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Source: Energy Times, April 2003 , by Susan Stevens
American Ginseng Aids Male Sex Performance
Sourced from The Doctors' Prescription for Healthy Living/ Volume 7, Number 4
American Ginseng May Help Control Diabetes
Scientists Find “A New Way to Use an Old Medicine”
By Michael Devitt, Managing Editor
GET GOING!
Source: Energy Times, April 2003 , by Susan Stevens The various forms of ginseng have been used around the world for more than 2,000 years to boost personal energy and improve health. Now a study at St. Michael’s Hospital and the University of Toronto have found that taking American ginseng before a meal reduces blood sugar in people both with and without diabetes (Arch Intern Med 2000; 160:1009-13). Leveling off spikes in blood sugar can keep your personal energy form dipping.
In addition, Vladimir Vuksan, MD, lead investigator, says, “Although preliminary, these findings are encouraging and indicate that American ginseng’s potential role in diabetes should be taken seriously and investigated further. Controlling after-meal blood sugar levels is recognized as a very important strategy in managing diabetes. It may also be important in the prevention of diabetes in those who have not yet developed the disease.”
The ginseng sold in the US is usually one of three varieties: American, Korean or Eleutherococcus. “Eleutherococcus is thought to keep you energetic by maintaining glycogen (stored energy) in muscles (Economic Medicinal Plant Research 1985; 1:156).” “Korean ginseng has been shown to boost muscle activity and help adrenal function (Jrnl Ethnopharm 1986; 16:15).” “American ginseng is recommended by health practitioners to alleviate stress and offset the fatigue of jet lag. The key to joining this army of the enthusiastically energetic may be a sprinkling of just the right nutrients that give you access to the lifestyle of the perky and lively. The trick is to toy with your diet and habits to see what may banish those daily blahs that have had you feeling down so long. For instance, if your highway of life seems like an uphill slog that's got you stuck on the shoulder, a few B vitamins may get you back in the fast lane. The family of B vitamins are now everybody in the world should take (a multivitamin) as insurance and try to eat a good diet.”
Factor in the Cofactors
In the human body, the B vitamins often act as enzyme cofactors, chemical catalysts that enable energy-producing functions to proceed more efficiently. By enabling the body to proceed with these reactions, Dr. Ames thinks B vitamins may perk us up as we age. Since our aging cells suffer oxidative damage to proteins and Energetic laughter.
The means for feeling more energetic and optimistic may be as close as your DVD player or VCR. Research at the University of California at Irvine School of Medicine shows that watching a funny video, or even just looking forward to watching it, can drop your levels of stress hormones and boost your growth hormone (soc for Neurosci, Annual Meeting, 11/02). “Since chronic stress can suppress the immune system’s ability to fight disease, reducing the effects of stress can help the body resist infections and other disorders,” says Lee Berk, MD, professor of medicine at Irvine. “This study shows that even knowing you will be involved in a positive humorous event... reduces levels of stress hormones in the blood and increases levels of chemicals known to aid relaxation. This has profound implications for complementary treatment of disease and for maintaining a person’s wellness.” In this study, men who watched a humorous video experienced a 39% decrease in cortisol, and a 70% drop in epinephrine, two stress hormones. At the same time, endorphin levels rose 27%, and growth hormone levels rose 87%. Both endorphins and growth hormone can ease stress and pump up the immune system.
Thought by many researchers to be a key to keeping you metabolism and energy level revved up to full capacity. After reviewing a slew of studies that looked at how dietary supplements affect health, Bruce Ames, PhD, professor of biology at the University of California at Berkeley Concluded that many people can reap surprising benefits by taking multivitamins rich in the B vitamins and other nutrients. As he points out, “Zinc and iron deficiency, vitamin C, B-12 and B-6 deficiencies are very common... enzymes, we can possibly boost our well-being with vitamins that alleviate or help offset these molecular injuries.” In a report to the proceedings of the National Academy of Science (2002; 99: 1870-75), Dr. Ames and his colleagues pointed out that giving lab animals certain nutrients makes them more energetic and improves their memories. These nutrients also include alpha-lipoid acid (ALA), an antioxidant nutrient that helps the body deal with molecular damage, and acetyl-L-carnitine, a nutrient that links up with enzymes that help cells produce energy in their mitochondria.
Mitochondria are tiny structures in each cell that are like miniature furnaces, burning fuel for the energy that keeps us going. Meanwhile, other research suggests that the B vitamins B-6, B-12 (cobalamin) and foliate (also known as folic acid) can keep your mind nimble as well as energetic. Apparently, the body needs these two nutrients to eliminate the protein homocysteine from the blood. This protein has been linked to heart problems and Alzheimer's disease. According to recent research (American Journal of clinical Nutrition 2002; 75;908-13) homocysteine is neurotoxic-it contributes to the breakdown of nerves and brain cells. In these investigations, scientists examined individu-Beating the Fatigue of Fibromyalgia. Those who suffer the chronic tiredness of fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) can use Exercise and relaxation techniques to reduce their pain, fatigue and morning stiffness according to a study at the University of Missouri-Columbia. “Optimal treatment of FMS should include non-pharmacological interventions, specifically exercise and cognitive behavioral therapy (changes in habits and ways of thinking), in addition to appropriate medication management as needed for sleep and pain symptoms,” says Lynn A. Rossy, MA, who headed the study. FMS is a poorly understood disorder that leaves victims constantly tired and suffering form painful tenderness and persistent insomnia. Rossy and colleagues analyzed studies on about 2,000 people with FMS who were taking antidepressants, muscle relaxants and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs as well as being treated with aerobic exercise, relaxation and cognitive behavioral techniques (Ann Behav Med 1999; 21:180-91).Their conclusion: Meditation, consistent exercise (like walking and jogging), does as much to boost energy levels as do drugs.
