Ginseng for potency – action, effectiveness

Ginseng contains substances called ginsenosides, which have similar effects to drugs used for treating erectile dysfunction (ED). Ginseng preparations boost the synthesis of nitric oxide, which is necessary for the erection process. Therefore, the plant, which has been well-known for centuries, is considered one of the most effective aphrodisiacs, known to work for both sexes.

Ginseng has been used for improving potency for centuries. The natural medicine of the Far East was the first to use the therapeutic properties of the plant. The first references to the plant, with shape resembling a human body, are found in the Chinese work dating back to the 1st century B.C. entitled "Shennong’s Roots and Herbs".

Ginseng was for the first time brought to Europe in 1610 by Dutch merchants importing goods from Japan. Later, the effects of ginseng on erection were tested by Louis XIV, who was said to have problems with erection. His French doctors gave him a ginseng tincture. It had to be effective and make the effects of ginseng on potency known across Europe, since already in the 19th century the value of its dry root was ten times the value of gold. It is no wonder, though, since even today ginseng is considered the only natural aphrodisiac with such effectiveness.

Ginseng and potency

The effects of ginseng on potency have also been observed by the scientists of Asian Medical Center in Seoul, where men struggling with erection problems were tested. It turned out that 60% of patients subject to the test noticed that their sexual condition improved after using ginseng preparations.

In 1997, scientists discovered that ginseng boosts the synthesis of nitric oxide, which is necessary in the erection process – it facilitates the relaxation of the blood vessels in the cavernous bodies of the penis, increasing the blood supply to the penis. It was found that the most valuable potency-improving substances present in the plant are ginsenosides (so far, around 16 ginsenosides have been isolated.

Read also: Men’s health doctor – who to see for erectile dysfunction?

Ginseng for erectile dysfunction, but not only

Ginseng root offers beneficial effects not only on potency, but also on the entire body – all thanks to numerous active substances, such as:

• sugars,

• vitamins,

• minerals,

• trace elements. 

Among the numerous ginseng benefits, the following ones are worth a note:

• strengthening properties in periods of long-term, excessive physical and mental strain,
• adaptogenic properties, improving resistance to stress (ginsenosides take part in hormonal reactions regulating the bodily reactions to stress),
• strengthening of the immunity against infections,
• antifebrile, anticonvulsant, and antipsychotic properties,
• preventing stress-related stomach and duodenum ulcers,
• strengthening the memory and learning abilities,
• stimulating the central nervous system,
• facilitating physical activity,
• improving the supply of oxygen to the organs,
• reducing blood cholesterol (increases the HDL fraction),
• anticoagulant properties,
• reducing the blood sugar level,
• regulating the insulin production (ginseng root preparations were found to have beneficial effects on patients with insulin-dependent and insulin-independent diabetes, they put patients in a better mood, facilitate physical activity, and reduce the blood glucose level),
• extending the morphine toleration period while maintaining its painkilling properties,
• repairing damage in the body, especially in the liver after heavy drinking,
• anti-carcinogenic properties,
• facilitating wound healing,
• repairing post-radiation cell damage.

Read also: Problems with erection – what causes erectile dysfunction?

Which ginseng for potency?

Ginseng used in potency preparations comes mainly from China, South Korea, United States and Canada. The largest plantations of this plant are currently located in the American state of Wisconsin.

However, Asian ginseng grows wild in the mountain forests of:

• the Korean Peninsula,
• north-east China,
• on Japanese islands,
• in north-east Siberia (due to its large-scale harvest, since 1975, in Russia, the plant has been recorded in the Red List of Threatened Species).

It is in China that you still can sometimes stumble upon wildly growing, more than one-hundred-year-old plants. This is where the largest ginseng root was found in 1905. It weighed 600 g and was around 200 years old.   

We can distinguish several types of ginseng:

• Chinese ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer),
• Korean red ginseng (Korean Panax ginseng),
• American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius),
• Japanese ginseng (Panax japonicum),
• Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus).

The largest number of publications on this plant and its effects on erection has been written in South Korea, which has led to Korean ginseng being the most popular one among men with erectile dysfunction. Some preparations contain extracts from more than one variety of ginseng, using the Korean and the American variety.

Read also: Lack of erection – causes of erectile dysfunction

Ginseng root for potency – side effects

Ginseng extract preparations used as recommended (daily dose of dry root should range from 0.5 to 2.0 g) produce no adverse reactions.

According to the World Health Organization, ginseng root is not carcinogenic and has no negative effects on fertility. The preparations are best taken in the morning.

Remember that after a long period of taking ginseng tablets for potency, symptoms of overdose may appear, that is:

• insomnia,
• hypertension,
• nervous hyperactivity,
• diarrhoea,

Before you reach for tablets and other preparations containing ginseng root extracts, it is better to consult your doctor first on this matter.  There are still studies underway aimed at examining the amazing properties of this plant and its potential adverse reactions.

Read also: Kegel muscles in men – how to strengthen the muscles and erection?

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