Ginseng supplements, fatigue and physical performance across 12 trials in people
What it found
Ginseng supplements showed a small reduction in fatigue but no improvement in physical performance in people.
The authors say the evidence is not strong enough to draw firm conclusions.
What they found
Studies in people
Fatigue reduction in people
Across four trials involving 429 people, those taking ginseng reported slightly less fatigue than those taking a placebo. The authors describe this as a small effect.
Physical performance in people
Across eight trials involving 212 people, ginseng made no difference to physical performance compared to a placebo.
Dose and duration matter
When people took lower doses under 1,000 mg per day, or used ginseng for less than 6 weeks, it did not reduce fatigue.
Animal and lab studies
How ginseng might work
Lab tests on cells and animals suggest ginseng could affect brain chemicals and muscle energy use. The authors note these lab findings do not always match what happens in the human body.
What the authors conclude
- They state there is not enough clinical evidence to support using ginseng supplements for reducing fatigue or improving physical performance.
- They point out that only a few small trials have been published so far.
- They call for larger trials to confirm whether ginseng can truly help with tiredness.
How it was done
Many ginseng products are sold with claims that they boost energy, relieve stress and improve athletic performance. The authors wanted to check whether clinical trials actually support those claims for reducing tiredness and improving physical ability.
They combined results from 12 randomised trials comparing ginseng supplements to placebos. The trials involved 630 participants who took ginseng or a placebo for 4 to 12 weeks. They looked at changes in fatigue and physical performance.
What it can’t tell you
- Only 12 small trials were available, so scientists cannot yet be sure of the true effects.
- The trials lasted between 4 and 12 weeks, so longer term effects remain unknown.
- Lab studies in animals and cells cannot show what happens in people taking ginseng supplements.
Who paid
- Conflicts
- The authors have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose.
- Authors work at
- Graduate School of Cancer Science and Policy, Korea; Research Institute, Korea; Center for Cancer Prevention and Detection, Korea
The paper
- Title
- Efficacy of Ginseng Supplements on Fatigue and Physical Performance: a Meta-analysis
- Type
- Meta-analysis
- Evidence
- Studies in people · animals · lab
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Bach HV, Kim J, Myung SK, Cho YA (2016). Efficacy of Ginseng Supplements on Fatigue and Physical Performance: a Meta-analysis. Journal of Korean medical science. doi:10.3346/jkms.2016.31.12.1879Free full textPubMed 27822924DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error