Mushrooms for Libido and Sex Drive: What the Research Actually Says

Updated November 2026

Mushrooms have been used as sexual tonics for at least 1,500 years. Traditional Chinese medicine texts describe Cordyceps as the remedy yak herders reached for when they noticed their livestock were unusually energetic after grazing on it.

In Ayurveda, medicinal mushrooms sat alongside botanicals as adaptogens prescribed for vitality and stamina.

Traditional use is not evidence. The question that matters now is what modern research shows about mushrooms for libido and sexual function.

The clinical and preclinical evidence covers the four functional mushrooms most often studied for sexual health: Cordyceps, Reishi, Lion's Mane and Chaga, plus their role in multi-ingredient libido formulations. Three versions of the same question come up constantly:

• You want the best mushroom supplement for women's libido.
• You want to know whether mushrooms for ED have real research behind them.
• You want to know if aphrodisiac mushrooms are anything more than folklore.

The short answer: are mushrooms aphrodisiacs?

At least three medicinal mushrooms have clinical or preclinical evidence for supporting sexual function. The mechanisms are mostly indirect:

• Cordyceps appears to support testosterone biosynthesis in Leydig cells.
• Nitric oxide pathway activation supports circulation and blood flow.
• ATP production covers the energy side of sexual function.
• Stress reduction through the HPA axis is where Reishi works.

The strongest evidence is for Cordyceps in male libido and energy. Reishi comes next for stress-mediated sexual dysfunction. Lion's Mane is emerging as a mood-and-cognition support.

The mushroom doses in the studies below were taken every day for weeks. Most clinical protocols run 8 to 12 weeks before response is measured, and that is the study timeline.

NUUD's own products work on a shorter clock. The gummies and the drinks are felt in 30 to 60 minutes, and one dose lasts up to 3 days. One dose of the capsules lasts up to 6 days.

Mushroom comparison: which is right for you?

Cordyceps: the best-studied sexual-support mushroom

Cordyceps sinensis (now reclassified as Ophiocordyceps sinensis) is the mushroom with the most direct evidence for sexual health. It's the one you'll see in nearly every evidence-informed libido formulation for a reason.^[1]

A 1998 trial reported 64.8% improvement

A double-blind study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine in 1998 found that Cordyceps supplementation improved libido and sexual function in both men and women who reported decreased sex drive. Improvement rates were 64.8% in the Cordyceps group compared to 23.8% in placebo.^[1]

A separate study in the Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine reported improvements in sperm quality and survival rate after 8 weeks of Cordyceps supplementation.

Three mechanisms are proposed:

• Cordyceps appears to support testosterone biosynthesis in Leydig cells.
• It improves ATP production, which is why it is also a popular athletic-performance supplement.
• It supports blood flow through nitric oxide pathway activation.

All three of those systems matter for sexual function.

What this means for men

For men, Cordyceps is the mushroom most directly tied to the research on male sexual function. It supports the same vascular pathways implicated in erectile function: blood flow and endothelial function.

What this means for women

For women, Cordyceps' effect is less direct. The 1998 study did include women and reported improvements in libido, but the mechanistic research on female sexual response is thinner.

What we know: Cordyceps supports energy production and circulation, both of which contribute to arousal responsiveness.

Reishi: the stress-mediated libido mushroom

Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) is the mushroom most often discussed in the context of stress-related sexual dysfunction. It does not directly raise testosterone or improve blood flow the way Cordyceps appears to.

What it does is modulate the HPA axis, the stress-response system, and that matters more for libido than most people realize.

The stress and libido connection

Chronic stress is one of the most reliable suppressors of sex drive in both men and women. Elevated cortisol does three things at once:

• It downregulates the production of sex hormones.
• It disrupts sleep, which further suppresses testosterone.
• It shifts the nervous system into sympathetic dominance, the opposite of the parasympathetic state arousal requires.

Reishi has been studied for three effects:

• Regulation of cortisol, the main stress hormone.
• Sleep quality, which these studies track alongside fatigue.
• HPA-axis function, the body's stress-response system.

