Ginseng, also known as Panax ginseng, is an herb native to China and Korea. Holistic Online.com notes that traditional Chinese medicine has long been using the herb to boost male fertility and potency. The Mayo Clinic confirms that preliminary studies have shown ginseng to enhance male fertility, although further studies are warranted. Before embarking on any treatment with ginseng, be sure to speak with your doctor first. Ginseng may not be beneficial for persons with allergies, high or low blood pressure, diabetes or bleeding disorders.
Improve Sperm Count
Men with low sperm counts are at risk for having difficulty impregnating their partners. According to the National Infertility Association, a man who has less than 20 million sperm per ejaculate has a low sperm count. Asian ginseng may improve low sperm counts. In a 1996 double-blind study published in the Italian journal "Panminerva Medica," G. Salvati and colleagues found that infertile men treated with 4 g of Panax ginseng over a three-month period showed an improvement in sperm count and motility.
Moreover, a 2005 Thai study led by Viroj Wiwanitkit and published in the journal "Sexuality and Disability" indicates that ginseng extracts can help keep sperm counts high for a longer period of time. In this study, sperm were treated in vitro with ginseng extracts while a control group received none. After an elapsed time of 30 minutes, the sperm left untreated showed decreasing counts.
Improve Sperm Motility
Sperm motility is vital to male fertility. Sperm with good motility move forward in virtually a straight line, while sperm with poor motility move in a circular motion and do not advance. Naturally, the sperm that move forward are the ones that have the best chance of reaching and fertilizing an egg. According to Colorado State University, a man has poor sperm motility level if more than 50 percent of his sperm move irregularly. It is believed that Panax ginseng can improve sperm motility, though little scientific evidence currently supports this theory. The 1996 "Panminerva Medica" study that showed improved sperm counts among subjects treated with Panax ginseng also revealed that treated subjects had sperm motility.
Boost Testosterone Levels
The hormone testosterone is needed for the healthy and plentiful development of sperm. According to Holistic Online.com Panax ginseng supplements have demonstrated a significant increase in testosterone levels in animals, and animals taking ginseng supplements have demonstrated a marked increase in sexual activity. Whether these results would hold true for human subjects is unclear. Nonetheless, ginseng is widely used and marketed as a testosterone booster.
References
- Mayo Clinic: Ginseng
- "Parminerva Medica"; Effects of Panax Ginseng C.A. Meyer Saponins on Male Fertility; G. Salvati et al; December 1996
- "Archives of Andrology"; Effect of Panax Ginseng on Testosterone Level and Prostate in Male Rats; M.S. Fahim et al; June 1982
- Healthnotes: Asian Ginseng
- "Sexuality and Disability"; In Vitro Effect of Ginseng Extract on Sperm Count; Viroj Wiwanitkit; December 2005
