Research Presented at 14th International Symposium on Ginseng Highlights Red Ginseng’s Potential Benefits Against Age-Related Health Decline
Clinical and preclinical research presented at the 14th International Symposium on Ginseng has highlighted the potential of Korean red ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) in addressing several physiological changes associated with ageing. The findings, presented at the scientific meeting hosted by the Korean Society of Ginseng, examined the effects of red ginseng and its bioactive components across multiple areas of health, including oxidative stress, sleep quality, cognitive decline, metabolic dysfunction, liver health and physical performance.
The research brings together findings from human clinical investigations and experimental animal studies, offering insights into the biological mechanisms through which red ginseng may influence age-related physiological processes. The studies explored its potential antioxidant properties, effects on sleep patterns, possible neuroprotective activity, metabolic benefits and ability to preserve muscle strength and physical function.
Among the findings presented were results from a study involving 900 Chinese adults experiencing chronic fatigue and impaired immune function, research examining Korean red ginseng polysaccharides in an experimental dementia model, investigations into metabolic dysfunction and liver fibrosis, and studies assessing muscle performance in ageing mice.
Collectively, the findings suggest that red ginseng may influence several interconnected biological pathways involved in maintaining health during ageing. However, the clinical significance of the individual findings and their potential application in human healthcare will require further investigation.
Clinical Study Examines Antioxidant Effects and Overall Health Improvements
A research team led by Professor Hong-Sheng Tan of Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine evaluated the effects of red ginseng supplementation on antioxidant capacity and overall health status in 900 Chinese adults between 40 and 75 years of age.
The participants reported chronic fatigue and impaired immune function but did not have overt organic disease. The study aimed to investigate whether red ginseng supplementation could influence markers of oxidative stress and improve selected measures of health-related quality of life.
One of the major areas of investigation was serum malondialdehyde (MDA), a biomarker associated with lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress. Increased MDA levels can indicate damage to cellular components caused by oxidative processes.
According to the findings, MDA levels decreased significantly among participants receiving red ginseng supplementation. In comparison, MDA levels increased in the placebo group.
The antioxidant effects were particularly pronounced among participants aged 40 to 60. Researchers also identified an inverse correlation between antioxidant capacity and oxidative stress levels, suggesting that improvements in antioxidant status were associated with lower levels of oxidative stress.
These findings are relevant to ageing research because oxidative stress is associated with several biological processes involved in age-related physiological decline. An imbalance between the production of reactive oxygen species and the body’s antioxidant defence mechanisms can contribute to cellular damage and affect normal tissue function.
The observed reduction in MDA levels suggests that red ginseng supplementation may influence antioxidant defence mechanisms in certain populations. Nevertheless, additional research will be necessary to determine the duration of these effects and their potential implications for long-term health outcomes.
Red Ginseng Shows Improvements in Health-Related Quality of Life
In addition to evaluating oxidative stress, Professor Tan’s research team assessed participants’ health-related quality of life using the Short Form-36 (SF-36), a validated questionnaire designed to measure different dimensions of physical and mental health.
The SF-36 evaluates eight health domains, providing a broad assessment of how individuals perceive their physical functioning, emotional well-being and everyday activities.
Across the eight domains, participants in the red ginseng group recorded a mean improvement of 10.68 points, compared with 7.13 points among those receiving placebo.
The differences between the two groups were statistically significant in the role-physical and vitality domains.
The role-physical domain assesses the extent to which physical health limitations interfere with daily activities and responsibilities. The vitality domain measures aspects of energy and fatigue.
These results are particularly relevant because persistent fatigue and reduced physical energy are common concerns among individuals experiencing age-related changes in health. Improvements in these areas could potentially contribute to better everyday functioning and perceived well-being.
The findings indicate that red ginseng supplementation was associated with greater improvements in selected quality-of-life measures compared with placebo. However, the results across the different SF-36 domains should be interpreted individually, as statistically significant differences were specifically reported for role-physical and vitality.
Wearable Device Study Identifies Improvements in Sleep Duration
Sleep quality was another important component of the clinical investigation.
A sleep substudy involving 152 participants used wearable devices to monitor sleep patterns and compare outcomes between the red ginseng and placebo groups.
Participants receiving red ginseng recorded an additional 12.5 minutes of deep sleep, representing an 11.5% increase compared with the placebo group.
The red ginseng group also recorded 35.9 additional minutes of total sleep, corresponding to an 8.8% increase.
