How to Use Ginseng For Weight Loss

If you are trying to lose weight, you must have already heard about using Ginseng for Weight Loss. If you haven’t heard about Ginseng, don’t worry! You can read it all here…

Ginseng is probably the world’s best-known herb. It has long been one of the foundations of Chinese medicine and is considered as good as an overall cure. The botanical name of ginseng is, Panax, which means “all curing” in Greek.

It is traditionally been used as a restorative tonic to increase energy, stamina, and overall health. Now scientists of western areas are documenting its effectiveness on weight loss and diabetes control.

White ginseng is the natural dry ginseng and steaming of fresh roots gives you red ginseng. Black ginseng is obtained by excessive steaming which leads to a high concentration of bioactive compounds that finally gives you black ginseng.

Ginsenosides are the most important active compounds found in ginseng roots. Moreover, other organic compounds and polysaccharides are also present in the roots.

Why Use Ginseng For Weight Loss?

Ginseng helps improve cognitive performance, prevents cancer, boost energy, and even helps with weight loss. There is a lot of buzz about ginseng having properties of weight loss.

Let’s just highlight some of the important points about it – why it is to be consumed, its amazing properties and it is the talk of the town.

1. Ginseng Has Natural Fat Burning Properties

Reports of clinical trials done revealed that overweight women (obese), on receiving Korean red ginseng experienced a significant reduction in their body weight, waist-hip ratio, BMI, and food intake.

The supplements of ginseng brought about a marked improvement in the quality of life of the volunteers. Studies done on Korean red ginseng revealed, how it exerts an anti-obesity effect- manipulating genes involved in lipid metabolism, influences the hormones such as leptin and insulin which are involved in fat and cholesterol metabolism.

The extracts of Chinese ginseng prevents obesity by stimulating oxidation of fats and thus reducing body fat, preventing high blood pressure, improving levels of insulin and glucose. Red ginseng reduces body fat by reducing blood glucose, cholesterol, leptin levels, and food intake thus helps in reducing weight.

Ginsenosides present in ginseng exert anti-obesity effect by acting on mechanisms at the molecular level which leads to reduced food intake, lowered blood glucose and lowered blood lipid levels

2. Ginseng Helps in Controlling Blood Sugar

The conclusion of the 16 clinical trials done revealed that ginseng aids in reducing blood glucose in individuals with or without diabetes. The extracts of Panax ginseng is reported to lower blood glucose and body weight in animal studies. A Vinegar extract of Panax ginseng, known as Ginsam, aids in lowering the body weight by favorably influencing glucose metabolism.

Ginsenosides by increasing glucose uptake, control blood sugar levels, and also activate the biochemical pathways that improve insulin and leptin sensitivities.

Overall this leads to reduced body weight.

3. Ginseng Helps in Improving insulin sensitivity

Panax ginseng induces fat mass reduction, by improving insulin sensitivity, thereby reducing weight. Ginsenosides improve insulin sensitivity and promote glucose uptake which prevents fat deposition.

4. Ginseng Helps in Improving Digestion

There are healthy microorganisms that live in our stomachs and aid in digestion. The microbes found in the intestines of obese individuals get maximum energy from the diet and lead to the activation of pathways that support fat accumulation in tissues and blood.

The extracts of black ginseng prevent the digestion of fats and also promote fat excretion from the body. Studies revealed that this effect led to the lowering of body fat and inhibition in the accumulation of lipids in blood and liver.

Korean white ginseng also aids in weight loss by delaying the absorption of fats in the intestine. It lowers leptin levels and reduces the activity of genes that support fat deposition.

How to Take Ginseng for Weight Loss?

Well, there is no standard dosage of ginseng that has been prescribed for weight loss.

You can find fresh or dried roots, fluid extracts, tinctures, and capsules near you. The Daily recommended dosage of ginseng is 200mg of standardized ginseng extract. In the case of dried roots, you can have 0.5 to 2 grams of dried roots in the form of tea or can chew them daily.

It is advised to take ginseng for 2- 3 weeks and then goes on a break of 2 weeks before consuming it again.

If you are looking out for Asian ginseng then check for Panax, red or Korean ginseng. Well, overall Asian ginseng is the best choice.

Precautions While Taking Ginseng

• Panax ginseng is safe to consume. But if consumed in high doses, it can cause sleeplessness and nervousness.
• The rare side effects seen are headaches, high blood pressure, insomnia, gastrointestinal upset, vaginal bleeding, etc.
• One should avoid ginseng if he/she is taking:
• Don’t take Ginseng along with Antidepressants
• Avoid Ginseng if taking medications for heart or blood pressure
• Avoid taking it along with Blood-thinning agents
• Avoid taking it with Diabetes medication
• In the case of pregnancy and lactation ginseng should be avoided.
• Children should not be given ginseng.
• Ginseng should be avoided in case the Individuals are suffering from autoimmune diseases, low blood sugar, high blood pressure, bipolar disorders.
• If you confused with ginseng supplements, the best approach would be to consult a physician.

Ginseng is being used for centuries in Traditional Chinese Medicine for weight loss, diabetes control, and improving overall health.