Ginseng - Final Rat Report

[reverett123]

I'm moving on to other trials and thought it time to summarize my impressions about the "sang". I have been usng it for eight or nine months and feel that it has helped me tremendously.

After taking timing of the various elements into account, I credit it with the following improvements - yes, improvements - in my condition. These are not short term effects that occur only when I take the herb. They seem to be true changes that I attribute to growth of neuronal tissues. If true, that is one hell of a statement that I just made. It isn't supposed to happen.

Beginning about two months ago, I began to be aware of the following gradual changes that had taken place. Note that that gradual dawning is exactly the pattern one would expect if repair was taking place.
1) Severe and frequent nocturnal trips to empty bladder have disappeared. I was regularly up six to eight times per night. Now one max.
2) Bowel function. Improved from once weekly to three to five weekly.
3) Sleep. Was four to six hours per night. Now six to eight.
4) Turning in bed. Was a problem but no longer.
5) This one takes a little explaining. I have a very basic biofeedback monitor that measure heart rate variability. That serves as a sort of peephole into the non-conscious part of your nervous system. Mine was a flat line output when it should have been rolling waves. It has improved and approaches normal.
6) Blood pressure. I have been on medication for years and when I would stop it I would run up to as high as 180/115. I have not taken any medication for two to three months now and average 125/75. Again, the non-conscious part of the nervous system.
7) I also discontinued deprynl/selegeline in early winter.

I can only speculate as to what has happened, but I am very pleased.

I am going to add in gingko and mucuna now, so I wanted to preserve this before things get muddier. Ginseng is purported to be good for chronic stress and ginkgo for acute stress, so their pairing makes sense. Time will tell. Squeak! Squeak! :D

[rd42]

Which type(tea, pill, etc.) and brand do you recommend for Ginseng, and why that one?

[Chemar]

Hiya Rick Rat :D

I am also interested in what form you may be using of ginseng (panax species I assume, yes?) are you on liquid extract or capsule or the actual root?
Tho my hubby doesnt have PD, he sure has had some other probs that seem to have been alleviated for you, so am interested in researching some more.

of course with full pointers to the medical disclaimer at the bottom of each page here at NT :winky:
and will ask his doc first for possible side effects with meds etc

I found this on it at iHerb's Natural Encyclopedia Panax Ginseng Info (http://healthlibrary.epnet.com/GetContent.aspx?token=e0498803-7f62-4563-8d47-5fe33da65dd4&chunkiid=21536)

[reverett123]

I have been using panax species and "red" which refers to the way it is processed. It is the ground root in capsule form. The brand, solely because it is what the local health food store had when I first looked for it, is "Root to Herb".

I tried the liquid in the cute ampules first and felt no effect at all.

The only side effect I ran across is blurred vision when I took too much.

[Chemar]

Hi Rick
on behalf of my hubby I want to say thanks for posting your experience with the ginseng

his "going problem" has become much improved after just 3 days on the panax red ginseng capsules, and he feels he is already seeing a number of other
positive things. His doc saw no problem in him trying it either :) provided he stick to the recommended dose and continue the meds he is currently on for now.

thanks again!

Cheri

[reverett123]

Glad it is helping. Does he have PD or some other affliction?

And did I warn about the increased libido? :D

[geraldo]

HEY REV.
How much Ginseng are you taking each day? Thanks for sharing your experment with the rest of the forum. What does your neuro. say about your suppliments? Thanks again.
Jerry

[reverett123]

2X400 mg - went as high as 4x but felt weird so backed off.

My neuro? "don't want to know" As a result she was very pleased that the drugs were working so well last visit, particularly the one i quit weeks earlier.

[imark3000]

..I remember reading research on mice supporting its +ve role in PD.. I think it solved lack of energy problem for me..
Thank you Rick for providng confident report on its benefits

[Howardh]

great site worth adding to favourites. Much valued info. Ginseng 1 excellent as well

[rd42]

I'm excited to try it, but not sure which brand to buy. Which brand do you folks use?

