8 Benefits of Ginseng

There are many herbal remedies that claim to induce extra stamina and other significant health advantages but ginseng may be the real deal. This is a slow growing perennial that can be found on just about any continent however certain strains may fair better than others.

Peruse these 8 benefits of ginseng to see if it might be worth adding to your daily regiment before reaching for a conventional remedy. It is an effective tonic worth its rich history that continues to be as effective as it was coming from a tribal Shaman’s hands 5,000 years ago.

Ginseng Contains Ginsenosides and Polysaccharides

The two types of selective, most potent forms of ginseng are Asian (P. Ginseng) and American (Panax quinquefolius, L.). Panax ginseng is the true genus which should be sought while those advertised as eleuthero, or Siberian ginseng are considered to not contain effective amounts of ginsenosides and polysaccharides.

Asian may be more potent than American ginseng however it really comes down to the age of the plant. Four years is the best starting point while older harvests offer even higher potency.

BioMed Central describes ginsenosides as,

“…important natural resources to be developed into new modalities, and may replace steroids in the current regimen to lessen undesirable side effects…biochemically stabilized to avoid degradation and enhance absorption in the gastrointestinal tract…”

Mother Earth News describes polysaccharides as,

“…antioxidants with immune-regulating effects and are thought to be partly responsible for its anti-cancer benefits.”

Weight Loss and Diabetes Control

There is no magic bullet for weight loss and diabetes but using a botanical remedy such as ginseng offers a welcome maintenance tool.

According to a study of ginseng in Phytotherapy Research Journal, a daily protocol of Asian or American ginseng has been found to,

“make cells less able to complete the fat storage process resulting in less weight gain.”

The study also found that,

“Wild ginseng was administered orally to the mice at 100mg/kg and 200m/kg for 4 weeks. The mice showed a loss of body weight and a decrease in blood glucose levels when compared to the control mice.”

Also, Natural News reports,

“The Journal of the American College of Nutrition found that American Ginseng is useful in improving diabetes control, reducing associated risk factors such as hyperlipidemia and hypertension, and ameliorating insulin resistance. American ginseng acts in the digestive tract to increase insulin secretion.”

The Male Factor

It is believed that the ginseng root grows in the shape of a man prompting its centuries old application to the male system. It turns out that results from a 17 year Korean study of 6,282 male and female subjects over the age of 55 showed “a significant reduction in all cause mortality (death from all sources) among males”.

In addition, ginseng used as a daily male tonic has been linked to alleviating erectile dysfunction while enhancing stamina.

The Female Factor

Although many practitioners consider ginseng a male benefit, it turns out that it may be a significant health remedy for females as well.

Published in the Journal of sexual Medicine (4/10), researchers at the Department of Urology, Chonnam National University Medical School, Sexual Medicine Research Center, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Korea studied the effects of Korean red ginseng on sexual arousal in menopausal women concluding that,

“Oral administration of KRG extracts improved sexual arousal in menopausal women. Red ginseng extracts might be used as an alternative medicine in menopausal women to improve their sexual life.”

Stress and Fatigue

One of the most well known benefits of ginseng is its ability to relieve stress and fatigue. It is the result of its effect on the body’s hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis).

An 8 week, 2000 mg per day protocol, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of cancer patient fatigue by Mayo Clinic researchers showed that,

“ginseng showed a statistically and clinically significant difference in their levels of fatigue compared to those taking the placebo.”

Mother Earth News also reports that ginseng has,

“…nutritive, restorative, and normalizing effects which enhance homeostasis and counteract negative effects brought about by stressors.”

 

These 8 benefits of ginseng offer powerful, study driven, evidence based science that rivals many conventional remedies. Some ginseng contraindications may apply to your specific health history so check with your physician or naturopathic doctor before starting a protocol.