Evidence: High Possible Benefits: Very High Safety: Very High
TABLE OF CONTENTS
What is black ginseng?
Similarly to Korean red ginseng, black ginseng is a steamed form of Panax ginseng, an adaptogenic herb with a long history of use as a traditional medicine. Instead of being steamed 1-2 times like Korean red ginseng, black ginseng is steamed anywhere from 3-9 times, which can significantly increase the concentrations of some bioactive compounds. This herb is often used as a supplement for improving general health and cognitive health but it can also have a variety of other beneficial effects. This article is about the main benefits of black ginseng, its potential side effects, the best time to take it, and more.
Possible benefits
All of the potential benefits mentioned below are dose-dependent. As with other adaptogenic herbs, there is a sweet-spot dose that allows you to get most of the benefits without causing meaningful side effects or tolerance buildup in the body. We will discuss the best dosing protocol later in this article.
Major benefits
Reduced risk of cancer – Daily supplementation with Panax ginseng was associated with more than halving the risk of colorectal, pancreatic, and ovarian cancer in one study. While we need more human research to confirm this effect, the research we have so far is very promising. This benefit probably applies to black ginseng as well.
Improved immune health – Black ginseng can improve various aspects of immune health, including innate immunity, adaptive immunity, cellular intrinsic immune defenses, mucosal immunity, immune tolerance, natural killer cell function, healthy T and B cell function, and more.
Minor benefits
Lowered inflammation – This herb can decrease IL-6 concentrations and other markers associated with inflammation.
Reduced blood glucose – Multiple studies found a decrease in fasting blood glucose in diabetics taking standard doses of ginseng for prolonged periods. The same does not apply to non-diabetics, where blood glucose usually isn’t altered in any notable way. However, a high dose of about 20 grams can acutely lower blood glucose levels even in healthy individuals.
Reduced risk of common cold and flu – Ginseng can reduce the rate of these two types of sickness but it doesn’t seem to influence the length or severity of them. This herb can also increase the effectiveness of flu shots.
Reduced symptoms of multiple sclerosis – Taking Korean black ginseng daily for 3 months can reduce feelings of tiredness in women with MS.
Faster muscle recovery – Korean black ginseng can reduce creatine kinase, a biomarker of muscle damage, 72 hours after an exercise session when the herb is taken before the session. This suggests that this herb can improve recovery.
Slower cognitive decline – The herb is somewhat effective in this regard.
Cognitive enhancement – Black ginseng can acutely enhance some aspects of cognition. This benefit may be secondary to ginseng’s anti-fatigue effects.
Increased erections – This herb can increase erections in people suffering from erectile dysfunction (ED). While this benefit was only shown in studies where they use Korean red ginseng, this benefit almost certainly applies to black ginseng as well.
Antioxidant properties – Panax ginseng can increase SOD, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase, the three main antioxidant enzymes.
Improved mood and well-being – An improvement is mainly seen in people with stress, diabetes, erectile dysfunction, or other issues that ginseng can help with. Healthy individuals without these problems may not experience this benefit.
Increased blood flow – Supplementation can lead to a small increase in blood flow.
Reduced DNA damage – Korean black ginseng can help slow down or even reverse DNA damage, probably due to its ability to remove senescent cells.
Calming effects – This herb was shown to improve self-reported calmness in one study.
Improved sleep quality – This benefit mainly applies when one sleeps in a new location.
Reduced symptoms of menopause – While this benefit is somewhat unreliable, ginseng may decrease some unpleasant symptoms of menopause, mostly ones related to libido. This herb was also shown to reduce depression in women going through menopause.
Increased testosterone – An increase is seen only in infertile men and doesn’t apply to most fertile men.
Improved reaction time – The effects on reaction time are mixed but slightly positive in most people.
Improved cholesterol levels – Korean black ginseng can both increase HDL cholesterol and lower LDL cholesterol levels. However, this benefit is somewhat unreliable and usually very small.
Possible side effects
The side effects below are dose-dependent. The risk for them increases (often linearly but sometimes exponentially) as you increase the dose. Some of the side effects only apply to very high doses.
Initial adverse reaction – When you start taking Korean black ginseng, things can get worse before they get better. This herb can temporarily worsen some aspects of your health and even make you sick for a few days after you start taking it. This can be unpleasant but it is usually a sign that the supplement is working and creating a hormetic response that allows the body to adapt and become more resilient in the long term.
Allergic reaction – Some people are allergic to this herb and may experience an allergic reaction after they start taking it. Unlike the “initial adverse reaction,” allergic reactions typically don’t go away until one stops taking the herb.
Nausea – This side effect is most common when people take the herb on an empty stomach.
Diarrhea – You can usually prevent diarrhea or stomach discomfort by taking this herb with a meal.
Toxicity – As an adaptogen, Korean black ginseng acts as a mild stressor on the body. That is usually a great thing as it allows your body to adapt to specific forms of stress and become more resilient. However, stressing the body too much can be counter-productive and cause multiple side effects, including toxicity. While acute toxicity is extremely rare, taking very high amounts of this herb could lead to chronic toxicity and cause health problems over time. To prevent chronic toxicity or the buildup of tolerance, staying below 1000 mg of a dry root powder or 50 mg of ginsenosides daily is best unless you have a great reason to take more.