A recent study at the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy in the U.S. reported that 29% of randomly purchased products claiming to contain ginseng did not have any significant amount of the herb, another 27% contained ginsenocides in amounts so low that the preparation was considered unsuitable for therapeutic value. Thus consumers should be wary of what they are purchasing and be sure of the ginseng content in each item.

Purchasing the actual dried root is the most economical and surest way to get the most value for your money. Mature roots can be consumed in a variety of ways. The optimal dosage of ginseng is two or three grams a day. Herbalists suggest ginseng be consumed daily or intermittently (three times a week). Ultimately each individual must depend upon personal experience with the herb.

Root slices can be brewed slowly in a tea pot (silver or glass) for one hour. The resulting tea can be sweetened to taste, generally a bitter tasting root indicates higher potency. Root slivers can also be added to soups or liquors. In some preparations it is desirable to first grind your ginseng with a mortar and pestle. The resulting powder can be used in meals or can be placed under your tongue where the high concentrations of blood vessels allow the ginsenocides to be absorbed directly into the blood stream. Finally, the simplest way and method of choice for many ginseng devotees is to chew the dried root like a hard piece of hard candy. A quick five minute soak in boiling water will make the root more palatable. Chewing will introduce you to the true essence of ginseng, its flavor, texture, and its many benefits. Experimentation with these methods will allow you to decide what best suits your individual needs.

[reverett123]

I've been using an off-brand called "Root to Herb" solely because it was all the local shop had when I first looked for it and it worked. So I stuck with it. In general with any supplements reputation is everything. The one with the best reputation is Jarrow simply because the owner Mr. Jarrow takes a personal interest in quality control. Very personal in that if a supplier screws around with product quality Mr. Jarrow has special attorneys whose job is to put that supplier out of business. Simple but effective.

My second choice is NOW.

One thing I found is that ginseng seems to be heat sensitive so don't leave a bottle in the car in summer like I did. :)


I'm excited to try it, but not sure which brand to buy. Which brand do you folks use?

A recent study at the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy in the U.S. reported that 29% of randomly purchased products claiming to contain ginseng did not have any significant amount of the herb, another 27% contained ginsenocides in amounts so low that the preparation was considered unsuitable for therapeutic value. Thus consumers should be wary of what they are purchasing and be sure of the ginseng content in each item.

Purchasing the actual dried root is the most economical and surest way to get the most value for your money. Mature roots can be consumed in a variety of ways. The optimal dosage of ginseng is two or three grams a day. Herbalists suggest ginseng be consumed daily or intermittently (three times a week). Ultimately each individual must depend upon personal experience with the herb.

Root slices can be brewed slowly in a tea pot (silver or glass) for one hour. The resulting tea can be sweetened to taste, generally a bitter tasting root indicates higher potency. Root slivers can also be added to soups or liquors. In some preparations it is desirable to first grind your ginseng with a mortar and pestle. The resulting powder can be used in meals or can be placed under your tongue where the high concentrations of blood vessels allow the ginsenocides to be absorbed directly into the blood stream. Finally, the simplest way and method of choice for many ginseng devotees is to chew the dried root like a hard piece of hard candy. A quick five minute soak in boiling water will make the root more palatable. Chewing will introduce you to the true essence of ginseng, its flavor, texture, and its many benefits. Experimentation with these methods will allow you to decide what best suits your individual needs.

[reverett123]

If you live in the country and have a damp and shady north facing hollow (the kind where black walnut trees grow) order seed and plant some. It takes several years so you are doing for nature but like Don Juan might say, the plant's spirit may reward you. I can look out my window at a 4' x 60' patch two years old and it is satisfying. :)

[Sasha]

Here is a site recommended to me by a Phd pharmacist for checking out which supplements actually have the ingrediates they claim it has without major contaminates. For ginseng:

http://www.consumerlab.com/results/ginseng.asp

Sasha

[rd42]

My chiropractor recommended the same site, but still worries about anything grown in China.

There is www.consumerlabs.com or www.consumerlab.com that evaluates products. We currently do not use any ginseng at the current time.

Dr. Jaffe stated that almost all ginseng comes from China and you simply can't get any that is not full of pesticides (in his opinion).

