What ginseng is
Ginseng is a slow-growing root used in traditional medicine for thousands of years. The word usually means one of two plants. Asian ginseng, also called Korean or Panax ginseng, is the most studied. American ginseng, Panax quinquefolius, grows in North America and is considered milder. A third plant sold as Siberian ginseng, or eleuthero, is not a true ginseng at all and contains different compounds.
The active compounds in true ginseng are called ginsenosides. Red ginseng is simply Asian ginseng that has been steamed and dried, which changes its mix of ginsenosides. Most of the ED research used Korean red ginseng.
In the United States, ginseng is a dietary supplement. The FDA does not approve it to treat anything, and it is not tested before sale.
Ginseng and erectile dysfunction
This is the best-studied use. In 2021, Cochrane, a respected group that pools medical trials, reviewed ginseng for ED. They found nine randomized trials with 587 men. Men taking ginseng reported slightly better erections than men on placebo. The improvement was small, and the authors rated the evidence as low certainty because the trials were short, small, and of mixed quality.
The typical dose in those trials was 1,000 to 3,000 milligrams of Korean red ginseng a day, usually for 8 to 12 weeks. Ginseng is thought to work in part by boosting nitric oxide, the same chemical ED pills act on, but much more weakly.
So ginseng is not a replacement for sildenafil or tadalafil, the drugs in Viagra and Cialis, which improve erection scores several times more in head-to-head terms. It may offer a small boost for men with mild ED who want to try something first.
Ginseng and fatigue
There is reasonable evidence for American ginseng in cancer-related fatigue. A 2013 trial from the Mayo Clinic, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, gave 2,000 milligrams a day of American ginseng or placebo to 364 cancer patients. After eight weeks, the ginseng group reported meaningfully less fatigue, with no serious side effects.
For everyday tiredness in healthy people, the evidence is weaker. Some small trials show a modest lift in energy or mental performance, and others show nothing. If you are tired all the time, a blood test for anemia, thyroid, B12, vitamin D, and testosterone is more likely to find the actual cause.
Other claims
Blood sugar: several small trials found that American ginseng lowered blood sugar slightly after meals. The effect is real but small and is not a treatment for diabetes.
Immunity and colds: a few trials of a specific American ginseng extract reported fewer or shorter colds. Results are mixed.
Memory and mood: small studies show tiny short-term effects on attention. Nothing strong enough to recommend it for that reason alone.
Safety and side effects
Ginseng is usually well tolerated for up to a few months. The most common side effects are trouble sleeping, headache, nervousness, and stomach upset. Because it can be stimulating, take it in the morning.
Important interactions: ginseng can reduce the effect of warfarin, a blood thinner, which is dangerous. It can lower blood sugar, which matters if you take diabetes medicine. It may interact with some antidepressants. Stop it two weeks before surgery. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid it.
Quality is a real problem. Tests of ginseng products have found wide variation in ginsenoside content, and some contained very little. Look for a product that names the species and has a third-party seal.
How Zen IV Spa can help
If you are looking at ginseng for ED, a proven treatment is close by. Zen IV Spa serves New York and New Jersey. Our ED program is $129 and starts with a free video visit. We prescribe generic tadalafil or sildenafil, the drugs inside Cialis and Viagra, shipped to your home. We can also draw labs at home to check testosterone and other causes of low energy and low drive. Visit /sexual-wellness/ or call (332) 239-2005.
Common Questions
Does ginseng help erectile dysfunction?+
A 2021 Cochrane review of nine trials found a small improvement over placebo, with low-certainty evidence. It is much weaker than prescription ED pills.
What is the difference between Asian and American ginseng?+
They are different species of the same plant family. Asian ginseng is more stimulating and is used in most ED studies. American ginseng is milder and has been studied for fatigue.
Is Siberian ginseng real ginseng?+
No. It is a different plant, eleuthero, with different compounds.
How much ginseng should I take?+
Trials used 1,000 to 3,000 milligrams a day of Korean red ginseng for ED, and 2,000 milligrams of American ginseng for fatigue. Follow the product label and tell your clinician.
Can I take ginseng with Viagra or Cialis?+
There is no known dangerous interaction, but tell your prescriber. Ginseng adds little on top of a prescription drug.
Who should avoid ginseng?+
People on warfarin, people with diabetes who take medication, anyone having surgery soon, and pregnant or breastfeeding women.
Sources: Lee et al., Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Ginseng for erectile dysfunction, 2021; Barton et al., American ginseng for cancer-related fatigue, Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 2013; NIH National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, Asian Ginseng fact sheet; Memorial Sloan Kettering About Herbs, Ginseng.
All treatments are medical services. Every guest is screened, and every treatment is prescribed by a licensed provider. Nothing on this page is medical advice for you personally, and the opinions summarized here belong to the doctors named, not to Zen IV Spa. Talk to a provider before starting or stopping anything.