Research has reported improvements in subjective well-being and reductions in fatigue markers after Reishi supplementation. The mechanism is an indirect one: it clears the biological static that suppresses libido in the first place.

Who Reishi is for

If your low libido is tied to burnout or chronic stress, Reishi is a more relevant target than Cordyceps. Sleep disruption belongs in that group too, since broken sleep drives the same cortisol rise.

The research positions Reishi as a remover-of-obstacles. Many people see higher libido once sleep and stress normalize, because the suppressors lifted.

Lion's Mane for mood and cognition

Lion's Mane (Hericium erinaceus) is popular in the functional mushroom conversation. The evidence base for its sexual-health effects is the weakest of the three mushrooms covered above.

Most of the research sits in three places:

• Cognitive function, which is where most trials land.
• Nerve growth factor support, usually written as NGF.
• Mood, including depression and anxiety symptoms.

Where Lion's Mane enters the libido conversation is through mood. A 2010 study in Biomedical Research reported reductions in depression and anxiety symptoms after four weeks of Lion's Mane supplementation in a small sample of menopausal women.^[2]

Depression and anxiety are among the most common contributors to sexual problems in men and women, so mood support is indirect libido support.

If your low libido is tied to mood or anxiety, Lion's Mane is a reasonable addition to a broader stack. If your primary issue is physical, circulation, testosterone or stamina, it is a weak fit. Do not expect it to work as a direct aphrodisiac.

Chaga: the honorable mention

Chaga (Inonotus obliquus) has strong traditional use as a general vitality tonic, but the sexual-health research specifically is limited. Its strongest evidence is for immune modulation and antioxidant capacity.

The libido connection is indirect. Chaga supports overall vitality and reduces oxidative stress, both of which contribute to sexual health over time.

If you are building a broad mushroom stack for general wellness that includes libido support as one component, Chaga is a reasonable addition. If you want aphrodisiac mushrooms with direct sexual-function evidence, it is lower priority than Cordyceps or Reishi.

Are mushroom gummies good for sex?

This is one of the most common questions people search. A mushroom gummy can deliver a functional mushroom extract when three conditions are met:

1. The extract is standardized. Whole mushroom powder is not the same as a standardized extract, and Cordyceps libido research uses extracts with verified polysaccharide and cordycepin content.
2. The dose is clinically meaningful. Most Cordyceps libido research uses doses between 1,000 and 3,000 mg daily, so a gummy with 50 mg of mushroom per serving falls short.
3. The gummy delivers what it claims. Third-party testing is how you check that.

In NUUD's products the NUUD Mushroom Complex™ sits alongside four botanical aphrodisiacs: Tribulus Terrestris, Muira Puama, Boiled Rehmannia Root and Piper Nigrum.

That pairing follows the research on libido formulations, which supports multi-ingredient products over single-ingredient ones.^[3] Explore the options: NUUD Libido Gummies for Women and NUUD Libido Gummies for Men.

Mushrooms for ED: Cordyceps has the most plausible application

Erectile dysfunction is primarily a circulatory issue. The penis requires healthy blood flow to achieve and maintain an erection. Anything that improves vascular function has potential relevance for ED; anything that does not, does not.

On that framework, Cordyceps is the mushroom with the most plausible ED application. It supports nitric oxide pathway activation and improves ATP production.

The 1998 human study explicitly reported improvements in erectile function among study participants.^[1] On current evidence this is the best mushroom for erectile dysfunction.

Reishi's ED application is indirect. It helps ED caused by stress and the sleep disruption that comes with it, which is a meaningful subset of cases. Lion's Mane and Chaga have minimal direct ED evidence.

Caveat: if erectile dysfunction is clinically significant, prescription treatment is the level of care that matches it. If ED is new, sudden, or severe, see a doctor to rule out cardiovascular causes before turning to supplements.

Cordyceps suits mild-to-moderate ED, age-related decline, and a role alongside lifestyle changes. It has no role as a replacement for appropriate medical care.

