Horbaach Cordyceps CS-4 Strain 2000 mg, 200 Capsules, EXP 10/2028

Six-dimension breakdown

Why this scored 52/100

Horbaach is a Long Island-based mass-market supplement house that packages a wide range of single-ingredient botanicals and vitamins at low cost. Cordyceps CS-4 refers to a specific mycelial strain of Cordyceps sinensis (the wild traditional Chinese species, distinct from Cordyceps militaris) that was isolated in China in the 1980s and is now cultivated on liquid fermentation media because wild C. sinensis harvesting is unsustainable and the species does not produce fruiting bodies in captivity. The "2000mg per serving" label typically references the mycelium-plus-substrate mass rather than pure fruiting body — CS-4 by definition is fermented mycelium. Compared to fruit-body cordyceps (like Mycoterra's product in this batch), CS-4 mycelial biomass has substantially different bioactive content: lower cordycepin, less clear beta-glucan profile, and higher residual polysaccharide from the fermentation broth. The product has no visible third-party assay, no standardization to specific bioactives, no disclosure of cordycepin content, and Horbaach's brand-level manufacturing QC has produced mixed results in Consumer Lab-style independent testing over the years. Rejected: while the general cordyceps use case is legitimate, the CS-4 mycelium form at commodity mass-market grade without standardization or third-party verification does not meet Vyvata's evidence-listing threshold.

Evidence & sources

The Vyvata score's Evidence dimension measures the quality of published RCT support for a product's active ingredients at the label dose. Our source hierarchy: double-blind RCTs in MEDLINE-indexed journals > single-blind RCTs > open-label trials > observational studies > mechanism papers > N=1 case studies (anecdotes). Predatory journals and manufacturer-authored studies without independent replication are weighted down.

Product-specific evidence citations for this item are embedded in the analysis text on the "Analysis" tab. For the full framework and evidence hierarchy, see the methodology page.

How to read the Evidence dimension

• 80–100: Multiple double-blind RCTs in indexed journals directly testing this product OR the exact ingredients at the exact dose.
• 60–79: Single double-blind RCT + supporting ingredient literature at the studied dose.
• 40–59: Open-label trials + ingredient literature; no product-specific double-blind evidence.
• 20–39: Ingredient literature only; no product-specific trials or trials in predatory venues.
• 0–19: No credible evidence base or unverifiable claims.

FAQ data has not been generated for this product yet. See the site FAQ for general questions.

Customer reviews

All the data we have on this product

Every VSF-related metafield surfaced verbatim. Nothing hidden. If you spot data that looks wrong, let us know.

VSF score

52 / 100

Tier

Rejected

Category

Supplements

Subcategory

energy metabolic

Last scored

August 30, 2026

Third-party certifications

None on record at time of scoring

Vendor

Take It or Leave It

Product type

supplement

Tags

Shopify Collective, Take It or Leave It

Every score is set from the published rubric, audit-logged, and rescored whenever new evidence emerges (published trials, updated labels, third-party testing releases). Every vendor is scored on the same criteria — no pay-to-play. See our editorial-independence disclosure for the full policy, including brands with an editorial relationship to this site.