Pro Tennis Player Vasek Pospisil on How Functional Mushrooms Changed his Life

Vasek Pospisil, Canadian pro tennis player, has dominated the tennis court for 13 years. 

Now, along with Russell Henderson and Justin Kates, he’s set his sights on the business world with the launch of his new venture, Hekate; a DTC functional mushrooms brand. While it may seem like an unusual venture for the pro tennis player, Pospisil’s entire career has set him up for this moment. 

While his prolific tennis career began at the age of 5 (when he stopped being a ball boy for his brothers and began his own training), Pospisil reached a career high ranking of 25 in 2014 and won the men’s doubles title at Wimbledon in the same year. 

As he was flying high, Pospisil was also dealing with a back injury that had been plaguing him for years. In January of 2019 he underwent surgery to repair his herniated disc and the resulting recuperation forced him off the court for months. During this time he was working with a micro nutritionist who swore by the benefits of functional mushrooms and put him on a daily regimen of the superfood. Functional mushrooms are species of fungi that have functional benefits beyond nutrition; everything from lowering stress, boosting energy and strengthening the immune system. Pospisil was amazed at the impact they had on his recovery and wanted to find a way to share functional mushrooms with the world.

Fast forward, Pospisil and two friends Russell Henderson and Justin Kates, launched Hekate. The three business partners have set out to revolutionize physical and mental performance with the use of functional mushrooms and make the superfood more accessible for everyone. They source the highest quality organic, vegan and gluten-free ingredients and use specific strains of functional mushrooms that have shown health benefits, including Chaga (an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant), Reishi (strengthens the immune system and soothes mental and physical stress), Lion’s Mane (enhances focus, creativity, memory and mood) and Cordyceps (boosts athletic performance and cardiovascular health). 

Vasek recently competed at the US Open and has received international praise for his performance on the court.  Pospisil believes functional mushrooms are a key component to his recent success. “My morning breakfast routine with my not so secret weapon, Hekate, keeping me mentally and physically sharp,” shared Pospisil. 

While there are countless articles and stories touting the health benefits of certain foods, functional mushrooms are the real deal. There are various studies that have shown that this superfood has anti-inflammatory and immune system benefits. In fact, mushrooms and functional mushrooms have been used by various cultures for their health benefits for centuries, all the way from Greek physician Hippocrates to ancient Chinese medical texts dating back to 206BC. 

Today, you can enjoy both the health benefits and taste of functional mushrooms in your coffee, smoothie, your favourite milk or in hot water with Hekate’s Star Power, an adaptogenic cacao blend. With a mix of Chaga, Reishi and Lion’s Mane, this superfood super-blend is made with the goal of maximizing your everyday performance, boosting your cardiovascular system, increasing focus and alleviating stress and inflammation. 

To find out more about this superpower superfood and to purchase and get the incredible benefits yourself, visit Hekate.com.

This article was created in partnership with Hekate.