Written by Jessica Patella, ND. Study participants who experienced a lesser amount of fatigue showed significant improvement after 2 months of ginseng supplementation while an additional 2 months of supplementation showed significant improvement in those who experienced a moderate amount of fatigue.
More than one million Americans have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (2). Chronic fatigue occurs more often in woman and in middle-aged adults (2, 4). Fatigue, including its negative effect on quality of life, is one of the most common complaints primary care physicians hear from their patients (1, 3). Even for people treated for fatigue by their primary care physician, 50-75% still have fatigue one year later (1,5). When conventional options fail, patients may turn to complementary and alternative medicine (1). Research has found that supplementing with Siberian ginseng can improve some symptoms of fatigue (1).
The research included 76 participants who randomly received either placebo or 2 mg of Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus) per day for 2 months. Questionnaires were mailed to participants to record their blood pressure, heart rate and fatigue levels each month. Fatigue levels were measured via the Rand Vitality Index (RVI), which ranks from extreme fatigue (score of 4) to extreme vitality (score of 24).
The trial was divided into two phases. For the first phase, participants were randomly assigned to either the placebo group (n=36) or the Siberian ginseng group (n=40). After 2 months of supplementation, the following result was observed:
- There was a significant improvement in those who were less fatigued at baseline (RVI 8-12; p=0.03) taking Siberian ginseng compared to placebo.
For the second phase of the trial, all participants received Siberian ginseng for an additional 2 months to evaluate its long-term effect. After this phase, the following was observed:
- Participants with moderate fatigue (RVI 8-12) who were changed from placebo to Siberian ginseng showed improvement in fatigue during the 2 months (P<0.05).
There were no significant differences found when comparing all the participants from the placebo group to the Siberian ginseng group. However, it is important to take note of the dosage given in this study. A total of 2 mg Siberian ginseng was given per day, which is far less than 6-12 grams per day (6) or up to 9-27 grams per day (7) that some sources recommend.
In conclusion, Siberian ginseng may be helpful for people with moderate fatigue. This research did not show improvement for participants with extreme fatigue, but this could be due to the lower dosages used. Future research should include various dosages to better understand the effectiveness (1).
Source: Hartz, A. J., et al. “Randomized controlled trial of Siberian ginseng for chronic fatigue.” Psychological medicine 34.01 (2004): 51-61.
© 2004 Cambridge University Press
Posted November 2, 2015.
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:
- Hartz AJ, et al. Randomized controlled trial of Siberian ginseng for chronic fatigue. Psychological Medicine 2004, 34:51-61.
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Who’s at Risk? Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Nelson E, et al. Chief compliant fatigue: a longitudinal study from the patient’s perspective. Family Practice Research Journal 1987 6:175-188.
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Medline Plus.
- Cathebras PJ, Robbins JM, Kirmayer LJ. Fatigue in primary care: prevalence, psychiatric comorbitidy, illness behavior and outcome. Journal of General Internal Medicine 1992 7:276-286.
- Murray MT & Pizzorno J. Textbook of Natural Medicine. Churchill Livingstone: New York 1996.
- Huang T. A Handbook of the Composition and Pharmacology of Common Chinese Drugs. Beijing, China: The Medical and Pharmaceutical Publishing of China: Beijing, China ED 1994.
