American Ginseng and Diabetes

American ginseng is not as popular or well known as it Asian cousin, but it is moving into forefront of alternative medicine as a possible dietary supplement to control diabetes.

While traditional beliefs have held that Asian ginseng creates harmony among the body’s different systems, it has not been verified by modern science. However, two recent studies on American ginseng and diabetes have shown very promising results. Both studies were conducted at the University of Toronto. In these randomized studies both diabetic and non-diabetic patients showed significant decreases in blood sugar levels. While animal studies have shown similar results, these are the first studies to scientifically document American ginseng’s hypoglycemic effects.

The analysis showed that a 3 gram does of American ginseng reduced blood sugar levels by 59% when compared to study participants who received a placebo. In their analysis, the researchers found that subjects receiving a 3g dose of ginseng had a blood sugar level that was 59.1% less than subjects who had received the placebo treatment. Additional doses of American ginseng above 3g (they also tested 6 and 9g) did not did not cause blood sugar levels to fall any further than the 3 gram dose. Another interesting discovery was that ginseng can be taken any time within two hours before eating with the same effectiveness.