Should ginseng be a sought-after herb in the medicinal herb garden?

Should ginseng be a sought-after herb in the medicinal herb garden?

As one of the most popular herbal supplements, ginseng has been touted as having therapeutic effects ranging from improved memory and cognitive function, improved moods, increased energy, resistance to stress, aid in slowing aging, and increased erectile function in men. With all these claims, it is no wonder that ginseng has piqued the interest of the scientific community, and the question arises as to whether ginseng should be a valuable herb in the medicinal herb garden.

To answer this question, we will look at three main areas that are of great interest in the scientific community: endurance, diabetes and erectile dysfunction.

In a study published in Clinical Therapy, Italian researchers gave 50 physical education teachers a placebo or ginseng (including vitamins and minerals) and had them run on a treadmill. In the ginseng group, the teachers' lungs and hearts worked more efficiently and endurance increased significantly.

Diabetes Care published a study in which 30 patients newly diagnosed with diabetes received ginseng extract (100-200 mg per day) or a placebo. The ginseng group showed lower sugar levels, and further studies support this result. A word of caution, diabetes requires professional treatment. Ask your doctor about ginseng before use.

Yale University conducted a series of studies to determine whether ginseng could promote the body's synthesis of nitric oxide (NO). As NO increases, the likelihood of an erection also increases. To follow up on these findings and report them in the Journal of Urology, Korean researchers gave 45 men with erectile dysfunction a placebo or ginseng (900 mg three times daily). The ginseng group showed significant improvement in erections.

The main concern with the use of ginseng is the side effects, the most common of which are insomnia and nervous stress, triggered by people taking ginseng in doses higher than those recommended. However, when dosed correctly, the herb causes minimal side effects.

The problem of overdose can also be caused by taking ginseng for a long time. Some health care providers recommend going ginseng-free for about 14 days after a few weeks of ginseng to cleanse the system.

Another word of caution: People taking blood-thinning medications should not take ginseng because the herb does not interact well with these medications. If you are taking prescription medications for a medical condition, check with your doctor to ensure that ginseng is compatible with these medications and will not cause harm.

The bottom line is that Ginseng comes highly recommended as a valuable addition to your herb garden. However, use for a medical condition should be approached with care and with the advice of your doctor.