Medical Questions » Alternative Medicine Questions » Question No. 1415
| Question: | What' s your view on ginseng? |
| Answer: | Panax ginseng, also known as Chinese or Korean ginseng, is an adaptogen - so-called because it can help you adapt to stress. American ginseng is another variant of Panax, but ' Siberian' ginseng is a completely different plant. Research has proven that Panax ginseng can boost energy, and improve resistance to and recovery from stress. It helps to balance your blood sugar and has proven helpful for diabetics, as well as having a mild effect on increasing libido. In short, ginseng helps you adapt to many of the health hur-dles of 21st-century living, largely by regulating adrenal hormones. Panax ginseng may also reduce the side effects of corticosteroid drugs, which are taken for inflammatory conditions such as arthritis, asthma and eczema.
With its long history of use in the East, ginseng has proven to be non-toxic. You need 1 to 2g a day to experience the beneficial effects. Pick a packet that states the level of the active ingredients, called ginsenosides: a good ginseng product will contain 4 to 7 per cent of these. |
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