Study Finds Ginseng Has
No Mood Boosting Effects

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Despite claims that ginseng has mood-enhancing properties, researchers conducting a study found no evidence that the herbal supplement can enhance mood in healthy young adults anymore than a sugar pill.

If further study shows that the herb can help certain groups of people, such as the elderly or those who are anxious or fatigued, then the supplements should be clearly labeled as such, the researchers conclude in the report published in the June issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

``Ginseng had no effect on mood relative to a sugar pill,'' lead author Dr. Bradley J. Cardinal, an associate professor of exercise and sport science and co-director of the Sport Exercise Psychology Lab at Oregon State University, told Reuters Health.

``Marketers have capitalized on Americans' health consciousness, but those claims are unregulated and come from personal testimonials. You might be better off saving your money,'' Cardinal added.

The researchers conducted a study in 83 healthy adults who were divided into three groups. Each group was given two initial tests that measured their mood and then each group was given a pill to take for the next 8 weeks. One group received a placebo, or sugar pill; the second group received pills containing 200 milligrams of ginseng extract (the recommended dose); and the third group received pills with twice that amount. The study participants were given extracts of Panax ginseng, the type used in traditional Chinese medicine.

Each person was then given the same tests again, measuring their mood and feelings, after 8 weeks. The investigators found no difference among the three groups, indicating that ginseng had no noticeable effect on their moods, according to the report.

This study falls in line with the majority of randomized studies that have shown little effect for ginseng in healthy people, Cardinal said, although some evidence suggests it may be more helpful in the elderly.

These findings should not encourage people to increase their intake of ginseng on the premise that taking more would produce a result, he warned. ``Ginseng abuse'' can cause jitters, bloating and diarrhea, Cardinal said, and the herb may interact harmfully with other medications.

``I would tell people take heed of the study,'' said Wahida Karmally, a registered dietician and the director of Nutrition for the Irving Center for Clinical Research at Columbia University in New York. ``His study was randomized, controlled and showed it really didn't have any effect that's been claimed or proposed more for marketing purposes.''

SOURCE: Journal of the American Dietetic Association 2001;101:656-660.

Reference Source 89

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