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The 'king of all tonics'
Ginseng is as fascinating as it is controversial. The root of an unassuming, ivy-like ground cover with bright red berries, it has been the subject of more than 1,200 books and scientific papers (most from Asia), yet its effects are still hotly debated.
Ginseng is not one herb, but three: Chinese or Korean (Panax ginseng), American (Panax quinquefolius), and Siberian (Eleutherococcus senticosus). The Siberian plant is not true ginseng, but it is botanically related, contains similar active constituents, and studies show it has similar effects. As a result, Western herbalists consider all three to be "ginseng." (Chinese physicians make subtle distinctions among them.) [1]
Advocates say ginseng is completely safe, and call it an "adaptogen," meaning that it helps the body cope with a broad range of stresses. They say it enhances productivity, stamina, immune function, and sex, while reducing blood cholesterol and sugar (glucose), and minimizing the ravages of stress, aging, radiation, alcohol, and narcotics. Critics, however, point to studies showing that the herb has no effect at all. It now seems clear that the studies showing no effect used adulterated ginseng that contained little or none of the herb. (Because ginseng has been so prized and so expensive for so long, adulteration has been a problem for centuries.) [2]
Recently, researchers around the world have been careful to use ginseng products that reliably contain the herb. Their findings largely support what Asians have maintained for centuries -- that ginseng is a tonic that subtly improves health and well-being.
Sources
1 Tyler, V. Herbs of Choice: The Therapeutic Use of Phytomedicinals. New York: Pharmaceutical Products Press/Hawthorn Press, 1994.
2 Ibid.
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Latest News
Compared with a just a daily multivitamin/mineral formula, the supplement plus ginseng improves self-reported quality of life, according to a recent study.
Scientists at the Medical School of the National Autonomous University of Mexico gave 501 people a questionnaire asking about their health, well-being, pain, depression, energy level, sex life, sleep quality, and personal satisfaction. Then 162 members of the group were given a daily multivitamin/mineral supplement, while 338 were given the same formula plus ginseng (standardized extract, 80 mg). [3]
After four months, all the participants completed the quality-of-life survey again. Both groups reported improved quality of life, but those taking the ginseng claimed significantly greater improvement.
Existing Medical Research
Because of ginseng's rarity and enormous value, adulteration has been a problem for centuries. It still is today. Some years ago, researchers evaluated 54 "ginseng" products available in health food stores in the United States. The scientists judged 60% of the products "worthless" because they contained too little of the herb to have any biological effect. Twenty-five percent contained no ginseng at all.
The health food industry denounced this study and the health food trade journal Whole Foods commissioned an independent test. It showed essentially the same results.
The conclusion: be sure to buy your ginseng supplements from a reliable source.
Following is a sampling of recent ginseng research:
- Ginseng has stimulant action that may help counteract fatigue. European researchers studied 232 people between ages 25 and 60 who complained of persistent fatigue. Half were given a daily placebo, and half a ginseng preparation containing nine vitamins, eight minerals, and a standardized ginseng extract (80 mg). After seven weeks, the ginseng group was analyzed using standard tests of fatigue. They reported significantly less lethargy. The study authors assert that ginseng combats fatigue by supporting the adrenal glands. [4]
- Ginseng may improve mental acuity. Danish researchers gave 112 healthy, middle-aged adults a battery of mental function tests that examined their memory, reaction time, and attention span, and their ability to learn, concentrate, and think abstractly. The researchers then gave the participants either a placebo or ginseng extract (400 mg/day) for nine weeks. When re-tested, the ginseng group showed significant improvement in two of the tests: reaction time and abstract thinking. [5]
- Ginseng enhances the immune system, meaning that users are less likely to become ill and more likely to recover faster if they do get sick. Italian researchers gave subjects with chronic bronchitis either a placebo or ginseng (100 mg of extract) every 12 hours for eight weeks. Periodically, the researchers took respiratory mucus samples and analyzed them for the white blood cells that engulf and devour invading germs. By the end of the study, the white blood cells of those in the ginseng group were significantly more active, and when tested, killed more germs. [6]
- Ginseng may have several therapeutic effects on diabetics. Finnish researchers gave 36 people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes either a placebo or ginseng extract (100 or 200 mg/day). Compared with the placebo group, both ginseng groups reported more mood elevation, improved performance on physical and psychological tests, and lower blood-sugar levels. The 200 mg group reported greater benefits than the lower-dose group. [7]
- Ginseng may help prevent cancer. Korean researchers added a number of supplements, including ginseng, to the drinking water of mice, and then exposed them to tobacco smoke. Compared with mice who drank plain water, those who drank water containing an extract of six-year-old ginseng root developed significantly fewer lung tumors. (Four-year-old ginseng root had no effect.) [8]
- Ginseng may help treat cancer. Chinese researchers gave a large number of mice a substance that causes liver cancer, then gave them either no treatment; treatment with radiation or ginseng; or a combination of the two. Compared with the untreated mice, those receiving radiation survived 17% longer. The ginseng group survived 20% longer. And the combined radiation-ginseng group survived 82% longer. [9]
- Finally, ginseng has a reputation in Asia as a mild aphrodisiac and treatment for impotence. The jury is still out on those claims, but Italian scientists have shown that the herb increases sperm count. Researchers at the University of Rome gave ginseng extract (4 g/day) to 30 men between ages 26 and 41 who were infertile because of low sperm counts, and to 20 men with normal sperm counts. After three months, the sperm counts of both groups improved, but the counts of the infertile men improved more. The infertile men's counts rose from 15 million/ml to 29 million/ml. The normal men went from 85 million/ml to 93 million/ml. [10]
Sources
3 Marasco, C., et al. "Double-Blind Study of a Multivitamin Complex Supplemented with Ginseng Extract," Drugs Under Experimental and Clinical Research 22:323, 1996.