[Sasha]

How about the American ginseng sold by Puritan's Pride? Has he mentioned that one?

[imark3000]

Here is a site recommended to me by a Phd pharmacist for checking out which supplements actually have the ingrediates they claim it has without major contaminates. For ginseng:

http://www.consumerlab.com/results/ginseng.asp

Sasha

Hello Sasha:
I must say I am suspicious of companies which sell herbs at triple price because they claim their product being superior. Herbs are basically cheap and I buy it very very cheap from Swanson. My wife tells me that their products are so cheap that can't be but sugar tablets but they seem to me to be respectable?? I hesitate to mention companies names for fear like advert for them but I live in Jordan and only know them through the Innternet so I will apreciate if any body tells me they heard of this company and if their products are (or are not) sugar pills??

[reverett123]

Swanson's seems to be a good company and retails their own products as opposed to a company which retails a variety of manufacturors.

There aren't as many individual reviews as I would like, but epinions has an extensive listing of various products by brand at http://www.epinions.com/well-Nutrition/xDN_~nutritional_supplements-all~9688_brand

Swanson's itself is very well rated with plenty of reviews too

http://www.epinions.com/pr-Online_Stores_Services-Swanson_Vitamins/display_~reviews/sec_~survey_list/pp_~1/sort_~date/sort_dir_~des


Hello Sasha:
I must say I am suspicious of companies which sell herbs at triple price because they claim their product being superior. Herbs are basically cheap and I buy it very very cheap from Swanson. My wife tells me that their products are so cheap that can't be but sugar tablets but they seem to me to be respectable?? I hesitate to mention companies names for fear like advert for them but I live in Jordan and only know them through the Innternet so I will apreciate if any body tells me they heard of this company and if their products are (or are not) sugar pills??

[imark3000]

..This puts my mind to rest.
Also a chance to tell you how much I appreciate and enjoy your posts

[grant r]

I want to chime in with my experience with ginseng. My symptoms are still "mild" compared to some: mainly muscle rigidity causing constant stiffness and pain, a general slowness, very slight tremor and depression. My only prescription at this point is mirapex. The mirapex was only mildly effective even as I was titrated from .25mg x 3 to 1.5mg x 3. The last time I saw my neurologist, he told me to go to 2.0mg x 3 if 1.5 didn't improve things. After I read these threads, however, I decided to try adding ginseng instead. I started taking 650mg x 2 and within 2 days, my muscles were more relaxed than they've been since I was diagnosed last year. My "1000 yard stare" is almost non-existent and my overall mood is greatly improved. Placebo? I can't say, but I can say that physically, I have performed much better in the month with ginseng than in the previous 6 months without. Just for the record, I also take a B supplement with L carnitine and alpha lipoic acid. That helped some, but not to the extent that the ginseng has. Thanks a bunch for sharing your experimentation!

[reverett123]

I, myself, have been off both ginseng and gingko for four weeks now while I become aquainted with mucuna. It will be interesting to integrate that all back together in a couple more weeks.

[reverett123]

Just going to paste this in from a post I just made in the mucuna thread. Just to keep the data.

Our systems are like a kid's spinning top. Young and healthy systems spin rapidly and smoothly. As we age the top slows down and begins to wobble. A gust of wind doesn't affect the fast spinner but it makes the slower one begin to wobble. It's as though our systems are like that. "Fragile" is a description more than one of us has used here. That is one reason I am drawn to purported adaptogens. They are the only thing that holds out the hope of being able to adjust such a complex system. I suspect mucuna of having some of those properties and, of course,inseng is a classic one.

Heck, checked my blood pressure just now. 122/75 I have not had any BP medication for about six months now. I had been taking it for 15 years or more. Whenever I would quit it within two days my BP would be up to 180 over 115. Now BP is controlled by a part of your nervous system that is affected by PD. Was it the ginseng? Or the mucuna? Both?

If it was the ginseng ( I have been laying off it for a month or more testing the mucuna) then that is evidence of something permanent having happened. The GI and bladder systems are still much improved as well. And my sleep pattern is much more normalized than a year ago.