Ginseng
Ginseng is the root of a Panax plant, sold as Asian or American ginseng for energy, blood sugar and colds. It is not a nutrient. Studies are mostly small and short with mixed results, and it can interact with warfarin and diabetes medicine.
No set daily amount
Ginsenosides the compounds both true ginsengs share, in different mixes
2 true ginsengs · Asian and American; Siberian ginseng is another plant
- Part used Root usually from plants several years old
- Red or white Steamed or not red ginseng is steamed before drying
- Studied for Blood sugar, colds also fatigue and mental performance
- Evidence Limited small, short trials, mixed results
Evidence and safety summary from NCCIH. No recommended amount exists.
Where Ginseng Comes From
Diet supplies little, and in unknown amounts. Supplements are the main source of the doses studied.
- Soups and disheswhole roots are cooked in some Korean and Chinese dishes, such as chicken soup with ginseng
- Ginseng teasliced root or granules; strength varies and is rarely stated
- Energy drinksmany list ginseng, but the energy comes from their caffeine and sugar
- Supplementsroot powder, extracts standardized to ginsenosides, and red ginseng concentrates
What Is Ginseng?
The genus name Panax comes from the same Greek root as panacea, a cure for everything. Asian ginseng is native to Korea, northeastern China and far-eastern Siberia; American ginseng grows in the forests of eastern North America. Both are slow plants, and roots are usually harvested after several years.
| Name | Plant | Main compounds | What the evidence says |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian ginseng | Panax ginseng | Ginsenosides | Possible small benefit for fatigue, not consistent; might lower blood sugar |
| American ginseng | Panax quinquefolius | Ginsenosides, in a different mix | Too little evidence that it prevents colds; may interact with warfarin |
| Siberian ginseng | Eleutherococcus senticosus | Eleutherosides, no ginsenosides | Not a true ginseng; its evidence does not transfer |
Ginsenosides and How Red Ginseng Is Made
Ginsenosides are saponins, soap-like plant compounds, and more than a hundred have been identified. Asian and American ginseng hold different proportions of them, which is one reason results from one species do not carry over to the other. Steaming the root to make red ginseng converts some ginsenosides into others, so red and white ginseng from the same plant are chemically different products.
What Ginseng Trials Found
For Asian ginseng, NCCIH says most trials had fewer than 200 people and lasted under 3 months. A 2023 review found a possible small benefit for general fatigue, though not all research agrees; most studies find no gain in athletic performance; and the evidence on blood sugar control in diabetes is inconclusive and conflicting. For American ginseng, a 2011 review cited by NCCIH found it did not seem to cut the number of colds, though it may have shortened them, and judged the evidence too weak to recommend it.
Ginseng contains no caffeine. Any jolt from a ginseng energy drink is better explained by its caffeine and sugar, and the amount of ginseng in a drink is rarely stated.
Common Ginseng Mistakes
Swapping one ginseng for another. Asian, American and Siberian ginseng are different products. A label that says only ginseng does not tell you which one you are taking.
Ignoring it on a medicine list. Because ginseng might lower blood sugar and may interact with warfarin, it belongs on the list you give your doctor. Like rhodiola, it is sold as an adaptogen, a term that has no medical definition.
Ginseng Supplements
Supplements are the main source of ginseng at the amounts studied. Check the species, whether it is red or white, and the ginsenoside content.
Ginseng Side Effects
NCCIH says short-term use of Asian ginseng, up to 6 months, appears to be safe for most people. Trouble sleeping is the most common side effect; rare ones include severe rash, liver damage and allergic reactions. It may worsen autoimmune disorders, may be unsafe in pregnancy, and some experts advise against it for infants, children, and women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Ginseng Drug Interactions
- WarfarinNCCIH says American ginseng may interact with it; Asian ginseng may affect clotting
- Diabetes medicineginseng might lower blood sugar further
Sources are listed at the end of this page. Not medical advice.
Ginseng in Caltide
- Not totaled yetCaltide does not add up ginseng yet. The caffeine and sugar in a ginseng energy drink you log are counted, like every food in the food library.
Ginseng Sources and References
The figures and claims on this page are checked against these sources.
Questions About Ginseng
True ginseng is the root of a Panax plant: Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng) or American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius). Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus) is a different plant with different compounds, sold under a similar name.
Processing. White ginseng is the root dried as it is, while red ginseng is steamed before drying, which darkens it and changes the mix of ginsenosides. Both come from the same Asian ginseng plant.
There is no strong evidence that it does. NCCIH says a 2023 review found a possible small benefit of Asian ginseng for general fatigue, not all research agrees, and most studies find it does not improve athletic performance. Ginseng contains no caffeine.
It might. NCCIH says Asian ginseng might lower blood sugar, but the evidence on blood sugar control in diabetes is inconclusive and conflicting. People with diabetes should check with a doctor first, as the effect can add to their medicine.
Not as far as anyone has shown. NCCIH cites a 2011 review that found American ginseng did not seem to reduce how many colds people caught, though it may have shortened them, and judged the evidence too weak to support using it to prevent colds.
It can. NCCIH says American ginseng may interact with warfarin, a blood thinner, and in a small trial it weakened warfarin's effect. Asian ginseng may also interfere with blood clotting. Anyone on warfarin should ask a doctor before taking any ginseng.
NCCIH says short-term use of Asian ginseng, up to 6 months, appears to be safe for most people. Trouble sleeping is the most common side effect, and rare ones include severe rash, liver damage and allergic reactions. It may be unsafe in pregnancy, and some experts advise against it for infants, children, and women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Only in small and usually unknown amounts. It is used in Korean and Chinese cooking, teas and some energy drinks, but the doses studied come from supplements and standardized extracts.
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