The miraculous health attributes of Cordyceps in promoting virility and fortifying the lungs and kidneys have been well-documented through the practices of Traditional Chinese Medicine as well as through folk medicine, and are the subjects of modern biomedical and clinical studies around the world. In more recent times, the use of Cordyceps has been memorialized by its association with athletic training and impressive outcomes at international sports competitions. Cordyceps attracted worldwide attention in 1993 when the Chinese women’s track-and-field team broke 9 world records during the National Games in Stuttgart, Germany and has since gained popularity among everyday athletes, including international basketball star Yao Ming. Because Ophiocordyceps sinensis is only found in the highlands of Southeast Asia including in the cold, snowy mountain tops of the Himalayas at altitudes of 3,000 to 5,000 meters, it is deemed a unparalleled entity, difficult to harvest and grow naturally, and usually purchased at very high cost to consumers.

 

Cordyceps' rarity and high medicinal value have prompted researchers around the world to grow the fungus in culture. In hindsight, many of the earlier cultures obtained in China, such as Cs-4 (often marketed as Cordyceps) have turned out to be false when subjected to comparative genetic analysis. In recent years, Hirsutella sinensis has been proven by scientists to be the asexual phase of the Cordyceps sinensis species with morphological and chemical characteristics that reflect those of the true species. It should be noted that although both Hirsutella sinensis and Cordyceps sinensis are now known to represent the same species, the rules of mushroom taxonomy require that different names are given to the sexual stage (fruiting body) and the asexual stage (mycelia) of the same species.

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In the late 1990s, working carefully with the wild Cordyceps fungus, we at Primordia were able to select, propagate, and culture our own strain of proven, authentic Cordyceps. We have been recognized worldwide as one of the only companies that has cultivated this true form of Cordyceps. Our strain has a 99.7% similarity in rDNA sequence compared to the wild Cordyceps fungus that grows naturally in Tibet—essentially sealing its identity as a true and authentic Cordyceps. In addition, our product has a nutritional composition and metabolite profile that are highly similar to those of the Cordyceps found in the wild.

 

We have closely replicated the natural growing conditions of Cordyceps, which include the use of low ambient temperatures, the right lighting conditions, the right combination of micro-nutrients that match the growth curve of the fungus, and the inclusion of proprietary rare trace elements (our Primordia Elements) to enhance the growth of our cultures.

 

Our product is free of contamination, including bacterial pollutants, pesticides, or heavy metals. In fact, each product lot is tested against five real-time dynamic parameters as part of our quality control to ensure product consistency. We use a freeze-extraction technique that carefully preserves all the enzymatic and biological activities of the mushroom. This unique process gives our Cordyceps offering a tasteful and unmatched quality that is even more potent than the wild-type form of the mushroom found in nature.