Ginseng may reduce cancer-related fatigue

Researchers have reported that the herb ginseng may reduce cancer-related fatigue, in a study presented at this years’ American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting in Chicago.

In the current study, patients with a life expectancy of at least 6 months and a history of cancer-related fatigue for at least the previous month took either placebo, ginseng 750 mg/day, ginseng 1,000 mg/day or ginseng 2,000 mg/day for eight weeks.

Patients taking ginseng 1,000 mg/day or 2,000 mg/day acheived greated reductions in fatigue, than those patients taking ginseng 750 mg/day or placebo. Twenty-five percent of patients taking ginseng 1,000 mg/day and 27% of patients taking ginseng 2,000 mg/day reported that their fatigue levels were moderately better or much better, compared with 10% of patients taking ginseng 750 mg/day and 10% of patients taking placebo.

Author’s conclusions: ‘This randomized pilot trial provided data to suggest that American Ginseng doses of 1000-2000 mg/d may be effective for alleviating cancer related fatigue. Therefore, further study of American Ginseng in cancer survivors appears warranted.’