Areas of Focus:
Cognitive enhancement
Study Type:
Double blind placebo
Journal Publication:
National Library Of Medicine
Link To Study:
Summary:
This study wanted to see if ginseng, called Panax quinquefolius, could improve how people think. They tested this on 32 healthy young adults in a careful study where neither the participants nor the researchers knew who was getting the real ginseng and who was getting a fake pill. They measured people's mood, thinking ability, and blood sugar levels at different times after taking the ginseng. They found that ginseng improved working memory, which is important for remembering things temporarily.
It also helped with other memory tasks and made people feel calmer. But it didn't change blood sugar levels. This suggests that American ginseng might be good for the brain, especially for memory, and it could have different effects from Asian ginseng because they have different ingredients. The study suggests that American ginseng could be useful for further research, especially to see if it helps people with memory problems.