Performance In A Pill? Boost Your Energy Levels With Ginseng
- By Mario Fraioli
- Published Jun. 10, 2011
- Updated Mar. 15, 2012 at 5:10 PM UTC
Safety/Dosage
For the most part, plants in the ginseng family are generally considered to be quite safe. There are no known drug interactions, contraindications, common allergic reactions or toxicity to Siberian ginseng, Panax ginseng or American ginseng. A word of caution is recommended, however, for individuals with hypertension, as the stimulatory nature of some ginseng preparations have been reported to increase blood pressure (Coon & Ernst 2002). Additionally, those individuals prone to hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) should use ginseng with caution due to the reported effects of ginseng to reduce blood sugar levels (Vuksan et al. 2000).
Ginseng is one of the many herbal supplements which can be purchased readily as a whole root, a dried powder or a standardized extract. The most precise approach would be to use a standardized extract to ensure that you are getting an effective product. Products should be standardized to contain 4-5% ginsenosides (for Panax and American ginseng) and 0.5-1.0% eleutherosides (for Siberian ginseng). Daily intake of 100-300mg for 3-6 weeks is recommended to produce adaptogenic and energetic benefits.
About The Author
Shawn Talbott is an avid endurance athlete (multiple-Ironman and ultramarathon finisher) and scientist (PhD in Nutritional Biochemistry and MS in Exercise Science) in Salt Lake City. He can be reached at www.ShawnTalbott.com
Pages: 1 2 3 4FILED UNDER: Nutrition TAGS: athletic performance / dosage / Endurance Athletes / Ergogenic Aids / Ginseng / prime / safety / Shawn Talbott / Supplements
Mario Fraioli
Mario Fraioli is a senior editor at Competitor magazine. A cross-country All-American at Stonehill College in 2003, he now coaches the Prado Women's Racing Team in San Diego and was the men's marathon coach for Costa Rica's 2012 Olympic team. His first book, The Official Rock 'n' Roll Guide To Marathon & Half-Marathon Training (VeloPress, 2013) is available in bookstores, running shops and online.