Healthnotes Newswire (September 21, 2000)—American ginseng has again been found to reduce blood sugar levels in diabetics. In a follow-up to their earlier study that found 3 grams of American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.) decreases the rise in blood sugar after consumption of a glucose (corn sugar) drink in persons with adult-onset (type 2) diabetes,¹ Canadian researchers compared the effect of different dosages on blood sugar using the same test.²

The study, appearing in the current issue of Diabetes Care, gave ten patients with type 2 diabetes either 3 grams, 6 grams, or 9 grams of American ginseng, or a placebo, at either 120 minutes, 80 minutes, or 40 minutes before, or together with, a drink that supplied 25 grams of glucose. Blood levels of glucose were measured right before consumption of the drink and then at 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 minutes following the drink.

Surprisingly, the higher dosages of American ginseng had no more effect on keeping blood sugar in check than the original 3-gram dose. While the effect of the three doses was essentially the same at the 30- and 45-minute checkpoints, the 3-gram dose kept blood sugar lower at the two-hour checkpoint. Even more surprising was the finding that giving American ginseng two hours before or together with the glucose drink made no difference in the ability of the herb to keep blood sugar in check after the drink.

Eight of the ten patients in the study continued to take their diabetes drugs during the study. The researchers found no suggestion that taking both American ginseng and those medications led to dangerously low blood sugar levels. Interestingly, American ginseng seemed to have an effect on blood sugar only after consumption of the glucose drink, but not before. This may suggest that the herb would be best used to keep post-meal rises in blood sugar in check in type 2 diabetics.

It is important that people with diabetes realize that these results are preliminary and shed little light on how American ginseng improves blood sugar control over extended periods of time such as days or weeks. Diabetics taking drugs to help keep blood sugar low or, more importantly, taking insulin to control diabetes, should check with their primary care physician before adding American ginseng or any supplement to their daily regimen.