Contamination – If growing or storing conditions are not adequately controlled, Panax ginseng (that is further steamed into Korean black ginseng) can be contaminated with bacteria, molds, and other potentially harmful microorganisms. Some growers also use pesticides and herbicides that can be unsafe. Another issue is that herbal supplements can get contaminated with other supplements and chemicals during the manufacturing process. Choose the brand you get herbs and herbal supplements from wisely. It is often best to use websites like Amazon, where thousands of users have reviewed and rated the products. You are less likely to buy something of lower quality there.
Who should not take Korean black ginseng?
You should probably avoid taking Korean black ginseng if you:
are allergic to this herb
experience a severe adverse reaction after taking the herb (though a mild adverse reaction is usually a great thing as it is a sign that the supplement is working and causing a hormetic response that allows the body to adapt and become more resilient)
are pregnant or breastfeeding (while it can be safe to take this adaptogen during pregnancy or breastfeeding, it acts as a mild stressor and can cause some unnecessary risk to the child)
Who will benefit the most?
You should consider taking the supplement if you:
are predisposed to colorectal, pancreatic, and ovarian cancer or other types of cancer
don’t suffer from any autoimmune condition and wish to improve immune health
wish to optimize overall cognitive and physical health
have a high budget for supplements and are willing to experiment with a variety of them (Korean black ginseng appears safe and is unlikely to do more harm than good for most people)
How much Korean black ginseng should you take?
Because Korean black ginseng is an adaptogenic herb, it acts as a mild hormetic stressor on the body, which allows your body to adapt and become more resilient to certain kinds of stressors in the long term.
A higher dose does not necessarily lead to more pronounced benefits. Instead, there appears to be an inverted U-shaped dose-response pattern. In other words, you want to find a sweet-spot dose that allows you to get the benefits of black ginseng without putting too much stress on the body or quickly causing the body to develop tolerance to the herb.
The sweet-spot dose typically ranges anywhere between 250-1000 mg of dry root powder daily. If you buy an x:1 extract, divide the dry root powder dosage by x. If you buy an extract standardized for ginsenosides, the sweet spot dose for total ginsenosides is about 12.5-50 mg.
The higher end of this range usually provides slightly more benefits in the short term. If you plan to take this herb for a longer time (multiple months or years), the lower end is probably a better way to go since you would develop tolerance faster if you were to take higher doses.
While higher doses are generally safe, taking more than the sweet-spot dose daily would be counter-productive as your body would quickly develop tolerance.
Additionally, very high doses can put too much stress on your system and cause health problems if you take the supplement for a prolonged period.
While this herb could theoretically cause acute toxicity, you would need to take an extremely high dose that is way beyond what is generally found in even the most potent supplements.
Like with most other adaptogens, it is best to cycle Korean black ginseng and take about 2 days off weekly to reset your tolerance. This will allow you to keep getting the benefits in the long term.
Keep in mind that some effects of this herb are cumulative. Therefore, you must take it for at least 2-4 weeks to notice most of the benefits. But again, cycling the herb and not taking it at least twice a week is necessary to prevent tolerance in the long term.
Best time to take Korean black ginseng
You can take this herb with or without food. Each of these options has its benefits. The main bioactive compounds in the herb should absorb well either way.
If you experience nausea or stomach discomfort when you take this herb, taking it with food should prevent these unpleasant effects or at least make them less intense.
If you take this herb on an empty stomach, the short-term effects will kick in faster and they will be more pronounced but will not last as long.
Whether you take this herb in the morning or the evening typically does not make much difference. Both options are fine so feel free to experiment.
Interactions
Ginkgo biloba This combination seems to benefit recall time and the vividness of memories.
Rosa roxburghii Panax notoginseng is believed to act synergistically with Rosa roxburghii in removing senescent cells. Senactiv® is a patented combination of these two herbs. It has been shown to improve exercise performance, muscle recovery, and more.
Where to buy Korean black ginseng?
Amazon is the best option for ordering Korean black ginseng and other herbs and herbal supplements in most countries. They offer some very affordable products backed by many positive reviews. Also, you can choose from a wide range of brands without having to search through other markets on the internet.
Some brands display the dosage per serving instead of per pill or capsule. Therefore, you may accidentally buy something less potent than you intended. Do not fall for this marketing trick.
Other types of ginseng
The different types of ginseng include:
Panax ginseng – This type is also known as Asian, True, or Wild ginseng. Panax ginseng is mainly grown in Korea and China, where it has been used for thousands of years as a traditional medicine.
Korean red ginseng – This is a steamed version of Panax ginseng. It has a similar chemical profile as Panax ginseng but the steaming process makes some bioactive compounds, including ginsenosides Rg3 and Rg5, more available. On the other hand, steaming reduces the amounts of ginsenosides Rb1 and Rb2. The steaming process also creates a compound called ginseng saponin which is not found in regular Panax ginseng. This is why Korean red ginseng is more beneficial than Panax ginseng in some aspects but less beneficial in other aspects.
