From energy drinks to traditional medicine, it feels like you can't go anywhere these days without running into ginseng. Some claim it's an antioxidant powerhouse. Others will tell you it can do everything from improving brain function to regulating blood sugar. Ginseng has been used for thousands of years across different nations and cultures. It’s treasured for its healing properties, but it can be hard to separate the myths from the facts.
One of the main reasons people take ginseng is because of its antioxidant properties. Antioxidants, which are molecules that inhibit the oxidation of other molecules, are very much in vogue right now. Since oxidation can cause the growth of free radicals, a lot of research has gone into determining if antioxidants can actually fight cancer.
Excelling at sports requires attributes such as speed, strength and endurance, which is why athletes commonly take performance-enhancing supplements. Ginseng is purported to improve physical performance, but human studies have been conflicting. Ginseng may increase strength because it enhances the body’s own creative production. The researchers discovered that one of the main ways that ginseng blunted fatigue in the mice was by increasing levels of enzymes involved in creatine production. This allowed them to have more quick energy and burn fewer carbohydrates. Greater levels of the kind of quick energy creatine promotes can lead to more strength in the gym, as well as muscle growth.
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