Recruiting

Ginseng & Cordyceps

Sponsor:

Applied Food Sciences Inc.

Code:

NCT07729943

Conditions

Healthy Subjects With Low Energy Levels

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 40 - 65

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Interventions

Panax ginseng

Cordycep Militaris

Placebo

Study Details

Brief summary:

This study is a double-blind, randomized, parallel group, three-arm, placebo-controlled trial of seventy-five (75) apparently healthy male and female participants to be recruited at a single investigational center in Northeast Ohio (i.e., The Center for Applied Health Sciences). The study will assess the potential benefits of four weeks of supplementation with 300 mg Ginseng or 1 gram Cordyceps Militaris (vs. placebo). Participants will attend 3 study visits. During Visit 1, participants will be screened for participation (i.e., medical history, routine blood work, background baseline diet and familiarization protocol will be completed). During Visit 2 (Day 0) and Visit 3 (Day 30) participants will complete subjective baseline testing including questionnaires that assess recovery, mood, energy, fatigue, and quality of life. They will complete a VO2 max test, a TTE test, isometric mid-thigh pull, and have their handgrip strength assessed. They will also be tested for changes in circulating nitrates/nitrites (NOx), circulatory efficiency (oxygen pulse), and lactate kinetics (production and clearance).

Comprehensive side effect profile/ adverse event monitoring will take place throughout thevstudy duration. The study will be conducted following ICH-GCP guidelines to ensure subject safety and scientific integrity of the data.

Conditions

Healthy Subjects With Low Energy Levels

Study ID

NCT07729943

Start date

Mar 15, 2026

Status verified date

Jul, 2026

Completion date

Feb 1, 2027

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Dec 25, 2026

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 40 - 65

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Provide voluntary signed and dated informed consent.

  • Be in good health and able to participate in cognitive performance testing as determined by assessment, medical history, and routine blood chemistries.
  • Between the of 40 and 65 years of age (inclusive).
  • Body Mass Index of 18.5-34.9 (inclusive).
  • Body weight of at least 110 pounds.
  • Normotensive (seated, resting systolic blood pressure <140 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure < 90 mm Hg. If the first measurement is slightly elevated above these limits, the subject will be given a brief (5-minute) rest period, and two more measurements will be taken. The average of all three measurements will be used to determine eligibility.
  • Normal supine, resting heart rate (<90 per minute).
  • Able to provide an adequate blood draw.
  • If a dietary supplement was initiated within the past month, the participant is willing to discontinue supplement use followed by a 2-week washout prior to participation in the study.
  • Willing to duplicate their previous 24-hour diet, refrain from caffeine and alcohol for 24 hours, refrain from exercise for 48 hours prior to each trial, and fast for 10 hours prior to each visit.
  • Recreationally active (≥3 exercise sessions/wk)

Exclusion Criteria:

-Smokers.

  • History of malignancy in the previous 5 years except for non-melanoma skin cancer (basal cell cancer or squamous cell cancer of the skin).
  • Prior gastrointestinal bypass surgery (Lapband, etc.).
  • Other known gastrointestinal or metabolic diseases that might impact nutrient absorption or metabolism, e.g. electrolyte abnormalities, diabetes, thyroid disease, adrenal disease, hypogonadism, short bowel syndrome, diarrheal illnesses, history of colon resection, gastric ulcer, reflux disease, gastroparesis, Inborn-Errors-of-Metabolism (such as PKU).
  • Chronic medically diagnosed inflammatory condition or disease (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, Lupus, HIV/AIDS, etc.).
  • Medical history of metabolic, cardiovascular, hepatorenal, musculoskeletal, autoimmune, or neurologic disease.
  • Use of performance enhancing drugs
  • Anti-inflammatory supplement/medication use started within 4 weeks
  • Ergogenic supplement use started within 4 weeks. (i.e. beta-alanine, creatine, beet root, citrulline, arginine, )
  • Individuals with excessive caffeine intake (>400mg/day).
  • Known sensitivity to any ingredient in the test formulations as listed in the Certificates- of-Analysis.
  • Women currently pregnant, trying to become pregnant or breastfeeding a child.
  • Any other diseases or conditions that, in the opinion of the medical staff, could confound the primary endpoint or place the subject at increased risk of harm if they were to participate

Study Design

Enrollment

75 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Parallel Assignment

Primary purpose

Basic Science

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: Ginseng

250 mg Panax Ginseng extract

active comparator: Cordyceps

1 gram cordyceps militaris fruiting body mushroom extract

placebo comparator: Placebo

Maltodextrin

Interventions

Panax ginseng

Panax Ginseng extract standardized to 5% ginsenosides

Cordycep Militaris

Cordycep extract standardized to Cordycepin 0.25% Adenosine 0.15%

Placebo

1 gram maltodextrin to mirror 1 gram capsule active

Primary outcome measure

  • Change in VO2 max from baseline to day 30 [ Time Frame: Baseline and Day 30 ]
  • Change in ventilatory threshold [ Time Frame: Baseline Day 1 and then Day 30 ]
  • Change in Circulatory efficiency (oxygen pulse) over 30 days [ Time Frame: Baseline Day 1, then Day 30 ]
  • Change in Time-to-Exhaustion (TTE) over 30 days [ Time Frame: Day 1 and Day 30 ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Michael Michael La Monica, Ph.D., CSCS

330.926.6927ml@appliedhealthsciences.org

Tim N Ziegenfuss, PhD, CSCS, FISSN

330.926.6927tz@appliedhealthsciences.org

Locations

The Center for Applied Health Sciences

Recruiting

Canfield, Ohio, United States, 44406

Contacts

Jennifer Sandrock, MS RD, CCRC

330.926.6927jh@appliedhealthsciences.org

Tim N Ziegenfuss, PhD, CSCS, FISSN

330.926.6927tz@appliedhealthsciences.org

Principal Investigator:

Michael La Monica, Ph.D., CSCS

More Information

Sponsor

Applied Food Sciences Inc.

Last update posted

Jul 28, 2026

Last verified

Jul, 2026

Keywords

  • Cordyceps (Cordyceps Militaris)
  • Panax Ginseng
  • VO2Max
  • NOx
  • Circulatory efficiency

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-17. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by Applied Food Sciences Inc. on 2026-07-28.