Ginseng's Brain-Boosting Power ?
December 9th 2010 19:39
The herb ginseng has long been touted as a way to bolster brain power and memory. But a new review of research found little evidence of the supplement's benefits.
Ginseng has been thought to improve cognitive ability, keep the brain sharp and even prevent or alleviate symptoms of dementia.
Researchers at the Medical School of Nantong University in China looked at five randomized, placebo-controlled trials to measure whether the herb is actually effective. The experiments involved 289 healthy patients who showed no signs of memory loss, cognitive deterioration or dementia.
In three of the studies, most of the subjects were young or middle-aged, with an average age range of 20 to 31. In the other two, they were in their 50s. In four of the studies, ginseng's effect over eight to 12 weeks was looked at; in the fifth, short-term effects after only two days of taking the herb were analyzed.
While some of the studies showed improvement in cognitive function and working memory, others offered inconsistent or inconclusive results when participants' scores on memory, learning and attention tests were compared.
Overall, the researchers said, the findings didn't add up to provide "convincing" evidence of ginseng's brain benefits.
"Ginseng appears to have some beneficial effects on cognition, behavior and quality of life," lead author Dr. JinSong Geng, a lecturer at Nantong, said in a statement. "But at present, recommendations about [whether to take the herb] cannot be made due to the lack of high-quality evidence."
AOL's mental health expert, Dr. Daniel Carlat, says many herbal remedies have failed to stand the test of large-scale scientific studies, including ginkgo biloba.
"It's in line with similar kinds of studies that have put the scientific microscope up to other natural products," Carlat, a psychiatrist with a practice in Massachusetts, told AOL Health. "With a lot of these natural treatments, there's often a slew of early studies that are small and raise people's hopes. But when there is a large study that is well funded, often we find those early studies were overly optimistic."
He said that doesn't mean we should give up on herbal treatments entirely.
"Certainly there are natural remedies that will be shown to be highly effective over time," Carlat said. "But it's a painfully slow process to find out which of the remedies will be effective and which won't."
In one trial of 16 participants that the researchers reviewed, those taking ginseng seemed to experience a statistically significant improvement in both working memory and calmness, according to the researchers.
In another study of 112 subjects, the results were split, with the ginseng group getting substantially higher scores on some learning and memory tests but not on others.
The findings were also mixed or inconclusive when measuring the effect of ginseng on reaction time, the ability to concentrate and attention span.
Several of the studies pointed to quality-of-life improvements among those taking ginseng, including better general and physical health and more satisfying relationships, the authors said.
Part of the reason Geng and his team didn't find compelling proof for ginseng's powers as a brain and memory enhancer is because the studies were designed differently, used different types and doses of the herb and administered different cognitive tests, so combining the data wasn't possible.
More on Ginseng
Ginseng and flaxseed may be beneficial for cancer patients Farmers switch from tobacco to ginseng and lavender with the government's help Another flaw was that the subjects were all healthy, so researchers couldn't pinpoint ginseng's effectiveness at treating or stopping dementia.
The analysis appears in the latest issue of The Cochrane Library, published by an international group that evaluates medical research called the Cochrane Collaboration.
"It was a very careful review," Dr. Richard Brown, an associate professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University, said in a statement. "But as with many Chinese herbs and treatments, while ginseng has been used by millions of people, there aren't a lot of rigorous modern studies."
His own experience with ginseng has been positive, and he believes the findings about its apparent impact on working memory shouldn't be discounted.
"It enables you to think more quickly, to be more productive in the same time frame," he said. "My feeling is: There's a lot of value in this herb."
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