Quick answer

Panax ginseng, or Asian ginseng, is a root long used in traditional Chinese medicine. Small trials looked at general tiredness, mental tasks in the hours after a 200 or 400 mg dose, and discomforts after menopause, and the evidence for each is graded early. Most research finds no effect on athletic performance.^1,2,3

Key facts

Most ginseng trials have had fewer than 200 people and lasted under 3 months.¹
Products range from about 100 mg to more than 1,000 mg a day.⁴
Trouble sleeping is the side effect people report most often.¹
The warfarin label lists ginseng among the herbs that may lessen warfarin's effect.⁵

What Panax ginseng is

Asian ginseng is native to Korea, northeastern China and far-eastern Siberia, and the root is the part most often used.¹

The word ginseng comes from a Chinese term meaning man root, after the root's forked shape. Panax comes from the Greek for all-heal, as in panacea.⁴

Ginseng contains about 30 saponins, called ginsenosides or panaxosides, which are considered its active compounds.^1,4

It has been used as a calming agent in traditional Chinese medicine and as an adaptogen, a herb thought to help the body resist physical and mental stress.¹

Some trials looked at other outcomes this site does not cover. This page sticks to tiredness, mental tasks, menopause, exercise and safety.

What the evidence shows

All three claims below are graded early: small trials, often of different products, and reviews that do not agree. Each shows the amount the studies used.^1,3

May ease general tiredness a little*^1,3,6,7

Early evidence

A 2023 meta-analysis of 19 randomized trials found no clear effect on fatigue overall, but a small reduction in general tiredness not linked to a specific illness. In a 4-week trial of 90 adults with long-lasting tiredness of unknown cause, 1 or 2 g a day of root extract lowered mental fatigue scores more than placebo, and 2 g also lowered a second fatigue scale, while total fatigue scores did not differ. An earlier pooled analysis saw no clear effect below 1,000 mg a day or in courses shorter than 6 weeks, and NIH's complementary health center notes that not all research agrees.

Amount studied: 1 or 2 g a day of root extract for 4 weeks in the main trial; pooled trials used 350 to 3,000 mg a day

May help with some mental tasks, such as mental arithmetic, for a few hours after a dose; effects were small and inconsistent*^2,8,9,10,11

Early evidence

In small crossover studies at one UK university, healthy young adults scored better on some mental arithmetic tasks and rated themselves less mentally tired 1 to 6 hours after a single 200 or 400 mg dose of a standardized extract, though some responses were slower and a week of daily doses added nothing. A 2024 meta-analysis of 15 trials found a small effect on memory and none on attention or overall thinking, and a Cochrane review found no convincing evidence of sharper thinking in healthy people.

Amount studied: Single doses of 200 or 400 mg of a standardized extract

May ease some self-rated discomforts after menopause*^12,13,14

Early evidence

A 2022 systematic review pooled three trials in 515 women and found small reductions in menopause rating scores and hot flashes. In a 12-week trial, 72 women aged 45 to 60 taking 3 g of red ginseng a day, with 60 mg of ginsenosides, scored lower on two menopause rating scales than on placebo. In the largest trial, 384 women taking a standardized extract for 16 weeks showed only a trend on the main well-being score and no change in hot flushes. Estradiol, FSH and the lining of the womb did not change in the trials that measured them.

Amount studied: 3 g a day of red ginseng in one trial; trials ran 12 to 16 weeks

Most research shows that Asian ginseng does not change athletic performance, and a pooled analysis of 8 trials found no effect on physical performance.^1,7

Most clinical trials of Asian ginseng have had fewer than 200 participants and lasted less than 3 months.¹

Asian, American, red and white

Asian ginseng, Panax ginseng, is the form most commonly used. American ginseng, Panax quinquefolius, is a separate species with similar properties.⁴

Red and white ginseng are both Asian ginseng, prepared in two different ways.¹

Siberian ginseng comes from a different genus and contains eleutherosides rather than ginsenosides. Ashwagandha, sometimes called Indian ginseng, does not belong to the ginseng family.^6,15

Commercial ginseng products vary widely in ginsenoside content, and some contain none, which may change their effects.⁴

How much people take

Recommended daily amounts on ginseng products vary widely, from about 100 mg to more than 1,000 mg, depending on whether it comes as capsules, tablets, liquid, root extract or tea.⁴

Studies of single doses used 200 or 400 mg of a standardized extract.^2,8

Longer trials used more: 1 to 2 g a day of root extract for tiredness, and 3 g a day of red ginseng in a menopause trial. The dosage guide sets the amounts side by side.^6,13

What's in ours

What’s in ours

Ashwagandha Complex: Panax Ginseng Powder, 100 mg per serving, from the label

Ashwagandha Complex lists 100 mg of Panax ginseng root powder per serving. That is far below the amounts in the studies above, which used 200 to 400 mg of a standardized extract or 1 to 3 g a day of root or extract, so we make no ginseng claim for it.^2,6,13

Side effects, medicines, and who should ask first

Trouble sleeping is the most common side effect of Asian ginseng.^1,4

Other reported side effects are usually mild, such as headache, nausea, diarrhea in the morning and nosebleeds. In trials, side effects with ginseng alone were about as common as with placebo.^4,16

Asian ginseng might lower blood sugar. In one study, single doses of 200 or 400 mg lowered blood glucose in healthy young adults.^1,2

Asian ginseng may worsen autoimmune conditions and interfere with blood clotting.¹

Some studies suggest Asian ginseng may be unsafe in pregnancy, because one of its compounds caused birth defects in animals. Little is known about whether it is safe while breastfeeding.^1,17

No upper limit has been set for ginseng. Taken by mouth in recommended amounts for up to 6 months, it appears safe for most people, but questions have been raised about its long-term safety.¹

Ask your pharmacist or doctor first

The warfarin label lists ginseng among the botanicals that may decrease warfarin's effect, and says the INR, the blood test that guides the dose, should be checked more often when starting or stopping botanicals. MedlinePlus also names ginseng among the herbal products that may interact with warfarin.^4,5,18

On the medicine's label

LiverTox notes that ginseng can change how the liver processes some medicines, so tell your pharmacist you take it if you use any prescription medicine.⁴

Ask your doctor first if you take warfarin or another blood thinner^1,5
Ask first if you have diabetes or take medicine that lowers blood sugar¹
Ask first if you have an autoimmune condition¹
Ask first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or before giving it to a child¹

Questions people ask

What does Panax ginseng do for men?

The sources we read do not report results for men separately, so the findings above are what there is: small or inconsistent effects on tiredness and mental tasks, and no clear effect on exercise performance in most trials. Some trials looked at outcomes this site does not cover.^1,7

Is Panax ginseng the same as American ginseng?

No. American ginseng is a separate species, Panax quinquefolius. LiverTox says it has similar properties, but a trial of one is not a trial of the other.⁴

Is Korean red ginseng different from Panax ginseng?

Red ginseng is Panax ginseng prepared in a different way from white ginseng. The menopause trial above used red ginseng at 3 g a day.^1,13

Is ginseng good for hair or skin?

We found no trial of ginseng taken by mouth for hair or skin in our sources. NIH's complementary health center says there is not enough reliable information to know whether ginseng used on the skin is safe, and that it might cause irritation and burning.¹

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Sources

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

This page is information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own situation.