These findings suggest that red ginseng supplementation may have a positive influence on certain aspects of sleep duration and sleep architecture.
Deep sleep is an important stage of the sleep cycle associated with physical restoration and several physiological processes. Adequate sleep also supports cognitive function, metabolic regulation and immune system activity.
Changes in sleep duration and quality can become increasingly relevant with age, as sleep patterns may be affected by physiological changes, health conditions and lifestyle factors.
The wearable-device approach provided an additional source of objective information about participants’ sleep patterns, complementing the broader health assessments conducted during the study.
Although the results indicate improvements in measured sleep outcomes, further controlled studies will be important to establish the consistency of these effects, determine the mechanisms involved and evaluate whether red ginseng can provide sustained improvements in sleep among different populations.
Korean Red Ginseng Polysaccharides Investigated for Potential Neuroprotective Effects
Research presented by Professors Minho Moon and Yunkwon Nam of Konyang University College of Medicine examined the potential neuroprotective properties of Korean red ginseng polysaccharides (KRGP) using a transgenic mouse model of dementia.
The study investigated whether KRGP could influence several biological processes associated with neurodegenerative changes, including amyloid-beta accumulation, neuroinflammation, neuronal loss, hippocampal neurogenesis and tau pathology.
Amyloid-beta accumulation is one of the major pathological features investigated in Alzheimer’s disease research. The accumulation of these protein deposits in the brain has been associated with disruptions in neuronal function and progressive cognitive impairment.
Neuroinflammation and neuronal loss are also important areas of investigation in neurodegenerative disorders. Persistent inflammatory activity within the brain can affect neuronal health, while the loss of neurons can contribute to declining cognitive abilities.
According to the findings, KRGP significantly reduced cerebral amyloid-beta accumulation in the experimental dementia model. The intervention also attenuated neuroinflammation and neuronal loss.
In addition to these effects, the researchers reported that KRGP promoted hippocampal neurogenesis, the process through which new neurons develop in the hippocampus, a brain region involved in learning and memory.
The treatment also mitigated cognitive impairment and inhibited tau accumulation.
Tau is a protein that normally plays a role in maintaining neuronal structure. Abnormal accumulation and aggregation of tau are associated with several neurodegenerative conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease.
The combination of findings suggests that Korean red ginseng polysaccharides may influence multiple mechanisms associated with neurodegeneration rather than acting through a single biological pathway.
The reported reduction in amyloid-beta and tau accumulation, together with improvements in neuroinflammatory measures and hippocampal neurogenesis, provides a basis for further investigation into the potential role of KRGP in neurological research.
However, these findings were obtained using a transgenic mouse model and should not be interpreted as evidence that Korean red ginseng polysaccharides prevent or treat dementia in humans. Additional studies, including carefully designed clinical investigations, will be needed to establish their safety, efficacy and therapeutic relevance.
Red Ginseng Extract Examined for Metabolic Dysfunction and Liver Health
Another study presented at the symposium focused on the potential metabolic effects of red ginseng extract.
Professor Johan Auwerx of the School of Life Sciences at EPFL (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne) reported findings from research involving mice with experimentally induced metabolic dysfunction and liver fibrosis.
The investigation assessed the effects of red ginseng extract on body weight, adiposity, liver health, blood glucose and insulin levels.
Metabolic dysfunction can involve several interconnected abnormalities, including impaired glucose regulation, excessive fat accumulation and changes in insulin sensitivity. These processes may contribute to the development and progression of metabolic diseases and associated liver complications.
Liver steatosis, commonly characterised by excessive fat accumulation in liver cells, is an important feature of metabolic dysfunction-associated liver disease. In more advanced conditions, persistent liver injury and inflammation may contribute to fibrosis, a process involving the accumulation of scar tissue.
According to the findings presented by Professor Auwerx, red ginseng extract reduced body weight and adiposity in mice with induced metabolic dysfunction.
The treatment was also associated with reductions in hepatic steatosis and liver fibrosis, indicating improvements across several measures of metabolic and liver health.
Researchers additionally reported improvements in blood glucose and insulin levels, with both measures returning towards near-normal levels.
These findings suggest that red ginseng extract may influence metabolic pathways involved in energy regulation and liver function.
The reported changes in body weight, fat accumulation and glucose regulation are of interest because metabolic health plays an important role in maintaining overall physiological function during ageing.
