You might think of Ginseng as being an ancient Chinese remedy that doesn’t have much of a benefit when it comes to modern life. These days we have a much better understanding of our bodies and the science of our food and thus many of these old folk remedies have fallen out of favour and gone by the wayside.
But while that’s true for many things, that certainly isn’t true for ginseng. In fact, Ginseng is scientifically proven to combat fatigue, boost performance, improve cognitive and even reduce the likelihood of your developing cancer. It’s an Eastern medicine that dates back for thousands of years yes, but as is often the case with such remedies, science is now being used to actually back up the traditional uses it has been known for.
So just what is ginseng?
This is a plant that is found in North America and Eastern Africa. It comes in a range of different forms including America, Red, Indian etc. and American is among the most popular. It’s important to make sure that you check the type you are getting because not all forms are as potent.
Ginseng extracts can be taken in supplement form, where it is recommended that you get in the range of 200mg to 400mg. Higher doses can potentially cause anxiety and restlessness.
Now what about those ginseng benefits?
1. Ginseng Can Combat Cancer
Panaxytriol is actually made from ginseng and has been shown in numerous studies to be effective at preventing the growth and formation of breast cancer cells. In mice, this same substance has been shown to increase the activation of a gene called EGFR, which triggers the death of cancerous cells.
In another study, it was found that supplementing with ginseng root extract could actually reduce the number of skin cancers seen in mice.
Many, many more studies have backed up the effects of ginseng in fighting and preventing cancer and specifically breast cancer, lung cancer, liver cancer, skin cancer and prostate cancer.
This is all very impressive and suggests that it might be a very useful supplement for those with a family history of cancer, or those that are currently fighting it.