High-Dose Ginseng Supplementation Reduces Disease-Related Fatigue

by | Sep 19, 2022 | Botanicals, Ginseng

Written by Taylor Woosley, Staff Writer. Study findings of the systemic review and meta-analysis show that ginseng supplementation had a statistically significant efficacy on disease-related fatigue reduction (SMD=0.33, 95% CI= 0.44-0.22).  

tired-ethnic-working-mother-at-home-with-playing-kidsFatigue is a complex symptom and a multifaceted construct that leads to a general feeling of exhaustion, loss of motivation, and behavioral performance problems1. Fatigue can be affected by a variety of psychological, physical, and social factors2. It is unknown whether fatigue in a given disease is a result of being chronically ill or whether it represents a specific symptom of that disease3. Disease-related factors such as excessive inflammation have been reported to be correlated with fatigue4.

Ginseng is derived from the roots of Panax ginseng Meyer (Araliaceae) and has been used as a medication for thousands of years in East Asian countries5. Ginseng products are commonly referred to as adapatogens, with the ability to restore balance and increase resistance to physical, chemical, and biological stress6. Ginseng contains diversified components, including saponins, polysaccharides, polyacetylenes, phenols, and alkaloids7. It promotes vitality and offers antifatigue benefits through the regulation of energy metabolism, reduced metabolite accumulation and antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity8.

Zhu et al. conducted a study of systemic review and meta-analysis to investigate the efficacy of ginseng supplements on disease-related fatigue. Studies included in the review had to meet the study criteria: participants with underlying diseases, RCT, ginseng supplement as an intervention, use of placebo or control intervention, and a clear fatigue evaluation plan. Standardized mean difference (SMD) was used to calculate the different scales for fatigue reduction across the studies.

The final analysis included 12 studies with 1298 participants and featured ginseng supplement intervention ranging from 100 to 3000 mg/d, with a study duration of 3 to 16 weeks. Both Asian ginseng (n=5) and Asian ginseng (n=7) were used in the studies. No statistical heterogeneity was observed among the 10 studies (I2= 35%, P=.13). Study findings show that analysis using a fixed-quantity effect model noted statistical differences between the experimental group and the control group (SMD= -0.33, 95% CI= -0.44 to -0.22).

Results show that high dose of ginseng supplementation significantly reduced disease-related fatigue. Furthermore, the anti-fatigue effect of ginseng was observed to be time and dose dependent. Although low-dose supplementation was not statistically significant in reducing fatigue, the type of ginseng used was also an important factor in the meta-analysis. Future research should further explore the efficacy of different types and dosages of ginseng on fatigue evaluation. Study limitations include the small sample size of the study and the use of partial studies in the meta-analysis review.

Source: Zhu, Jianxun, Xiaoru Xu, Xin Zhang, Yue Zhuo, Shaotao Chen, Chongwen Zhong, Mingjun Liu, and Zhihong Wang. “Efficacy of ginseng supplements on disease-related fatigue: A systematic review and meta-analysis.” Medicine 101, no. 26 (2022).

© 2022 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. 2022This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 (CCBY), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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Posted September 19, 2022.

Taylor Woosley studied biology at Purdue University before becoming a 2016 graduate of Columbia College Chicago with a major in Writing. She currently resides in Glen Ellyn, IL.

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