Cheong Kwan Jang Korean Vital Tonic

Red ginseng is the ginseng our naturopaths reach for most, because it's the best-studied form. These are the questions they ask in store, based on that research.

A good fit if

• Everyday tiredness or stamina is what you're after, the most-studied use in the whole ginseng family
• You want the most studied form of ginseng, with the most trials behind it
• You're comfortable with a warmer herb that's traditionally more stimulating than the plain air-dried root
• You'll give it eight to twelve weeks, since that's how long the trials that found an effect ran
• You're an adult and you're not pregnant or breastfeeding

Check with us first if

• You take warfarin. There are case reports, but controlled studies haven't confirmed a meaningful interaction with Asian ginseng specifically.
• You take insulin, a sulfonylurea or metformin. Red ginseng has shown a real, if small, blood sugar-lowering effect in trials, so your prescriber may want to keep an eye on you.
• You take blood pressure medicine. Pooled trials found red ginseng lowered systolic pressure both straight away and over the longer term, more consistently than other forms of ginseng.
• You take phenelzine or another MAOI antidepressant. The safety research notes a possible interaction.
• You're looking at a multi-herb formula rather than red ginseng on its own. Serious side effects have been reported with combination products, though the other ingredients couldn't be ruled out as the cause.
• If you take prescription medicine, check with your doctor, pharmacist or our naturopaths before you start.

Reference values. There aren't any. Ginseng is a herb, not a nutrient, so there's no nutrient reference value, no recommended daily intake and no deficiency to correct.

Typical supplemental range. Australian red ginseng capsules and extracts usually contain 200 mg to 1 g, sometimes shown as a dry-root equivalent. Trials that found an effect used more: 1.8 to 3.6 g a day in fatigue and immune trials, 2 g a day in a 12-month blood vessel trial, and 500 mg twice a day in the prediabetes blood sugar trial. Check the dose and standardisation on the label against the trial you're going by.

Upper level. None is set. Australia's permitted ingredients list (Schedule 1) sets no maximum daily dose and no restriction on how Panax ginseng is taken, in any form. That doesn't mean any dose is fine. A company still has to hold evidence for the dose it sells.

Worth knowing. Trouble sleeping is one of the more commonly reported effects of ginseng, so taking it in the morning is a sensible precaution, and it fits red ginseng's traditional reputation as the warmer form. On how long to take it, the European traditional-use monograph says to see a doctor or pharmacist if symptoms last longer than two weeks, while the trials that found an effect generally ran eight to twelve weeks. What you need depends on your age, diet and health, so talk to one of our naturopaths.

If any of these sound like you, talk to one of our naturopaths or your doctor before you start.

• You're pregnant. The European traditional-use monograph for Panax ginseng says not to use it.
• You're breastfeeding. The same monograph says not to use it, and there are no human breastfeeding studies.
• Children and teenagers under 18. The same monograph says not to use it.
• You're allergic to the plant. Don't take it. Itching and hives are among the more commonly reported reactions to Korean red ginseng.
• You take warfarin. There are case reports, though controlled studies haven't confirmed a meaningful interaction with Asian ginseng specifically. Check with the doctor who prescribes it.
• You take glucose-lowering medicines, including insulin, sulfonylureas and metformin. Red ginseng has a real, small glucose-lowering effect. Check with the doctor who prescribes them.
• You take blood pressure medicine. Pooled trials found red ginseng lowered systolic pressure, more consistently than other ginseng forms. Tell your prescriber what you're taking.
• You take phenelzine or other MAOI antidepressants, or drink alcohol. Possible interactions have been reported in the safety literature.
• You're considering a combination product. Serious adverse events and deaths have been reported with multi-ingredient products containing ginseng, though the cause wasn't pinned down.
• If you take prescription medicines, check with your doctor, pharmacist or our naturopaths before you start.