Cordyceps vs ashwagandha: differences, doses and taking both

Cordyceps vs ashwagandha at a glance

	Cordyceps	Ashwagandha
What it is	a fungus	a shrub in the nightshade family (Withania somnifera)
Part used	fruiting body or mycelium, usually cultivated	the root
Traditional use	Chinese and Tibetan medicine	Ayurveda (Indian traditional medicine)
Forms	drops, capsules, powder, coffee blends	drops, capsules, powder, gummies
Typical daily amount on our drops	1 to 2 ml (supplier spec: 333 to 666 mg of dried mushroom)	1 to 2 ml (supplier spec: 667 to 1,334 mg of dried root)
Taste	mild, earthy	bitter, earthy
When people usually take it	morning	evening
Human research	small and scattered	dozens of trials, mostly on stress and sleep

What does the research say?

Ashwagandha has been tested in people far more. A 2022 review pooled 12 randomised trials with 1,002 adults and found lower stress and anxiety scores with ashwagandha than with placebo. The reviewers rated the certainty of that evidence as low: the trials were small, varied a lot, and often used different extracts.

Cordyceps has much less. Most human studies are small, use cordyceps in a blend with other ingredients, or were done in hospital patients rather than healthy people. A lot of what’s written online about cordyceps comes from animal research.

Can you take cordyceps and ashwagandha together?

There’s no known interaction between them, and they’re often sold together. The things to check are your medicines, not the combination:

• Cordyceps may interact with blood thinners, antiplatelet medicines, diabetes medicines and immune-suppressing drugs.
• Ashwagandha may interact with thyroid medicine, sedatives and sleeping tablets, blood pressure medicines, diabetes medicines and immune-suppressing drugs.

Both can add to the effect of diabetes medicines, so if you take one, ask your pharmacist before taking both supplements.

Who should avoid them?

• Pregnant or breastfeeding women: avoid both.
• People with an autoimmune condition: check with your GP first.
• Ashwagandha: people with thyroid conditions or liver problems, or anyone due to have surgery, should check first. Rare cases of liver injury have been reported.
• Cordyceps: people allergic to moulds or fungi.

Is ashwagandha banned anywhere?

Yes, in some countries. Denmark banned it in food supplements in 2023 after a risk assessment by its national food institute, and the Netherlands advised against it in 2024. Other European regulators have reviewed it, and as of mid-2026 there’s an ongoing EU-level discussion but no EU-wide ban. It’s on sale in Ireland.

Questions people ask

Which is better for energy?

Neither has strong human evidence for energy. People tend to choose cordyceps for daytime and ashwagandha for winding down.

Can I take them with Lion's Mane?

Yes, there’s no known interaction. We’ve written about taking Lion’s Mane and ashwagandha together.

Can I drink alcohol with them?

See cordyceps and alcohol. Ashwagandha can add to the drowsiness alcohol causes.

Our drops: cordyceps · ashwagandha

Sources

1. Akhgarjand C, et al. Does ashwagandha supplementation have a beneficial effect on the management of anxiety and stress? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Phytother Res 2022. PubMed 36017529
2. WebMD. Cordyceps: interactions. webmd.com
3. NutraIngredients. Timeline: will authorities de-throne the king of herbs? (July 2026). nutraingredients.com
4. Nutraway product information sheets for Cordyceps and Ashwagandha dual extract tinctures (daily amounts).

This article is general information, not medical advice. If you take any medication, talk to your GP or pharmacist before taking any supplement.