4 LeGal, M., et al. "Pharmaton Ginseng Capsules in the Treatment of Functional Fatigue: A Double-Blind Study vs. Placebo," Phytotherapy Research (1996) 10:4953.
5 Sorensen, H. and J. Sonne. "A Double-Masked Study of the Effects of Ginseng on Cognitive Function," Current Therapeutic Research (1996) 57:959.
6 Scaglione, F., et al. "Clinical Trial of Ginseng for Bronchitis," International Journal of Immunotherapy (1994) 10:21.
7 Sotaniemi, E.A., et al. "Ginseng Therapy in Non-Insulin-Dependent Diabetics," Diabetes Care (1995) 18:1373.
8 Yun, T.K. "Experimental and Epidemiological Evidence of the Cancer-Preventive Effect of Panax Ginseng," Nutrition Reviews (1996) 54 (Suppl.): S72.
9 You, J.S., et al. "Combined Effects of Ginseng and Radiotherapy on Experimental Liver Cancer." Phytotherapy Research (1995) 9:331
10 Salvati, G. et al. "Effects of Panax Ginseng on Male Infertility," Panmineva Med. (1996) 38:249.
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Common Uses
Ginseng may be helpful in treating:
- Low energy levels
- Lack of vitality
- Lack of mental sharpness
- Impotence
- Sexual dysfunction
- Lowered immune system
Remember that no health claims for ginseng have been evaluated by the FDA.
Historical and Folkloric Use
Ginseng has a fleshy, multibranched root. If you stretch your imagination, some ginseng roots resemble the human form, with limb-like branches suggesting arms and legs. The ancient Chinese called the plant "man root," jen shen, which later became "ginseng."
Ginseng figured prominently in the first great Chinese herbal, the Pen Tsao Ching (The Classic of Herbs) compiled by the mythological emperor/sage Shen Nung (c. 3000 B.C.). Shen Nung recommended it for "enlightening the mind and increasing wisdom. Continuous use leads to longevity..."
In China, Korea, and Japan, ginseng was -- and still is -- widely used to treat infirmities of old age: lethargy, arthritis, loss of mental acuity, impotence, and loss of sexual interest.
Unlike other Asian herbs that became favorites in the West -- for example, ginger and cinnamon -- ginseng remained a mystery in Europe until the 18th century, when missionaries informed early European botanists of its reputation for extending longevity. Europeans scoffed at Asian claims, but those familiar with Asia -- particularly the Jesuits, who had many missions in China -- appreciated the herb's great value there.
In 1704, a French explorer returned to Paris with a sample of what turned out to be American ginseng from southern Canada. Jesuits in France alerted their brethren in Canada to its enormous value in China, and some years later, Jesuits in Montreal shipped a boatload to Canton, where other Jesuits sold it to the Chinese for what was then a king's ransom: five dollars a pound.
Immediately the Jesuits began shipping to China as much ginseng as their Indian collectors could find. They made a fortune and kept the lucrative trade a secret for many years. But word eventually leaked out that the celibate Fathers seemed to take an unusual interest in a certain low-growing herb that was rumored to be an aphrodisiac in far-off Cathay.
Once the word got out, ginseng was discovered growing as far south as Georgia. It enjoyed a brief burst of popularity among American colonists interested in sexual stimulation. Most were disappointed. Virginia plantation owner William Byrd (1674-1744) wrote that ginseng "frisks the spirits" but caused none "of those naughty effects that might make men too troublesome and impertinent to their wives."
By the 1740s, few Americans were consuming ginseng, but news of its incredible value in China hit the 13 Colonies like word of the California gold strike 100 years later. Shipping agents circulated handbills offering to buy the herb for the then-fabulous sum of one dollar a pound. Foragers scoured the countryside, and frontier scouts, surveyors, and fur trappers collected ginseng as a sideline to their other work. Ginseng quickly became the Colonies' most valuable export -- more precious pound for pound than even the rarest furs.
