Health Benefits of American Ginseng

American Ginseng, which is also known by other common names including Ginseng Root American, Red berry, five fingers and Five-leaved Ginseng is a special herbaceous perennial plant that is known for its numerous medical abilities. Panax quinquefolius is the botanical name for the American Ginseng plant.

The plant is a member of the “Araliaceae” family and grows in native North American parts, especially in Wisconsin although it can be found in selected Asian countries and in Siberia. Ginseng is believed to enhance and restore normal, well-being making it among the most popular herbal remedies worldwide.

Information and Health Benefits of American Ginseng

The root is the main part of the plant that is used for its medicinal purposes. This is due to the fact that it constitutes of vitamin b1, b2 and b12, minerals, fats, pectin, sugars, volatile oil, sterols, and hormone- like saponins.

The American Ginseng herb consists of scented yellow green flowers, a one to two-foot high stem, a large fleshy light- colored fork- shaped root and various oval-shaped green leaves. The plant whose flowering season is between the months of June and July can be found in Maine, Georgia, Oklahoma and Minnesota although most Asians prefer the one grown in Wisconsin.

Although the plant is slowly becoming an endangered species, ginseng has an incredible affinity for shady north slopes and is likely to thrive in rich loose soil.

How to use American Ginseng

There are many different types of american ginseng. Before understanding how the plant is used, it is vital to know that although people tend to think of ginseng as only a Chinese herb, the American Ginseng is not only as valuable as the Chinese Ginseng but also more suitable in some cases. American Ginseng is considered to be a “cooler” alternative for Panax ginseng which is the other name for Chinese Ginseng in treating high blood pressure patients in the summer seasons.

The benefits of american ginseng extract. There are various ways of using the herbal plant. First and foremost its root can be ground and made into tea that can be drunk. Another way is through decoction which is a way of boiling the root in water. The drug can also be extracted in alcohol, used after putting it in capsules containing the pulverized root or finally using it as a liquid extract.

Ginseng whose dosage is taken monthly after alternating regularly with a two weeks rest period may be taken in soft drinks, added to tea or used in food soup. It can also be used in capsule supplements and extracts as discussed above.

Possible health benefits of American Ginseng

Although the plant has been known to be used as a treatment for various illnesses traditionally, it is essential to note that its therapeutic properties are often questioned by health professionals and western scientists. This is mainly because little high-quality research has been done on the plant and its medicinal properties. Below are the medicinal benefits of American Ginseng as explained by people who use the herbal remedy as well as medical practitioners who recommend using it.

Energy provision and fatigue prevention

Ginseng can be used to stimulate mental and physical activity in individuals who are feeling a lot weaker or tired. This has been proven by being administered to cancer patients, helping them to reduce fatigue levels in a study carried out by the Mayo Clinic. This does not only provide such individuals with the much-needed energy, but also the hope of recovery.

Fighting infections

American ginseng can be used to fight common infections like colds and flu, which are rampant in today’s society. Some evidence provided indicates that taking a specific American Ginseng extract going by the name CVT- E002 might help in preventing the flu and colds from occurring as well as making their symptoms milder when the infections develop.

The herbal drug can also be used to treat and manage other common infections like dysentery which is the infection of the intestine, HIV AIDS and Pseudomonas infections which are very common in cystic fibrosis patients.

American Ginseng for Diabetes Management

Medical research indicates that taking 3 grams of American Ginseng orally, up to two hours before partaking in meals daily can lower significantly the blood sugar levels of type 2 diabetes patients after meals. Patients are however, discouraged from taking larger doses as they do not guarantee greater effects. The ability for the herbal remedy to control and manage diabetes (american ginseng blood sugar level) is mainly attributed to ginsenosides, which is an active chemical element.

Erectile dysfunction treatment

A Korean study that was carried out in 2002 revealed that up to 60 percent of men with erectile dysfunction problems who took the American ginseng drug noticed an incredible improvement in their symptoms, making them enjoy a much better sex life and improved self-esteem. To further back this up research on erectile dysfunction carried out by the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology provided substantive evidence for the effectiveness of ginseng particularly red ginseng in treating erectile dysfunction.

Anti- inflammatory effects

Ginseng, which consists of up to seven unique properties and ginsenosides, makes it have greater immune- suppressive effects on the human body. These combined effects of the ginsenosides can be used to target various levels of immunological activity contributing to the diverse effects of ginseng in humans making them have anti- inflammatory effects.

Precautions of using American Ginseng

Due to the unpredictable reactions in various individuals, professional medical advice should be sort for before taking the drug by pregnant or nursing women, individuals with both high and low blood pressure or sugar levels and children for any other reasons. It is also important to note that it is recommended that individuals who are under blood thinner medications and those taking anticoagulant drugs should refrain from using American Ginseng in totality.

Due to its ability to affect blood sugar levels, the herbal remedy should be avoided by patients during and after surgery. Ginsenosides can act as estrogen hence should be avoided by individuals with hormone- sensitive conditions like breast cancer, ovarian cancer, uterine fibroids or endometriosis.

Possible American Ginseng side effects

When administered orally, ginseng is likely to cause diarrhea, headache, itching, insomnia, and nervousness. American Ginseng is also known to cause vaginal bleeding in women, increased and decreased blood pressure, rapid heartbeat and breast tenderness. Other rare and uncommon extreme side effects that have been reported once in a while include liver damage, severe rash and severe allergic reactions.

CONCLUSION

The medical benefits of American Ginseng are interesting wide as they cover various medical fields. This makes the herbal remedy an effective substitute for other medical products due to its natural properties, unlike the chemical rich medical drugs that are likely to do more harm than good.

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