Panax Ginseng

The one ginseng to rule them all.

Panax Ginseng claims the vaunted title of “True Ginseng,” as it is an actual member of the Ginseng plant family, boasts the most significant scientific research into its use, and confers a more well-understood array of benefits than American Ginseng, Siberian Ginseng, and other varieties.

Just what secrets does this traditional herb hold?

What is Panax Ginseng?

The perennial plant Panax Ginseng offers a range of cognitive and physical boosts when used as a supplement. Many of these effects are well known, as they have been propagated through popular media.

Chances are, you’ve already heard that Ginseng can improve your mood, enhance some brain functions, and bolster your immunity.

What you might not know is that there is a growing body of evidence showing that it may also reduce blood glucose levels and help control symptoms of menopause (among other things).

Still, there are some claims that you might want to take with a grain of salt—erections and testosterone, for example. Sure, there is data suggesting that it may boost testosterone levels somewhat and may have a secondary effect on erectile function.

The overblown talk of using Ginseng to become an unrivaled “sex god,” though, might be something you want to scrutinize closely.

Then there are more fanciful claims that the jury is out on: cancer protection, hangovers, HIV treatment. There might be some preliminary or tangential evidence supporting these claims, but more study is needed before you can take them as a legit certainty.

Nevertheless, there are plenty of credible reasons to consider adding Ginseng to your daily routine, something that isn’t difficult to do. Ginseng is legal and readily available in raw, powdered, or capsulated form.

While the NIH cautions against using it long-term (and harps on the fact that there is no conclusive evidence support any of its supposed health benefits), plenty of people swear by its efficacy.

Other Names

In addition to its scientific name, Panax Ginseng, this variety also goes by the common names Asian Ginseng, Korean Ginseng, and Oriental Ginseng.

Editor’s Note

Ginseng comes in many forms, and there’s no firmly established standard dose. That made it difficult to lock down how much to take and what variety to use.

Normally, I’m a fan of mixing stuff into tea, but this time I didn’t feel like measuring things out on the scale. I went with the 300mg capsules and started to my trials.

Day one, I started with a lower dose. I tried it early in the morning and took it with no food to ensure that it would w