What is panax ginseng?

Panax ginseng extract is derived from the roots of the Panax ginseng plant, a perennial plant that grows in Asia and North America. It has been used in traditional medicine for centuries.

How does it work?

Panax ginseng extract works by increasing the body's resistance to stress and fatigue, improving cognitive function, and enhancing physical performance.

What are the active ingredients that are important for its medicinal properties?

The active ingredients in Panax ginseng extract are ginsenosides, which are believed to be responsible for its medicinal properties.

What forms does it come in?

Panax ginseng extract is available in various forms, including capsules, tablets, extracts, and teas.

When was it first used for medicinal purposes?

Panax ginseng extract has been used in traditional medicine for thousands of years.

What does Panax ginseng extract (Red Ginseng) help with?

Red Ginseng is the steamed and dried root of Panax ginseng. It has been used for hundreds of years in Chinese and Korean medicine. Today it is sold as a capsule, a powder or a tea.

• Mental fatigue, brain fog, memory and focus
  Good evidence — clinical trials in healthy adults and in older adults; sizes and doses not recorded in our file. Trials found less mental fatigue in healthy adults who took Red Ginseng. Working memory, reaction time and attention also improved in some of this work. Effects showed up most during hard mental tasks or while getting over an illness. A root compound called gintonin acts on brain signal paths, but that finding is lab-level only.
  Evidence grade B · Traditional tier T3
• Trouble getting or keeping an erection
  Good evidence — several placebo-controlled trials in men; sizes and doses not recorded in our file. Several trials compared Red Ginseng with a dummy pill. Men taking the herb scored better on erection measures. Lab work suggests it helps blood vessels relax, which is a proposed mechanism rather than a proven one.
  Evidence grade B · Traditional tier T3
• High blood sugar in type 2 diabetes or prediabetes
  Good evidence — multiple clinical trials in people with type 2 diabetes or prediabetes; sizes and doses not recorded in our file. Multiple trials found lower fasting blood sugar in people taking Red Ginseng. After-meal sugar spikes were smaller too. Researchers think cells respond better to insulin. It was studied as support alongside diet changes, not as a swap for medicine.
  Evidence grade B · Traditional tier T3
• Frequent colds and a run-down immune system
  Good evidence — clinical studies counting cold and flu episodes and their length. Clinical studies found fewer colds, and shorter ones, in people taking Red Ginseng. Lab measures showed more activity in natural killer cells, a type of immune cell. It has also been studied in people getting over an illness.
  Evidence grade B · Traditional tier T3
• Hot flashes and other menopause symptoms
  Good evidence — clinical trials in women going through menopause; sizes and doses not recorded in our file. Trials found fewer hot flashes, better mood and less tiredness. Red Ginseng did not appear to act like estrogen in the body. Some women pick it for that reason, instead of hormone therapy.
  Evidence grade B · Traditional tier T3
• Low energy and poor stamina
  Early evidence — small or mixed human studies plus self-reports; no sizes or doses on file. People taking Red Ginseng reported less tiredness and better staying power. Athletes reported faster recovery after hard effort. Some work suggests the body uses oxygen more efficiently, but the human evidence here is thin.
  Evidence grade C · Traditional tier T3
• Fatigue during cancer treatment
  Early evidence — studies in patients having chemotherapy or radiation, as supportive care. Studies in people having chemo or radiation found less treatment-related fatigue. Some took part reported better quality of life. This was studied as support only. Talk to your cancer doctor before you use it.
  Evidence grade C · Traditional tier T3
• Mildly raised blood pressure
  Early evidence — some trials showing small changes; results are modest and mixed. Some trials found small drops in blood pressure. The changes were modest. Researchers link them to healthy blood vessel tone, which is a proposed mechanism. Nothing here shows it can stand in for blood pressure medicine.
  Evidence grade C · Traditional tier T3
• Stress and burnout
  Long traditional use · not yet tested in trials — tradition and mechanism ideas only; no human trial on this use in our file. Our file holds no human trial on stress or burnout. The idea is that it helps steady the body's stress response system. That stays an idea here, not a finding. Note that it is not described as a sedative.
  Evidence grade insufficient · Traditional tier T3

What Panax ginseng extract (Red Ginseng) has not been shown to do

• It has not been shown to treat cancer; the studies looked only at fatigue during treatment.
• It has not been shown to replace blood pressure medicine.
• It did not appear to act like estrogen, so it is not a hormone replacement.
• It is not a sedative, and our file holds no trial showing it calms you down that way.
• It has not been shown to replace diabetes medicine or diet changes.

How to read this:

Each use gets its own grade, because the studies behind them differ. A means steady results from randomised human trials. B means at least one good human trial. C means small, mixed or early human studies. D means the human evidence is weak or clashing. Insufficient means no human study on file. Our notes do not record trial sizes or doses, so we do not list them. This page reports what studies found. It is not medical advice, and it is not a promise of results for you.

What can Panax ginseng extract (Red Ginseng) help prevent?

• Recurrent upper respiratory infections (colds and flu): clinical evidence supports reduced frequency and duration
• Cognitive decline in aging: observational and early trial data suggest regular use may support long-term brain health
• Post-illness functional decline: evidence in recovering cancer patients and post-viral fatigue contexts

Which foods are rich in it?

Panax ginseng extract is not found in foods, but ginsenosides can be found in some foods such as ginseng tea and supplements.

What are possible side effects?

Possible side effects of Panax ginseng extract include:

• insomnia
• gastrointestinal upset
• high blood pressure
• headaches

What's the recommended daily dose?

The recommended daily dose of Panax ginseng extract is 200-400mg, taken in two or three doses throughout the day.

How many days does it take to work?

The effects of Panax ginseng extract can be felt within a few hours of ingestion, but its full effects may take several weeks to develop.

What time of day is best to take it?

There is no specific time of day that is best for taking Panax ginseng extract. It can be taken at any time of the day.

Is it best to take it with or without food?

Panax ginseng extract can be taken with or without food, although taking it with a meal may reduce the risk of gastrointestinal side effects.