A US team at Rochester’s Mayo Clinic found daily doses improved energy levels and emotional well-being, in a study of 282 patients.

Ginseng has already been hailed as a remedy against colds and diabetes.

Scientists believe it works by acting as an “adaptogen” – a substance that helps the body overcome stress effects.

Since cancer patients can face high levels of stress, both physical and psychological, the Mayo team decided to test whether ginseng would be of benefit.

They enrolled 282 cancer patients and divided them at random into four groups – a control group, who received their normal cancer treatment and a dummy drug, plus three treatment groups who received one of three daily doses of ginseng (750mg, 1,000mg or 2,000mg) alongside their usual therapy.

After eight weeks, they surveyed the patients.

The group given the dummy drug reported no improvement, but the patients who had been taking the ginseng reported improvements in overall energy levels and experienced less fatigue-affected activity.

The ginseng groups said they felt better mentally, physically, spiritually and emotionally.

The improvements appeared to be dose related, with those on the highest dose reporting the greatest gains.

News.bbc.co.uk
Ginseng ‘reduces cancer fatigue’
3 Jun 2007