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| and assessed with Siberian ginseng supplementation. Results are generally positive. |
| Active compounds in the ginsengs are the ginsenosides. The ginsenoside content is quite variable among samples of the same species and is always different between species. |
| One double-blind, placebo-controlled study conducted in Europe involved 232 people age 25 to 60 with nonspecific fatigue. Participants were given 80 mg daily of a standardized commercial extract of Asian ginseng that also contained small amounts of vitamins and minerals. Study participants were rated with ''fatigue scores" recorded before the study, then rated after 21 days, then after 42 days. The patients generally reported improvements in feelings of fatigue, nervousness, anxiety, and poor concentration after 21 days, but these improvements weren't statistically significant until after 42 days. The amount of vitamins and minerals was very small in each dose, so ginseng may have played a major role in counteracting fatigue in this study. However, researchers didn't rule out that the vitamins may have had an impact on the results as well. |
| A dose of 100 mg of the standardized extract in capsule or liquid form two to four times daily is recommended. Long-term use has been linked to gastrointestinal upset and over stimulation in some people. Individuals with high blood pressure should avoid using ginseng, as should pregnant women. |
| Many Western scientists have a special dissatisfaction which they reserve for news of Eastern scientific discoveries. There is a general attitude that most Eastern scientific breakthroughs are unsubstantiated fluff which never seem to hold up under Western scientific scrutiny. Admittedly, this has often been true enough in the past to make you want to proceed with caution, but let us not confuse ginseng (and other useful herbs) with other unproven ergogenic aids. |
| Ashwagandha |
| Ashwagandha, (Withania somnifera) root is known as "Indian Ginseng." In Ayurvedic medicine it is considered an adaptogen that facilitates learning and memory. |
| In a 1993 clinical study in India, fifty people complaining of lethargy and fatigue for two to six months were given an adaptogenic tonic made up of eleven herbs, including 760 mg |
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