PANAX
GINSENG
Scientific
Name:
Panax Ginseng
Type
of Nutrient:
Plant
How
Supplied:
Powder, capsules, tablets, paste, tincture, tea
Natural
Source:
Root of plant
Used
for:
Fat loss, endurance (stimulant) stress resistance, mental alertness, concentration, workload capacity
Legal
status: OTC
Availability:
Health Food Shops
Cost
effectiveness:
* * *
Safety:
Good
Panax Ginseng with active ginsenosides have been shown
to increase brain activity, hormone activity, lung power
and endurance while reducing lactic acid, fatigue, and
glycogen use.
PERFORMANCE
ENHANCEMENT
One local study done in 1989, at the Tasmanian
Institute of Technology by Dr Lars McNaughton and
colleagues, ran a well controlled, double blind study
for 12 weeks on experienced athletes.
In addition to physiological measures, they
monitored direct effects and strength and recovery time
from exhaustive exercise.
Compared with the control group (placebo) the
group given ginseng showed an average increase of 22% in
pectoralis strength, and 18% in quadricep strength,
above the increases achieved by the control group.
The ginseng group also showed significantly
faster recovery compared with the control group.
HOW
TO USE
A dose of 200mg/day of standardized ginseng
extract is enough to be effective.
I find a dose of 1000mg of Ginseng powder 1/2 - 1
hour before exercise gives a big boost.
CAUTIONS
Highly
energetic, nervous, tense, hysteric, manic or
schizophrenic people should not take Ginseng.
Ginseng
abuse (habitual ingestion of 3 or more grams of Ginseng
daily for long periods of time) can cause gynecomastia
(bitch tits), high blood pressure, insomnia,
irritability, nervousness, diarrhoea, skin rashes, nausea
and feelings of depression.
In
addition it has been shown to increase the potential for
a catabolic (muscle break-down) response in the body.