By the 1770s, ginseng fever had wiped out the plant along the Eastern Seaboard, forcing collectors into the trackless wilderness across the Appalachians. The search for ginseng played a major role in the exploration of western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee. One intrepid pioneer who combined trapping and scouting with ginseng collecting was none other than Daniel Boone, who sold the herb to a Philadelphia exporter.
Wild American ginseng is no longer plentiful, but in Appalachia, collectors still forage for the herb. In addition, growers in the United States earn several million dollars a year growing ginseng commercially. Today, 80% of U.S. ginseng is grown in Marathon County, Wisconsin. To be mature, ginseng roots must be six years old at harvest, so growers must be extremely patient. Almost all of the U.S. ginseng crop is shipped to Asia.
Dosage and Administration
You may find ginseng and its supplements in several forms:
- Supplements: Capsules, tablets, liquid extracts, powders and dry roots
- Sodas, herbal teas, and rock candy
Tea: Use prepackaged ginseng or brew your own. Place one to two teaspoons of fresh or dried ginseng root in one cup of boiling water. Simmer for approximately 15 minutes. Drink one cup a day.
Capsules: Take one to three 100-400 milligram capsules a day, or as directed on the package.
Tinctures: take two to three dropperfuls of the extract several times a day, or as directed on the package.
If you plan to use ginseng long-term, it is recommended that you take a break between cycles of ginseng administration every two or three months.
Storage
Keep any form of ginseng in a cool, dry place.
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How to Use Ginseng Safely
Follow the package directions on any form of ginseng.
Ginseng is generally regarded as safe in recommended doses. But it is a stimulant. People who take large doses (more than one g/day) have reported nervousness and restlessness -- symptoms similar to those experienced by people who drink more coffee than they are used to. Ginseng may interact with stimulants, such as ephedra and caffeine to produce overstimulation.
Other problems with ginseng are rare, but allergic reactions are possible, and the medical journals contain a few dozen case reports of side effects, including insomnia, breast soreness, asthma attacks, increased blood pressure, and disturbances in heart rhythm (cardiac arrhythmias). People with insomnia, asthma, high blood pressure, or cardiac arrhythmia should not use it.
Asian studies show that ginseng causes no birth defects in the offspring of rats, rabbits, and lambs. But until more human testing is done, pregnant and nursing women should err on the side of caution and not use ginseng.
If you are diabetic, check with your physician before taking ginseng because there have been reports that it may lower your blood sugar level.
Possible Side Effects
Generally, there are no significant side effects when taking ginseng in the appropriate dosages. However, when taking higher doses or using ginseng for long periods of time, some sensitive people may experience the following side effects:
- Headache
- Insomnia
- Nervousness
- Anxiety
- Skin rash
- Breast tenderness (women)
- Increased blood pressure
If any of these effects occur, stop taking the herb and talk to your doctor.
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Sources & Further Reading
Books
- American Botanical Council. The Complete Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Boston: American Botanical Council/Integrative Medicine Communications, 1998.
- Castleman. M. The Healing Herbs. Emmaus, PA: Rodale Press, 1991.
- Duke, J. The Green Pharmacy. Emmaus, PA: Rodale Press, 1997.
- Tyler, V. Herbs of Choice: The Therapeutic Use of Phytomedicinals. New York: Pharmaceutical Products Press/Hawthorn Press, 1994.
- Weiner, M. and J. Weiner. Herbs That Heal: Prescription for Herbal Healing. Mill Valley, CA: Quantum Books, 1994.
- Werbach, M. and M. Murray. Botanical Influences on Illness. Tarzana, CA: Third Line Press, 1994.
Articles
- Anon. "Eleutherococcus," Review of Natural Products 5-96.
- LeGal, M., et al. "Pharmaton Ginseng Capsules in the Treatment of Functional Fatigue: A Double-Blind Study vs. Placebo," Phytotherapy Research (1996) 10:4953.
- Marasco, C., et al. "Double-Blind Study of a Multivitamin Complex Supplemented with Ginseng Extract," Drugs Under Experimental and Clinical Research 22:323, 1996.
- Salvati, G., et al. "Effects of Panax Ginseng on Male Infertility," Panmineva Med. (1996) 38:249.
- Scaglione, F., et al. "Clinical Trial of Ginseng for Bronchitis," International Journal of Immunotherapy (1994) 10:21.
- Sorensen, H. and J. Sonne. "A Double-Masked Study of the Effects of Ginseng on Cognitive Function," Current Therapeutic Research (1996) 57:959.
- Sotaniemi, E.A., et al. "Ginseng Therapy in Non-Insulin-Dependent Diabetics," Diabetes Care (1995) 18:1373.
- You, J.S., et al. "Combined Effects of Ginseng and Radiotherapy on Experimental Liver Cancer." Phytotherapy Research (1995) 9:331
- Yun, T.K. "Experimental and Epidemiological Evidence of the Cancer-Preventive Effect of Panax Ginseng," Nutrition Reviews (1996) 54 (Suppl.): S72.
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