Many people associate ginseng with regions in Asia, but there are actually several types of ginseng and a few of them grow in other areas of the world. One of my favorites, Panax quinquefolius, also known as American ginseng, has actually been enjoyed by Native Americans for centuries as a way to support energy, fertility, and digestion. The long, solid track record has prompted many people to add a ginseng supplement to their diet.

American Ginseng Antioxidant Benefits
The main bioactive phytonutrients in Panax quinquefolius are called ginsenosides. These compounds exhibit a number of medicinal properties. For instance, they are known to offer nearly ten times the antioxidant strength as vitamin E.

Ginsenosides may help reduce oxidative stress by working to neutralize free radicals, food toxins and environmental poisons. By reducing oxidative stress, ginsenosides are hypothesized to help impede the development of some preventable diseases and slow the physical effects of aging.

Ginseng’s antioxidant effects may play a role in its observed anticancer actions. Components of ginseng have been observed to exhibit anticancer properties in laboratory tests on cancer cell lines. However, it is not known if these effects will take place in the human body.

American Ginseng and Heart Disease
Ginseng has been observed to lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol levels. It may also decrease the amount of free triglycerides in the blood and encourage fatty acid storage in adipocytes (fat cells). Further, the active constituents in ginseng have been observed to relax the blood vessels of the heart and lungs.

By increasing blood volume displacement, lowering blood pressure, regulating fat storage and controlling cholesterol, arterial plaque is less likely to form. By inhibiting arterial plaque deposits, the chances of developing atherosclerosis, hypercholesterolemia, hyperlipidemia and subsequent heart disease are decreased.

American Ginseng Benefits for Energy
Ginseng tea or capsules are often used to combat fatigue. Patients suffering from a chronic lack of energy, either mental, physical or both, have claimed to benefit from ginseng supplementation. Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng) has been used to treat low energy conditions for thousands of years in Korea, China, India and much of Asia. American and Asian ginsengs share many of the same components.