Written by Jessica Patella, ND. Those who took American ginseng improved cancer related fatigue scores by more than 30%.
Cancer-related fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of patients undergoing cancer treatment and of cancer survivors (2, 3). Fatigue is reported to affect 59-96% of patients undergoing chemotherapy and 65-100% of patients undergoing radiation treatment (4, 7). Fatigue is also reported to last up to 5-10 years after treatment (2, 3). Recent research has shown that supplementing with American ginseng decreases cancer-related fatigue (1).
There are two major types of ginseng, Asian (Panax ginseng) and American (Panax quinquefolius). The research included 364 participants from 40 different cancer centers. Participants were randomly assigned to receive 2000 mg of Wisconsin ginseng (a common form of American ginseng, n=183) or a placebo (n=181), taken in the morning. All participants had undergone or were currently undergoing cancer treatment and had been diagnosed within the past 2 years (all types of cancer were included, except brain or central nervous system lymphoma).
Cancer-related fatigue was determined using the Multidimensional Fatigue Symptom Inventory-Short Form (MFSI-SF). The fatigue inventory included feeling pooped, worn out, fatigued, sluggish, run down and tired. Answers were on a 5-point scale, ranging from 0 (not at all) to 4 (extremely) (1).
After four weeks, the improvement or change in fatigue symptom scores was 14.4 +/-27.1 in the American ginseng group and only 8.2 +/-24.8 in the placebo group (P=0.07). After eight weeks, the changes reached statistical significance, with an improvement in fatigue symptoms compared to baseline of 20 +/- 27 in the American ginseng group, compared to 10.3 +/-26.1 in the placebo group (p=0.003) (1). These results indicate that American ginseng improved fatigue scores more than placebo, although it took two months to reach statistical significance. Overall, ginseng showed a greater than or equal to 30% clinical improvement compared to placebo (1).
When the participants were divided into those who were currently receiving cancer treatment versus those who had completed treatment, results changed. Participants in the American ginseng group that were currently receiving cancer treatment, had statistically significant improvement at both weeks 4 and 8, compared to placebo (P=0.02, P=0.01, respectively) (1). This may indicate that American ginseng is more effective when given during cancer treatment versus after treatment for fatigue (1).
There is no human data at this time to show American ginseng negatively interferes with chemotherapy drugs (1). And there were no adverse side effects reported in this study (1). In conclusion, American ginseng improved cancer-related fatigue. The researchers recommended cancer patients and survivors try American ginseng for fatigue, especially since there are no pharmacological drugs shown to be helpful at this time (1). Future research for longer than 8-weeks would be beneficial to determine efficacy (1). It is important to note American ginseng was used in this study, not to be confused with Asian ginseng.
Source: Barton, Debra L., et al. “Wisconsin Ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) to improve cancer-related fatigue: a randomized, double-blind trial, N07C2.” Journal of the National Cancer Institute 105.16 (2013): 1230-1238.
© The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.
Posted August 16,2013. r/bh
Jessica Patella, ND, is a naturopathic physician specializing in nutrition and homeopathic medicine and offers a holistic approach to health. She earned her ND from Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in Tempe, AZ, and is a member of the North Carolina Association of Naturopathic Physicians. Visit her website at www.awarenesswellness.com.
References:
- Barton DL, et al. Wisconsin Ginseng (Panax quinquefolis) to Improve Cancer-Related Fatigue: A Randomized, Double-Blind Trial, N07C2. 2013 JNCI.
- Bower JE, et al. Fatigue in long-term breast carcinoma survivors: a longitudinal investigation. Cancer. 2006;106(4):751–758.
- Harrington CB, et al. It’s not over when it’s over: long-term symptoms in cancer survivors—a systematic review. Int J Pych Med. 2010;40(2):163–181.
- Hofman M, et al. Cancer-related fatigue: the scale of the problem. Oncologist. 2007;12 (Suppl 1):4–10.
- Molassiotis A, et al. Symptoms experienced by cancer patients during the first year from diagnosis: patient and informal caregiver ratings and agreement. Palliat Support Care. 2010;8(3):313–324.
- Purcell A, et al. A multidimensional examination of correlates of fatigue during radiotherapy. Cancer. 2010;116 (2):529–537.
- Fulton C, Knowles G. Cancer fatigue. Eur J Cancer Care (Engl). 2000;9 (3):167–171.
