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Is Panax ginseng safe while breastfeeding?

Written by the Full Measure editorial team, which sells supplements. Approved for publication by the Full Measure owners. Updated .

Drafted with AI assistance from the sources listed below. How we write these

Quick answer

NIH's lactation database says no data exist on ginseng in nursing mothers or infants, and that many sources advise against it during breastfeeding because of possible estrogen-like activity and a lack of information. NCCIH also says little is known. Ask your doctor before using any ginseng product.1,2

Key facts

  • NIH's Drugs and Lactation Database says no data exist on the safety or efficacy of ginseng in nursing mothers or infants.1
  • The database says many sources recommend against ginseng during lactation, because of its possible estrogen-like activity and the lack of information.1
  • NCCIH says little is known about whether Asian ginseng is safe while breastfeeding, and that some experts recommend against it.2
  • A systematic review found no human studies on breastfeeding, and only animal and laboratory evidence that reported minimal risk.3
  • The database lists headache, high blood pressure, diarrhea, sleeplessness and skin rash among the side effects reported in adults.1

What does NIH's Drugs and Lactation Database say about ginseng?

LactMed's entry covers American ginseng, Asian ginseng and several related species that contain the same kind of compounds, called ginsenosides. Its opening finding is an absence: ginseng has no specific use during breastfeeding, and no data exist on its safety and efficacy in nursing mothers or infants.1

The reasoning that follows is cautious but not alarmed. The entry calls ginseng generally well tolerated in adults. It then says that, because of possible estrogen-like activity and the lack of information during breastfeeding, many sources recommend that ginseng not be used during lactation.1

Which side effects does the database list for adults?

A nursing parent who reads the entry will find a list of effects seen in adults. The most common are headache, high blood pressure, diarrhea, sleeplessness and skin rash, along with vaginal bleeding. With long-term use, the entry lists nervousness, diarrhea, confusion, depression and depersonalization, and it notes that breast pain and breast enlargement in men have been reported.1

It also says ginseng lowers the blood levels of some medicines, such as warfarin, and adds to the effect of sedating medicines. None of this describes an effect on a nursing infant.1

What did the systematic review find?

A 2008 systematic review of Panax ginseng in pregnancy and lactation found no human studies on its safety during breastfeeding. For lactation it located only laboratory evidence from three animal studies, which reported minimal risk. The review advised caution during lactation, in line with its advice for pregnancy.3

NCCIH reaches a matching position in one sentence: little is known about whether Asian ginseng is safe while breastfeeding, and some experts recommend against its use by women who are breastfeeding.2

Does ginseng in energy drinks change the picture?

It adds caffeine. The International Society of Sports Nutrition lists ginseng among the common ingredients of energy drinks and says the drinks are not recommended for people who are breastfeeding or who are sensitive to caffeine. That advice covers the whole product, so it does not show what ginseng itself does in breast milk.4

Who should ask a doctor about ginseng while breastfeeding?

Ask your doctor or a lactation consultant before using ginseng if you are breastfeeding or pumping. If you already took some, ask your baby's pediatrician whether anything needs watching, because the sources do not describe what to look for.

  • Bring the label, including the extract type and any other herbs or caffeine in the product.
  • Mention blood thinners or sedating medicines, which the database says ginseng can affect.1
  • Mention blood pressure problems, because the database lists high blood pressure among the effects reported.1

Questions people ask

Why is ginseng bad for breastfeeding?

No source says ginseng harms breastfed babies. The concern NIH's lactation database gives is the lack of data, plus possible estrogen-like activity, which a systematic review found to be conflicting.1,3

Is red ginseng safe while breastfeeding?

NIH's lactation database and NCCIH do not separate red ginseng from other Panax ginseng products, and both advise caution. Ask your doctor before using it.1,2

Is ginseng safe while breastfeeding?

No data exist on ginseng in nursing mothers or infants, according to NIH's lactation database, and many sources recommend against it during lactation. Ask your doctor.1

Is ginseng root safe while breastfeeding?

The sources describe the root as the part most often used and give the same caution for it as for other forms. Ask your doctor before using any ginseng product.1,2

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Sources

  1. Ginseng. In: Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed). Bethesda (MD): National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; 2006 onward. Updated December 20, 2021. Read as its summary of use during lactation, indexed in PubMed as PMID 30000873. Opened 2026-10-11.
  2. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Asian Ginseng. Last updated February 2025. Opened 2026-10-07.
  3. Seely D, Dugoua JJ, Perri D, Mills E, Koren G. Safety and efficacy of Panax ginseng during pregnancy and lactation (a systematic review). Can J Clin Pharmacol. 2008;15(1):e87-e94. Opened 2026-10-11.
  4. Jagim AR, Harty PS, Tinsley GM, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: energy drinks and energy shots. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2023;20(1):2171314. Opened 2026-10-11.

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