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ginseng graphic

Ginseng

Ginseng is the most famous Asian herb. Various forms of ginseng have been used in medicine for more than 7,000 years.

 

Claimed health benefits

Stimulates the immune system

Elevates mood, improves physical and mental performance.

 

Evidence for health benefits

The clinical evidence supporting the claimed benefits for ginseng is confusing. Many studies and study reviews have been carried out with mixed results. In a double-blind, randomized, crossover study (thought to be well controlled), it was shown that 6 weeks of ginseng supplementation improved the work capacity and performance of athletes in comparison to a placebo group[1]. However, an extensive review of all of the clinical trials supporting ginseng's role in athletic performance states that while studies with animals show that ginseng or its active components may prolong survival to physical or chemical stress, there is, generally, a lack of controlled research demonstrating the ability of ginseng to improve or prolong performance in fatigued humans [2].

It is a similar story with ginseng's possible mental performance-enhancing properties. One double blind, crossover study on students' mental performance during arithmetic, deductive logic and sensory-motor function tests showed that students taking ginseng supplements improved more than those taking a placebo [3]. In contrast, an extensive review of the clinical trials to date conclude that the evidence supporting ginseng's positive effect on mental performance is not established beyond reasonable doubt [4].

 

Cautions

Ginseng has adverse drug interactions with warfarin and phenelzine, the MAO inhibitor.

Overdosing on ginseng can cause gastrointestinal problems, insomnia and hypertension.

Possible side effects include diarrhea, insomnia, nervousness, nausea, and vomiting, although side effects are infrequent at recommended doses.

It is important to remember that dietary supplements do not have to be manufactured to any standards, and thus supplements from different manufacturers are likely to vary in quality. [tell me more]

There is a distinct lack of scientific data on the safety of herbal supplements when taken by children and pregnant or breast feeding women. If you fit into these categories do not take herbal supplements.

As with all dietary supplements, make sure that you inform your physician of what you are taking when you visit.

 

Dose

The generally accepted safe dose for all of the panax ginseng species is 100 mg 1-2 times daily. For Siberian ginseng (33% fluid extract), 2-4mL one to three times daily is recommended.

It is also a universally accepted practice that the doses be spread out to regular intervals throughout the day, and that a one - two week abstinence period should occur every two to three weeks for panax, and every five to seven weeks for Siberian ginseng.[5]

 

Choosing the brand

Different species

The ginseng family contains five closely related species and one distant cousin that are all found on the supplement market.

  • Chinese, Korean or Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng)

  • American ginseng (Panax quinquefolium)

  • Japanese ginseng (Panax japonicum)

  • Himalayan ginseng (Panax pseudoginseng)

  • Dwarf ginseng (Panax trifolium)

  • Siberan ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus) - the distant cousin

  • P.ginseng and E.senticosus are considered the most important medicinal species as most research has concentrated on them specifically. P.ginseng contains 13 ginsenosides, the active ingredients in ginseng supplements, which may also be called panaxosides or eleuthrosides.

Contamination
The people who harvest herbs for these products are not qualified botanists and there have been many reports of unwanted and sometimes poisonous parts of the plants or other plants being picked and added to herbal remedies. Some journals have speculated that liver damage of unknown origin might stem from herbs more often than doctors realize, and a representative for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention even suggested that some herbal supplements may be contaminated with real drugs for extra "punch".

Cost per month
$6.30 (based on prices in a mid-western city, March, 2000).

Standardization
A study carried out in November 1995 by Consumer Reports examined the ginsenoside content of 10 different ginseng products. They found that some pills contained 10 or 20 times as much as others. They also found that the labels don't help you out: when two brands that claimed both to contain 648 mg of ginsenosides were compared, one actually contained 10 times more per pill than the other.

 

References

1. Pieralisi G, Ripari P, Vecchiet L, et al: Effects of standardized ginseng extract combined with dimethylaminoethanol bitartrate, vitamins, minerals, and trace elements on physical performance during exercise. Clin Ther 13:372-382, 1991.

2. Bahrke MS, Morgan WP: Evaluation of the ergogenic properties of ginseng. Sports Med 18(4):229-48, 1994.

3. D'Angelo L, Grimaldi R, Caravaggi M, et al: A double blind, placebo controlled study on the effect of a standardized ginseng extract on psychomotor performance on healthy volunteers. Journal of Ethnopharmacol 16:15-22, 1986.

4. Vogler BK, Pittler MH, Ernst E: The efficacy of ginseng. A systematic review of randomised clinical trials. European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 55(8):567-75, 1999.

5. Brown DJ: Herbal perscriptions for better health. Rocklin, Calif., Prima publishing, 1996