Black ginseng – Instead of getting steamed and dried 1-2 times as is the case with Korean red ginseng, Korean black ginseng is steamed and dried 3-9 times. This creates even more ginsenosides Rg3 and Rg5 and ginseng saponin.
Panax notoginseng – Panax notoginseng is similar to regular Panax ginseng. Both of these herbs are grown in China but Panax notoginseng thrives in warmer climates so it is grown mainly in the South of China while Panax ginseng is mainly grown in the Northern part. Panax notoginseng generally contains more saponins and ginsenosides but fewer polysaccharides than Panax ginseng.
American ginseng – This type of ginseng, also called Panax quinquefolius in Latin, is a different species with a slightly different chemical composition. For example, American ginseng typically contains less of certain types of ginsenosides, such as Rg1, Rb1, and Rg3. it also contains lower amounts of polysaccharides and doesn’t have any ginseng saponin. However, American ginseng contains more ginsenosides Rb2 and Rc, which might make this type of ginseng more relaxing and anti-inflammatory. American ginseng is usually cheaper than Panax ginseng but also seems slightly less beneficial for most people. Wisconsin ginseng also falls under the category of American ginseng.
Panax notoginseng – Panax notoginseng is similar to regular Panax ginseng. Both of these herbs are grown in China but Panax notoginseng thrives in warmer climates so it is grown mainly in the South of China while Panax ginseng is mainly grown in the Northern part. Panax notoginseng generally contains more saponins and ginsenosides but fewer polysaccharides than Panax ginseng.
Siberian ginseng – Eleutherococcus senticosus, also known as Siberian ginseng, has a different chemical composition than the typical types of ginseng mentioned above. Instead of ginsenosides, the main bioactive compounds in Siberian ginseng are called eleutherosides. However, eleutherosides are structurally very similar to ginsenosides and have similar properties and effects on the body. Therefore, the benefits of Siberian ginseng itself are similar to those of Panax or American ginseng but seem less pronounced at regular doses.
Indian ginseng – This is another name for ashwagandha, an adaptogen with much different bioactive compounds and effects.
FAQ
As with most other herbs and herbal supplements, it is best to cycle black ginseng and stay off of it for about 2 days per week to reset your tolerance back to baseline. This will keep your body sensitive to the herb and allow you to keep getting the benefits in the long term.
When you take an extract standardized for ginsenosides, you know exactly how potent it is and how much you need to take to get the desired outcome. Herbal extracts also tend to be cheaper than unextracted powders in many cases. However, many of the potentially beneficial compounds get lost during the extraction process. Therefore, if you know how potent the unextracted powder is, it is almost always a better option.
All of these options are fine. The two most important things to consider are the price and dosing. Powders are almost always the cheapest form. However, you may need a highly accurate scale to dose them correctly (preferably 0.001g). You can get one for as little as $20 from Amazon. Dosing the powders also takes some time that can add up over months or years. The disadvantage of capsules is that they are often made of bovine gelatine, which rarely comes from ethical sources.
Yes, you can. This herb should not impact your sleep in any negative way. Whether you take it in the morning or the evening typically doesn’t make much of a difference. Both options are fine so feel free to experiment.
This herb should not become harmful once it exceeds the expiration date but it can lose potency over time. Keep the herb or the herbal supplement in a cold, dark, and dry place, and it should remain just as potent for many months or even years.
As an adaptogen, Korean black ginseng acts as a mild stressor on the body. This is usually a great thing as it allows your body to adapt to specific forms of stress and become more resilient. However, putting too much stress on the body can be counter-productive and cause multiple side effects, including toxicity. While acute toxicity is extremely rare, taking very high amounts of this herb could lead to chronic toxicity and cause health problems over time. Very high doses can also make you develop tolerance much faster than lower doses so they may be less effective in the long term.
While you could safely take higher doses, there is usually no point in taking more than 1000 mg of a dry herb or 50 mg of ginsenosides daily. This amount should give you most of the benefits without meaningful side effects. Paradoxically, taking a higher dose would likely lead to fewer benefits as the body would quickly become accustomed to the herb.
The half-life of Korean black ginseng in the body is about 3-4 hours. This herb should be processed in your body within 16 hours of consuming it.
Some of the cognitive-enhancing effects of this herb are acute and you may notice them right away. However, many of the effects of this herb are cumulative. Therefore, you must take it for at least 2-4 weeks to notice most of the benefits. But again, cycling the herb and not taking it at least twice a week is necessary to prevent tolerance in the long term.
Yes, Korean black ginseng is vegan-friendly. If you buy this herb in a capsulated form, beware that the capsules often contain animal-based gelatin. Instead, find a brand that puts its products into cellulose capsules.
No, it doesn’t. The herb does not interfere with fasting in any significant way.
References
Most of the information in this guide is based on scientific research that can be found and verified in the PubMed medical library. We highly encourage you to use the library to verify anything you read in this article. We excluded from consideration studies that are either confounded or have a high conflict of interest.