The improvements observed in the experimental model also highlight the potential relationship between red ginseng supplementation and processes involved in liver metabolism.
Nevertheless, the findings remain preclinical. Further studies will be necessary to determine whether similar effects can be observed in humans and to establish the appropriate formulations, dosages and treatment durations for potential clinical applications.
Red Ginseng and Ginsenoside Rb2 Show Potential to Preserve Muscle Function
Muscle strength and physical performance represent additional areas of concern during ageing. Progressive reductions in muscle function can affect mobility, independence and the ability to perform everyday activities.
At the symposium, Professor Sang Min Park of Chungnam National University College of Pharmacy presented research investigating the effects of red ginseng and its bioactive constituent, ginsenoside Rb2, in a mouse model of induced ageing.
The study focused on whether these interventions could attenuate age-associated declines in grip strength and physical performance.
According to the findings, both red ginseng and ginsenoside Rb2 helped reduce declines in grip strength and physical performance in the experimental model.
The observed improvements were accompanied by significant alterations in central neurotransmission and hepatic energy metabolism, along with enhanced muscle function.
Central neurotransmission refers to the processes through which nerve cells communicate using chemical and electrical signals. These processes are important for coordinating movement, regulating physical activity and maintaining communication between the nervous system and other tissues.
Hepatic energy metabolism also plays an important role in maintaining the body’s energy balance. The liver contributes to the regulation and distribution of nutrients and energy substrates required by different organs and tissues.
The changes observed in neurotransmission and hepatic energy metabolism suggest that the effects of red ginseng and ginsenoside Rb2 may involve broader physiological mechanisms associated with physical performance.
The findings provide additional insight into the potential role of red ginseng-derived compounds in research focused on age-related muscle decline.
Further investigation will be needed to determine how these biological changes translate into functional improvements in humans and whether supplementation could contribute to maintaining muscle strength and physical capacity over time.
Multiple Research Areas Highlight the Broad Biological Activity of Red Ginseng
The studies presented at the 14th International Symposium on Ginseng collectively examined the potential effects of red ginseng across several interconnected areas of ageing research.
The clinical investigation involving 900 adults provided findings related to oxidative stress, antioxidant capacity, quality of life and sleep outcomes. Meanwhile, experimental studies explored potential neuroprotective effects, metabolic improvements, liver health and preservation of muscle function.
An important feature of the research programme was its examination of different preparations and components of red ginseng, including whole red ginseng extract, Korean red ginseng polysaccharides and the bioactive constituent ginsenoside Rb2.
These investigations may help researchers better understand which components contribute to specific biological effects and how different molecular pathways could be involved.
The findings also highlight the importance of combining human clinical research with preclinical investigations. Human studies can provide information about measurable health outcomes, while animal models can help researchers investigate biological mechanisms that may be difficult to examine directly in people.
However, the distinction between clinical and preclinical evidence remains important. The reported antioxidant, quality-of-life and sleep findings came from a study involving human participants, whereas the dementia, metabolic dysfunction, liver fibrosis and muscle performance findings were obtained from animal models.
Consequently, the preclinical observations require further validation before conclusions can be drawn about their relevance to human diseases or their potential use in clinical treatment.
Advancing Research Into Healthy Ageing
The research presented at the symposium reflects growing scientific interest in identifying nutritional and bioactive compounds that may influence biological processes associated with ageing.
As populations age globally, maintaining physical function, cognitive health, metabolic balance and overall quality of life has become an important focus of healthcare research.
Red ginseng has been investigated for its diverse bioactive constituents and potential biological activities. The latest findings presented at the symposium add to this research by examining its possible effects across several physiological systems.
The clinical results involving antioxidant markers, quality-of-life measures and sleep duration provide human research findings that may support further investigation. Meanwhile, experimental studies involving dementia, metabolic dysfunction, liver fibrosis and muscle decline offer potential directions for future research into the mechanisms associated with red ginseng and its components.
The 14th International Symposium on Ginseng, hosted by the Korean Society of Ginseng, provided a scientific platform for presenting these findings and discussing the potential applications of ginseng research.
Overall, the studies highlight the possibility that red ginseng may influence multiple biological pathways associated with age-related physiological changes. Further clinical trials and mechanistic research will be essential to determine the extent of these effects, establish their long-term significance and clarify whether the observed benefits can be translated into evidence-based strategies for supporting healthy ageing.