CRITICAL FACTS
GINSENG CONSUMERS SHOULD KNOW
With hundreds of ginseng products available on the market today, it is very important to understand the facts about ginseng and to realize there is a huge difference in their quality, therefore directly relating to the level of health benefits you will receive.
According to Varro E. Tyler, PhD, ScD, America's foremost expert on herbs and plant-derived medicine, who is Dean Emeritus of Purdue University School of Pharmacy and Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Pharmacognosy. Dr. Tyler is the author of over 270 scientific articles and 18 books, including The Honest Herbal (Pharmaceutical Products Press, 1993).
Dr. Tyler stated in a recent article published in Prevention Health Magazine, that just because the word "ginseng" appears on a product doesn't mean you are getting the real thing. A host of imitators, hoping to cash in on the reputation of the original, can be found, including Siberian ginseng, Brazilian ginseng, and Indian ginseng, none of which are "true" ginsengs. But to be authentic, it must be a species of the genus (Panax), such as Wisconsin American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) and Asian (Panax ginseng). Stick to the genuine article, because the physiological effects ginseng produces are probably due to a complex mixture of active ingredients called ginsenosides, found in the ginseng root. That is why it is very important to use ginseng products in their NATURAL form, that being products that are produced by using the "whole root".
According to Al J. Kaiser, President of Kaiser Farms, Inc., who has been involved in the production of Wisconsin American ginseng for more than 25 years, states there is a world standard for testing active ingredient levels in all "true" ginsengs. The H.P.L.C. assay (High Performance Liquid Chromatography) tests for the percentage of ginsenoside levels in all "true" ginsengs. All "true" ginsengs in their NATURAL state fit in a range from 0 to 14 percent level of active ingredient. Korea, which produces Korean ginseng, are the largest producers in the world, assay about 4 percent NATURAL level of active ingredient. Wisconsin American ginseng assay reveals an 8 percent average NATURAL level of active ingredient or twice the that of Korean ginseng. Chinese ginseng assay at about half that of Korean ginseng, and Siberian, which is not a "true" ginseng can not be measured.
The higher the NATURAL level of active ingredient generally equals higher quality ginseng, which in turn provides more health benefits to the consumer. A word of caution, ginseng products that claim to have ginsenoside levels of 15 to 20 percent or greater are probably using only certain parts of the root. One can also achieve these levels by using root extractions, but this practice will result in a ginseng product that is out of its NATURAL balance. With these products you will not receive the maximum health benefits that a naturally balanced ginseng product will provide.
The true test for quality and value of all ginseng products is to actually figure out what amount (in milligrams) of active ingredient the ginseng product is delivering in a daily dose. This is easily done by reading the label for the amount of active ingredient listed in the ginseng product.
Examples of determining active ingredient levels in a daily dose:
1. Recommended daily dose 1,000 mg times 3% level of active ingredient equals 30 mg of active ingredient in a daily dose.
2. Recommended daily dose 1,000 mg times 8% level of active ingredient equals 80 mg of active ingredient in a daily dose.
Most "extract" products will state they contain a standardized extract commonly equivalent to a 4% level of active ingredient. The key factor in "extract" products is to determine how much extract you are actually getting in a daily dose. Most "extract" products deliver 200 mg of extract in a recommended daily allowance.
3. Recommended daily dose 200 mg extract times 4% level of active ingredient equals 8 mg of active ingredient in a daily dose, a very low dose.
Beware of products that do not list their active ingredient level. You have no way of determining what, if any, ginseng is actually in these products.
Ginsenosides are the active ingredient in ginseng, sample weight of ginsenosides in capsules are expressed in mg.
| Ginsenoside Comparison | Rb1 | Rb2 | Rc | Rd | Re | Rgl | SUM | UNKNOWN | Total |
| Kaiser Farms Wisconsin Ginseng capsules HPLC assay: | 10.9 | .02 | 16.7 | 18.6 | 34.2 | 15.0 | 95.6 | 23.9 | 119.5 |
| Ginsana capsules Korean ginseng HPLC assay: | 2.22 | .00 | 1.04 | 1.04 | 4.05 | .52 | 8.88 | 3.37 | 12.3 |
Kaiser Farms Wisconsin Ginseng has almost 10 times the NATURAL level of active
ingredient
To summarize, in order to receive the maximum health benefits that ginseng has to offer, you should:
1. Decide what type of ginseng you would like to use, basically there are two types of "true" ginseng to choose from.
Wisconsin American (Panax Quinquefolius) ginseng, known as the "cooling" ginseng. This ginseng promotes a natural anti-stress action on the body, resulting in long term energy.
Asian (Panax ginseng) including Korean and Chinese ginseng, known as the "warming" ginseng. This ginseng generally produces a short term stimulating effect.
2. Look for a product that is made with a "true" ginseng, which can be measured for its active ingredient level.
3. Determine what amount of active ingredient is actually in the ginseng product by examining its label. Remember, all "true" ginsengs in their NATURAL state fit in a range from 0 to 14 percent level of active ingredient. Korean ginseng averages about 4 percent natural level of active ingredient, while Wisconsin American ginseng averages about a 8 percent natural level of active ingredient. Generally speaking the higher the NATURAL level of active ingredient the more health benefits you will receive.
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