The Wonders of Ginseng

Ginseng is one of the most commonly used medicinal herbs in the world, and that is no wonder. Ginseng actually is the cultivation of many species of a plant called Panax, which is Latin for "all illness". Its roots are a tan color, and can sometimes resemble the likes of a baby. This is what caused ancient herbalists to believe that it could cure human symptoms and would use it for nearly every ailment. Using ginseng to that extent is not a practice that has been forgotten. In fact, the Chinese believe it not only brings good health, but also wisdom.

(picture taken from LiveHealthJournal.com)

Curing every little ailment that can come to the human body is a loaded promise, and... well, ginseng does not live up to this promise, but how can you blame it? It makes up for it with an impressive list of ailments it remedies! Here are brief descriptions of just a few.


Breathing: Why people tend to think ginseng is the "cure all" is because it aids the body in processing oxygen more efficiently. It allows you to breathe easier and relax more, thus creating a more positive and lively energy about you. That energy can promote higher concentration levels and will improve physical performance. It can also imrpove your immune system. For me, having a lot of energy prevents me from getting sick. Think about some of the times when you've gotten sick - Were you lagging in energy? Or were you really stressed out?...

Stress: Ginseng can be considered an adaptogentic herb, which means it is a "strengthening substance that brings back the balance to the body no matter what's the direction of imbalance. Examples are Siberian Ginseng and Jiaogulan (Hagy, 2007)". Basically, whether you are healthy or not, ginseng aids in protecting your body from stress. This is beneficial because when your body stresses, the muscles tighten which is probably where most of your energy is going to instead of fighting off harmful bacteria. Also, everyone functions better under minimal stress.

Type 2 Diabetes: Ginseng helps balance blood glucose levels, which is very important for people with Type 2 Diabetes. According to a study discussed in Solve it with Supplements, 36 individuals diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes took 200 mg of ginseng daily and found improved glucose levels, among other things (physical performance and concentration). Ginseng will help blood glucose levels to nondiabetics as well.

Mental Ability: Solve it With Supplements discusses several studies in which ginseng improved mental function, cognition (such as being able to spot errors more efficiently) and memory enhancement. My personal input as to why this happens goes back to breathing easier and being relieved of stress. Your body performs much better in every aspect under minimal stress and optimal energy.

(Taken from that lovely book, Solve it With Supplements, here is a list of more specific ailments ginseng can target but hasn't been necassarily proven: gout, fibromyalgia, ADHD, alcohol intake (drunkenness), menopause, cardiovascular diseases, and fertility.)


So now that you know a bit more about ginseng, here are some ways you can take it. It comes in several varieties such as capsules, powder and fresh or dried root. Dried unprocessed ginseng root is known as white ginseng, and steamed root is known as red ginseng. It can be expensive since it takes approximately five years to harvest the plant. What makes a ginseng product top notch is their ginsenocide (an ingredient found only in Panax) content. An excellent ginseng product would have 4-5% ginsenocide content, so be aware of that before you purchase.

I went to Vitamin Shoppe's main website , which is a store found all around the country, and typed in ginseng to see what kind of products they offer. There are a variety of capsules offered, from Ginseng Complex (which is a blending of different country's ginseng), to specific Ginsengs. They also offer a decaffinated Green Tea infused with ginsen, and small bottles of liquidated ginseng. It just depends on what you like!