20 replies to this topic

[Luminosity]

I'm a fifty-one year old woman with some health concerns. Lately something has been telling me to take Red Ginseng extract, maybe to make me stronger or to deal with stress. Before that I took Ginseng with royal jelly extract sometimes but now I feel like I should take a sugar free extract of Red Ginseng.

Anyone know who should or should not take that? Anyone know of a good brand and source?

I deal with chemical sensitivities, noise and electromagnetic sensitivities, connective tissue related orthopedic problems with resultant inflammation and fatigue, lack of sleep due to unreasonable levels of neighborhood noise and toxic exposures due to stupid things my neighbors do that cause skin problems. I should move but seem to lack the health and money to do so. I guess in Chinese Medical terms my constitution might be considered to be too yin? I've skipped too many meals in my life, due to functional limitations that cause problems getting out to get food.

[Galaxyshock]

Ginseng should take care of fatigue and help reduce inflammation. The general improvement in stress-resistance can help with various issues.

It's often recommended that people with high blood pressure should not use Ginseng, but otherwise it tends to be well tolerated. Don't use late in the day if you find it stimulating, or it might further impair sleep and you may find yourself yelling at your neighbors with your Ginseng-improved strengths, haha. Ginseng is heating, I find that I can't tolerate it well in the summer since I seem to have tendency to excess heat. Good alternatives with similar uses would be Eleuthero ("Siberian Ginseng") and Jiaogulan ("Southern Ginseng").

Consider combining it with Gotu Kola for smoother experience. GK is also excellent for various skin problems as it increases blood flow to the skin and stimulates collagen production.

[Luminosity]

Thanks. Can you recommend a brand and/or source?

[GoingPrimal]

Good points, Galaxyshock. You should be fine taking some red ginseng - if you think you're more yin, you could handle a more yang herb like red ginseng. If you find it too stimulating, you can take jiaogulan or siberian ginseng like Galaxyshock said, or get an unprocessed, white ginseng. American ginseng is an option as well.

Women, in general, usually focus on taking blood tonics in Traditional Chinese Medicine, while men focus more on Qi tonics like ginseng. This by no means is to say women don't also take Qi tonics, but you could look at combining ginseng with a blood tonic, like Angelica or goji berries. These would help to counter-act any of the stimulating qualities of ginseng, if you find that occurring.

My advice for a good source is to shop around for a company or supplier that specializes in Chinese Herbs. Most of the ginseng available today is crap ginseng, grown in poor conditions, not allowed to age and mature, etc. With Chinese herbs, especially with some like ginseng, you get what you pay for. The older the ginseng, the more active components it has, as well as a "smoother" feel. I think the minimum in Chinese medicine is to use at least 6-8 year old ginseng, and you won't be finding that in your local Vitamin Shoppe or CVS.

This product below is a traditional formula with ginseng as the main ingredient - it also has Angelica (dong quai on the label) as a blood building component, astragalus, schizandra and a few other herbs. The company that makes it, Dragon Herbs, is very well researched, and they grow many of their own herbs in clean mountainous regions in China.

http://www.iherb.com...81&sr=null&ic=4


I've used both Dragon Herbs' House Ginseng and their Ginseng Sublime product. The House Ginseng is their most basic Ginseng supplement for 23 dollars or so, and uses 6 year old ginseng grown in the mountains, not in a hothouse. The Ginseng Sublime is a bit higher quality, with some wild ginseng, but both are good, and both available on iHerb.com for a bit cheaper than if you bought from the company's site.

[Luminosity]

Thanks for the info.  I have a book by Ron Teegarden.  Are his herbs extracted traditionally, i.e., simmered and turned into a pill, or is it raw herbs?  

 

I probably do need a blood building tonic.  If I get the wrong Chinese tonic it is too heating or causes pressure in my head.  Show Wu Chi  was like that.  

 

I may try those products.  I know it is not the same quality but there was a box of vials of red panax ginseng extract in Chinatown that I might buy too.  It is extracted.  

Edited by Luminosity, 08 April 2014 - 06:05 AM.

[GoingPrimal]

Most of his herbs are extracted and concentrated, and most are also dual extracted, meaning extracted with hot water and alcohol.

[Luminosity]

Is his way better?  They aren't just preserved with alcohol?  

[GoingPrimal]

Some herbs, like medicinal mushrooms, provide different constituents depending on if you extract with water vs alcohol. So some herbs are dual extracted, others aren't.

[MiddleAged49]

I am in possession of a vial of Dragon Herbs 'Ginseng Sublime', it's the only ginseng product that I can feel anything from - as mentioned above, the cheaper versions using younger ginseng don't seem to do anything (for me, anyway). Sometimes you can get away with using cheaper versions of certain herbs and still get something from them, but not for ginseng in my opinion, you have to pay a bit more to make it worthwhile.

As the effect is subtle (for me), any buzz or extra focus you get from it can get get lost in the background noise of day-to-day life if you are running around a lot, so I save it for special occasions like job interviews etc., especially as I got caught for import taxes last time it got delivered to London. Rhodiola, Eleuthero and Cordyceps keep me going and sharpen me up when I'm out and about generally.

 

 

[Luminosity]

Thanks to both of you. 

 

So, they blend alcohol extracted and steamed herbs together?  What do they do exactly?  Do you know their process from herb to bottle?  I'd love to know about it.  

[Galaxyshock]

I've had some success with cheaper brands, but often need to exceed the recommended dosages for good effects, and sometimes it is indeed quite unreliable. There was capsuled 6 year old Korean Ginseng I found in a supplement store which was strong quality though, but did cost more. At the moment I'm using powdered Chinese Ginseng that I often mix in tea. I think I too will give Dragon Herbs products a try at some point.

 

Anyone tried this one?

http://www.iherb.com...4&sr=null&ic=11

I like that it's bottled.

[Adaptogen]

Just ordered this off ebay: http://www.ebay.com/...984.m1439.l2649

can't be sure of the quality, but it's cheap enough that I figure I'll give it a shot

[Luminosity]

It's your namesake.  Let us know how it goes.  

[celebes]

I've found Enzymatic Therapy's a cut above. I think Imperial Elixir was one of the best of the rest.

[Luminosity]

Thanks Celebes

[GoingPrimal]

So have you started using any ginseng Luminosity?

[Luminosity]

Not yet.

[jroseland]

Just ordered this off ebay: http://www.ebay.com/...984.m1439.l2649

can't be sure of the quality, but it's cheap enough that I figure I'll give it a shot

Recommended?

[pleiotropic]

I'm getting good results (increased energy, decreased fatigue when hiking) with this:  http://www.amazon.co...s/dp/B0006ZF01I

[Luminosity]

Below  is the brand I think I take.  It's about a 30 dollars US.  It's good stuff.  The Chinese herbalist where I buy it recommends it.  

 

korean red ginseng extract

 

Ginseng isn't for everyone.  When I was younger it was too heating.  Different types of ginseng are good for different types of people.  Red ginseng is more heating than some.  I haven't tried Natures Way ginseng but generally they are a good brand.    

[Adaptogen]

 

Just ordered this off ebay: http://www.ebay.com/...984.m1439.l2649

can't be sure of the quality, but it's cheap enough that I figure I'll give it a shot

Recommended?

 

 

can't say i recommend it.
for ginseng i think its a lot safer to stick to korean products.

out of all the brands i've tried, I like Auragin and then maybe ILHWA as a second