Each June, when New York City turns into a swamp<\/a>, my search for the magic bullet that will decrease my fatigue levels and boost my recovery begins again.<\/p>\n 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\u2019ve had a hugely beneficial effect on their fatigue levels and recovery times (that\u2019s what I need!), while others reported little noticeable difference after several weeks of adding them into their routines.<\/p>\n 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<\/a>, to learn if what I experienced was expected. Here\u2019s what I found.<\/p>\n What are Adaptogenic Mushrooms?<\/p>\n Adaptogens are the active compounds found in plants and fungi that impact how your body deals with things like stress, anxiety, and fatigue<\/a>, according to the Cleveland Clinic<\/a>. Although researchers are still working to understand exactly how they work, they\u2019re generally believed to influence the body\u2019s stress-response systems.<\/p>\n Three mushrooms have been identified as potentially having adaptogenic effects: cordyceps (yes, that one, from The Last of Us), lion\u2019s mane, and reishi.<\/p>\n Some research suggests that cordyceps<\/a> may increase the body\u2019s production of adenosine triphosphate, which helps deliver energy to the muscles, making those long runs feel a little easier.<\/p>\n Lion\u2019s mane<\/a> contains powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds that may help your muscles recover faster after a hard workout. And reishi<\/a> has polysaccharides that preliminary research suggests could help decrease fatigue and shorten recovery times.<\/p>\n For my purposes\u2014wanting to make my summer runs feel easier and my recovery times shorter\u2014I decided to start my adaptogenic mushroom journey with cordyceps and reishi supplements.<\/p>\n My Month-Long Experiment with Adaptogenic Mushrooms<\/p>\n After some research into the various types of adaptogenic mushrooms, I settled on four products to try: two cordyceps and two reishi.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Fungies Cordyceps Mushroom Gummies $20 from Fungies<\/a><\/p>\n Fungies cordyceps mushroom gummies<\/a> promise to elevate energy, help with fatigue, and support endurance and overall stamina.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n That bump in energy held steady throughout the month, but it feels next to impossible to know whether the mushrooms deserve all the credit.<\/p>\n My training, sleep, nutrition<\/a>, 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 365 by Whole Foods Market Cordyceps Mushroom Capsules $19 from Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n The 365 by Whole Foods Market cordyceps mushroom capsules<\/a> also promised energy and stamina support, but I noticed much less dramatic results.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n Real Mushrooms Reishi Mushroom Capsules $40 from Real Mushrooms<\/a><\/p>\n Real Mushrooms reishi mushroom capsules<\/a> say they can help with a host of things, from restful sleep and relaxation to immune resilience, cardiovascular health, and resilience to stress.<\/p>\n 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<\/a>, foam rolling<\/a>, 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.<\/p>\n Like with the Fungies gummies, it\u2019s hard to say whether the capsules were solely responsible for these improvements, but I\u2019ve been convinced enough that I continue to take them after long, hard days.<\/p>\n Gaia Herbs Reishi Mushroom Capsules
\n![\"fungies](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/fungies-mushroom-gummy.png\"\/)
(Photo: Courtesy of Fungies)<\/p>\n
\n![\"bottle](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/365-cordyceps.png\"\/)
(Illustration: Outside Run, Photo Courtesy 365 Whole Foods Market)<\/p>\n
\n![\"real](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/real-mushrooms.png\"\/)
(Photo: Illustration by Outside Run, Photo Courtesy of Real Mushrooms)<\/p>\n
\n![\"hand](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/gaia-mushrooms.png\"\/)
(Photo: Courtesy of Gaia Herbs)<\/p>\n