GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
Ginseng is not so much a cure-all as a prevent- all, a
strengthening “tonic” herb taken to rejuvenate and
revitalize the body. Ginseng has been shown to act on both
the cardiovascular and central nervous systems. Among ginseng’s key ingredients are chemicals called
saponins or glycosides, particularly a group called
ginsenosides, about twodozen of which have been identified.
These chemicals appear to affect the nervous system,
blood flow to the brain and certain neurotransmitters.
ROLE FOR ANTI-AGING:
Ginseng helps to regulate blood pressure
and maintain blood glucose levels (a traditional
use is in the control of diabetes). Several studies have shown that ginseng supports
the thymus and spleen, and therefore boosts the immune system. Ginseng also appears to
have anti-cancer potential; a recent study found that a
ginseng extract had potent antioxidant effects, acting as a
chelator of metal ions and a scavenger of free radicals.
Korean researchers recently found that people who regularly used ginseng had a dramatically
reduced risk of developing cancer of the ovaries,
pancreas, and stomach. Individuals who had been taking
ginseng the longest had the lowest overall risk of cancer.
Research published in May 2002 suggests that an extract of the ginseng berry (the root is
typically the only part of the plant used medicinally) may
be useful for treating type II diabetes and obesity. Results of the study
on mice bred to develop diabetes showed that the extract normalized blood sugar levels, improved
insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity, and lowered
cholesterol levels by 30%.Furthermore, the treated animals
lost more than 10% of their body weight, ate 15% less,
and were 35% more active than untreated mice.
THERAPEUTIC DAILY AMOUNT:
Ginseng comes in a variety of forms, from the
whole root to teas to standardized extracts. Potency varies considerably, depending on the type,
place of origin and how it was cultivated, stored and
prepared. The most predictable results come from using
products standardized for one or more ginsenosides
(chemicals isolated from the whole plant); an average dose is 100mg of an extract standardized for 7% ginsenosides.
MAXIMUM SAFE LEVEL: Not established
SIDE EFFECTS/CONTRAINDICATIONS:
Ginseng may occasionally cause insomnia, but no long-term adverse-effects from taking average
doses have been identified. However, a few contraindications
exist: Ginseng is best used with caution by anyone
with high blood pressure or cardiovascular disease and should not be used by pregnant or nursing
women. Children should not take ginseng, as the structure of
some of the ginsenosides is chemically similar to certain
steroid hormones that have unknown effects on children’s growth and development.
