American Ginseng for Diabetes

American ginseng is a popular variety of ginseng, like the Korean and Siberian ginseng. The use of American ginseng, a herbaceous perennial plant of the ivy family, is very popular as a herbal medicine. Since time immemorial, this medicine has been used by native Americans for its blessed medicinal properties. The use of this herb for the treatment of headache, fever, indigestion and infertility is common practice in North America. Ginsenosides in ginseng are said to impart medicinal properties to ginseng. Ginseng has a plethora of benefits, the best one being, its role in boosting energy levels and the immune system of the body. It also helps in the treatment of insomnia and reduces stress levels in the body. There are many other benefits of American ginseng, making it a popular herb. Now, does this herb help diabetic patients? Yes, a few studies have proven that American ginseng is indeed helpful for diabetes patients.

Can You Take American Ginseng for Diabetes?

Among the innumerable problems encountered by diabetics, fluctuations in blood sugar level is the most serious one, seen in both - type 1 and type 2 diabetics. Though the findings are not foolproof, studies by experts suggest that consumption of ginseng helps in the regulation of a disturbed blood sugar level. Studies were conducted by researchers at St. Micheal's Hospital in Toronto and also at the University of Toronto to determine the effectiveness of ginseng in maintaining blood sugar level. The research shows a positive result; the participants of the study were asked to take ginseng prior to lunch, and there was a reduction in the blood sugar level when it was checked after lunch. In other countries also, similar studies were conducted and most of them showed positive results. Ginseng reduces blood sugar level of both diabetic and non-diabetic patients. Although these are positive results in the direction of diabetes management, a lot more research is needed to confirm these results, as this was only a minor study.

Ginseng is still not used as a medicine to treat diabetes, and you should thus seek an expert's opinion on using the herb for diabetes. This is because, the effectiveness of the herb depends on its dosage, which is generally in milligrams. And does American ginseng help counter other symptoms of diabetes? Other serious implications of diabetes are, extreme hunger, increased frequency of urination, fatigue and unexplained weight loss/gain in the person. Type-2 diabetes also has similar symptoms, and in some cases can have serious symptoms like recurrence of injuries and blurred vision. The immune boosting properties of ginseng can prove helpful to diabetic patients, and help counter fatigue and tiredness to a considerable extent. Ginseng is also said to possess weight loss and carbohydrate regulating properties. There are so many benefits of American ginseng, and studies are still in progress to valuate and harness the medicinal properties of this herb to fight diabetes, like it is available in capsule form for a daily energy boosting supplement.