Korean red ginseng, also called Asian ginseng or panax ginseng, is a plant species found in Korea and China with a long history of use in traditional medicine. The plant is largely extinct in the wild and most modern supplies come from deliberate human cultivation. Potential benefits of Korean red ginseng include immune system stimulation and treatment of cancer and diabetes.
Korean Ginseng Basics
Korean red ginseng contains active ingredients called ginsenosides, according to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Although the precise nature of their activity is unknown, ginsenosides appear to have both inhibiting and stimulating effects on your central nervous system. They also change your cardiovascular function and increase immune activity in your cells and in specialized secretions called antibodies. Available forms of Korean red ginseng include dried roots, capsules, extracts, teas, tablets, creams and other preparations designed for external application.
Potential Effects
In laboratory testing, certain ginsenosides in Korean red ginseng appear to slow the formation of cancers of the ovaries, lungs, liver and skin, Sloan-Kettering reports. Ingestion of ginseng extract may also help reduce the rates for virtually all forms of cancer. When taken following exercise, Korean ginseng may reduce your chances for inflammation and muscle injury. Use of ginseng may also improve function in the tissues of your kidneys, heart and lungs. When taken intravenously, ginseng may help ease pain symptoms. If you have type 2 diabetes, use of Korean ginseng may help lower your resistance to insulin and improve insulin's effectiveness in lowering your blood glucose.
Additional Uses
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, or NCCAM, lists additional modern or traditional uses for Korean red ginseng that include overall support of your health, increasing your stamina and well-being, improving your performance on physical or mental tasks and improving your health while you recover from illness. Additional reported uses include treatment of hepatitis C, high blood pressure, menopause symptoms and erectile dysfunction. However, despite wide study and extensive use, current science cannot definitively confirm the beneficial uses of Korean ginseng and further research is needed to determine its true effectiveness.
Side Effects
When used short-term in common dosages, Korean red ginseng is typically safe for most individuals, the NCCAM reports. However, prolonged use of ginseng products can produce side effects such as sleep disturbances, gastrointestinal distress and headaches. Sloan-Kettering reports additional potential side effects that include vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, nervousness, dry mouth and abnormally rapid heartbeat. In some cases, use of Korean ginseng may also produce side effects including blood pressure increases, breast tenderness and menstrual cycle abnormalities. However, the products that trigger these latter effects often have additional active ingredients and doctors have difficulty determining ginseng's role in these circumstances.
Considerations
Tell your doctor in advance if you plan to use Korean red ginseng or any other alternative or supportive therapy. If you have diabetes, be aware that ginseng use can intensify the effects of your blood glucose medications. Sloan-Kettering lists several additional medications that may conflict with ginseng use, including anticoagulants, sulfonylureas and monoamine oxidase inhibitors. Be aware that the actions of Korean ginseng differ from those associated with American or Siberian ginseng.
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