks.

Conclusion

The results suggest the possible beneficial immunomodulating effects, but the protective effects on URI could not be demonstrated under these conditions. Additional research will be needed to determine the efficacy and mechanisms of Cordyceps militaris function.

Keywords: Cordyceps militaris, immune, upper respiratory tract infection, NK-cell, IgA

Figures and Tables

Fig. 1

CONSORT diagram showing the study flow

Table 1

General characteristics of subjects

Values are presented as mean ± SD or number (%).

1) Analyzed by Student's t test or Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test

Table 2

URI incidence rate of the study participants during the 12 weeks intervention period

Values are presented as number (%).

1) $, p-value by Chi-square test; ¥, p-value by Fisher's exact test

Table 3

Parameters of each group at baseline (0 week) and after 12 weeks intervention

Data are presented as the mean ± SD.

1) Analyzed by paired t-test between baseline and 12 weeks in each group

2) Analyzed by linear mixed-effect model and the p-value represents the comparison to the placebo group

SBP, Systolic blood pressure; DBP, Diastolic blood pressure; NK cell, Natural killer cells; IFN-γ, Interferon gamma; IL-2, Interleukin 2; IgA, Immunoglobulin A

Table 4

Safety outcome measures between Experimental group and placebo group at baseline and after 12weeks intervention

Data are presented as the mean ± SD.

1) Analyzed by paired t-test between baseline and 12 weeks in each group

2) Analyzed by linear mixed-effect model and the p-value represents the comparison to the placebo group

CL, Chloride; ALP, Alkaline phosphatase; GGT, gamma-glutamyltransferase; AST, aspartate aminotransferase; ALT, alanine aminotransferase; CK, Creatine kinase

Table 5

Dietary intake of the study participants during the 12 weeks intervention period

Data are presented as the mean ± SD.

1) Analyzed by paired t-test between baseline and 12 weeks in each group

2) Analyzed by linear mixed-effect model and the p-value represents the comparison to the placebo group

Notes

This work was carried out with the support of ‘Cooperative Research Program for Agriculture Science and Technology Development (Project No. PJ009502)’ Rural Development Administration, Republic of Korea.

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ORCID iDs

Su Jin Jung
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1103-7477

Ji Hyun Hwang
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4900-9594

Mi Ra Oh
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8843-916X

Soo Wan Chae
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3660-8272

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