Tired of caffeine headaches? Weary of sugar highs? Why not skip your regularcoffee-and-doughnut break and try the herb ginseng as an alternative energy-booster and fatigue-fighter? Here's one good reason: According to an herbal supplement overview published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine, a study of 625 people complaining of fatigue found that those taking multivitamins with ginseng reported a better quality of life after four months--meaning that they ultimately had more vitality and better concentration.
Of its three varieties, American (Panax quinquefolius), Asian (Panax ginseng) and Siberian (Eleutherococcus senticosus), the Asian sort is the most widely used. Ginseng contains saponins, also known as ginsenosides, which are thought to be the plant's active ingredients. While little is definitively known about how they put pep in your step, ginsenosides are thought to bolster the immune system's response to stress and fatigue. They may also influence the cardiovascular system, helping to regulate blood pressure and cardiac rhythm.