Best mushroom supplement for women's libido

The single-best mushroom for female libido is harder to name than for men, because the research base is thinner and female sexual response is more multi-factorial. Here's how to think about it:

• If stress, sleep or burnout drives your low libido, start with Reishi.
• If fatigue and low energy drive it, start with Cordyceps.
• If mood or anxiety drive it, add Lion's Mane as support alongside other approaches.
• If a hormonal transition such as perimenopause or post-partum is the context, mushrooms are one component of a broader stack. See our guide to low libido in menopause for what else to look at.

The best mushroom supplement for women's libido is usually a formulation that combines mushroom extracts with botanical aphrodisiacs tuned for female physiology. Single-ingredient products tend to underperform multi-ingredient stacks in libido research.^[3]

How to take mushrooms for libido

Study timeline versus product timeline. Most clinical protocols run 8 to 12 weeks before evaluating response, and that is how the Cordyceps trials above were designed. If you are 3 days into a mushroom protocol and have noticed nothing, that fits the study design.

NUUD's botanical products are built on a shorter clock. The gummies and the drinks are felt in 30 to 60 minutes, and one dose lasts up to 3 days. One dose of the capsules lasts up to 6 days.

Food pairing. Many mushroom extracts are better absorbed with fat. If you're using a capsule, take it with a meal that includes some fat.

Stack vs. solo. The research on libido formulations consistently favors multi-ingredient stacks over single mushrooms. That is the rationale behind NUUD formulas like the Libido Gummies for Women, Libido Gummies for Men, Libido Support Capsules for Women, and Libido Support Capsules for Men, which combine the NUUD Mushroom Complex with botanical aphrodisiacs.

Safety and interactions

• Blood thinners: Reishi can have mild blood-thinning effects. If you're on warfarin, aspirin, or other anticoagulants, consult your healthcare provider before adding Reishi.
• Immune-modulating medications: All functional mushrooms modulate immune function. If you're on immunosuppressants (post-transplant, autoimmune treatments), talk to your doctor.
• Hormonal considerations: Cordyceps can subtly support testosterone biosynthesis. This is usually desirable, but if you have hormone-sensitive conditions, discuss it with your provider.
• Pregnancy and nursing: There's not enough research on mushroom adaptogens during pregnancy or nursing. Avoid unless cleared by a doctor.

Cordyceps has the strongest direct evidence

Mushrooms can support libido, and the evidence grades differ by species. Cordyceps has the strongest direct evidence, especially for male sexual function and mild ED.

Reishi is the right tool when stress is the primary suppressor. Lion's Mane works on mood and cognition. Chaga covers general vitality. All of them do their best work as part of a broader natural libido stack.

NUUD's products combine the NUUD Mushroom Complex™ with Tribulus Terrestris, Muira Puama, Boiled Rehmannia Root and Piper Nigrum, a formula built around what the research supports for natural libido enhancement.

Explore the Libido Gummies for Women, Men's Libido Gummies, or the Libido Support Capsules for Women and Libido Support Capsules for Men.

If you want the broader natural-aphrodisiac research, read our companion guides: aphrodisiacs that actually work and how to increase sex drive naturally.

References

1. Zhu JS, Halpern GM, Jones K. The scientific rediscovery of an ancient Chinese herbal medicine: Cordyceps sinensis. J Altern Complement Med. 1998;4(3):289 to 303. PubMed PMID 9764768
2. Nagano M, Shimizu K, Kondo R, et al. Reduction of depression and anxiety by 4 weeks Hericium erinaceus intake. Biomed Res. 2010;31(4):231 to 237. PubMed PMID 20834180
3. Akhtari E, Raisi F, Keshavarz M, et al. Tribulus terrestris for treatment of sexual dysfunction in women. Daru. 2014;22(1):40. PubMed PMID 24773615

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Must be 21+ to purchase NUUD products.

NUUD's women's libido gummies build NUUD Mushroom Complex into a full botanical formula with Tribulus Terrestris and Muira Puama.