Uals between the ages of 61 to 78 and found that those who had more folate and B-12 in their blood could think more effectively retained more of their mental capacity. Energetic Building Blocks Another area of research that has excited scientists is the growing knowledge of how amino acids can help improve muscles and energy production in the body. One of the most talked-about studies in this area (Curr Med Res Opin 1981; 7:475) looked at growth hormone levels in more than a dozen men who were given the amino acids lysine and arginine. The men who took these amino acids consequently produced significantly higher levels of human growth hormone. This hormone, a chain of 191 amino acids assembled and secreted by the pituitary gland, influences important physiological activites that boost muscle growth and help the cells extract energy form fat. Boosting the body's production of human growth hormone, furthermore, is thought to be a way of making aging bodies feel more energetic. Much about how growth hormone affects older adults remains controversial. However, a study in the New England Journal of Medicine, where in researchers gave human growth hormone to men over the age of 60, has set off a firestorm of interest in this substance. In the research by Daniel Rudman, MD (1990; 323:1-6), men who took growth hormone gained almost 9% more muscle, lost almost 15% of their body fat and evidenced other beneficial changes like thicker skin and denser bones. According to Dr. Rudman, “The effects of six months of human growth hormone on lean body mass and adipose tissue mass were equivalent in magnitude to the changes incurred during 10 to 20 years of aging.” In other words, it seemed to take tem the pep of people a decade younger.
Energy and Aging.
Of course, as the old adage claims, you’re only as old as you feel. Taking a positive view of things can help, as can taking care of the basics: Eating breakfast, getting enough exercise and sleep, and finding ways to battle the stress than can drain energy and make life feel like and uphill battle. In short, the path to feeling more energetic and younger may wind itself through a reevaluation of your current lifestyle: The next time that morning alarm goes off, ask yourself, “Am I feeling luckily energetic or in a sleepy funk? Then instead of reaching for the snooze button, reach for more beneficial nutrients.
American Ginseng Aids Male Sex Performance
Sourced from The Doctors’ Prescription for Healthy Living/ Volume 7, Number 4. Men seeking and extra edge in the bedroom should know about the increasingly well-documented prosexual powers of American ginseng (panax quinquefolium). “In Asia, ginseng is commonly included in herbals used for the treatment of sexual dysfunction. Recent studies in laboratory animals have shown that both Asian and American forms of ginseng enhance libido and copulatory performance,” note researchers at the Department of physiology, Southern Illinois University School of medicine, Carbondale. In one study that investigated the effects of American ginseng on male rat mating behavior, researchers found that, “Ginseng-treated male rats demonstrated a significant decrease in, mount intromission and ejaculation latencies compared to vehicle controls.” They added, “These results demonstrated that P. quinquefolium significantly facilitates male copulatory behavior.” These studies, they say, “lend growing support for the use of ginseng in the treatment of sexual dysfunction.”
There are several ways American ginseng stimulates libido. American ginseng affects the central nervous system and has been shown to favorably alter sex-hormone secretion, say the researchers. Various forms of ginseng, including American, have quite another benefit, which might also account for its aphrodisiacal effect. “Indeed, there is good evidence that ginsenosides can facilitate penile erection by directly inducing the vasodilatation and relaxation of penile corpus cavernosum. Moreover, the effects of ginseng on the corpus cavernosum appear to be mediated by the release and/or modification of release of nitricoxide...” As we have noted in previous articles, impaired nitric oxide production is a key cause of male erectile dysfunction. Thus, American ginseng appears to help men overcome this age-and disease-related condition. RECOMMENDED FORMULA- pure Planet has made several quality American ginseng products available to consumers. Ginseng Plus from Pure Planet Contains American ginseng root. All true ginsengs have “panax” (the Greek work for panacea or cure all) as part of their scientific name. Panax ginseng from Asia and Panax quinquefolius from North America are the two primary forms of true ginseng. American ginseng can be taken over long period of time without causing overuse reactions. This is partly because American ginseng has a higher concentration of the ginsenoside Rb-1. The Rb-1 ginsensoside has a calming effect on the body (Yin qualities), helping it manage stress, while Rg-1 has a stimulating effect (Yang qualities), giving the body energy. The ratio of Rb-1 to Rg-1 is 5:1 in American ginseng and only 2:1 in Asian ginseng. This is the reason American ginseng has been found to be more effective than Asian ginseng in stress management and controlling high blood pressure, in addition to its prosexual properties. Pure Planet has long enjoyed a reputation for producing quality nutritional formulas. If you need help to find Ginseng Plus at a sore in your area, contact Pure Planet toll free at 800.695.2017.
American Ginseng May Help Control Diabetes
Scientists Find “A New Way to Use an Old Medicine”
By Michael Devitt, Managing Editor
Ginseng is one of the most frequently used herbs in Asian healing. Traditional beliefs hold that ginseng plays a vital role in the balance of yin and yang and helps restore harmony to certain body systems. It is often used by health practitioners as a tonic and is believed by some cultures to cure conditions ranging from the common cold to male infertility.1,2
Unfortunately, there has been a lack of research surrounding ginseng's healing properties. Although it has been a staple of traditional Chinese medicine for more than 2000 years, most of the claims attributed to ginseng have been based on anecdotal evidence, with few scientific tests performed on human subjects.
New research recently published in the Archives of Internal Medicine shows that at least one species of ginseng may be of therapeutic value. According to a study conducted at the University of Toronto, taking American ginseng before a meal appears to produce “significant reductions” in blood sugar in people both with and without diabetes.3
The findings suggest that American ginseng could have important implications for the treatment and prevention of diabetes mellitus, a disease that affects nearly one in every 12 North American adults. The study also shows an improvement in the quality of research now being conducted on herbal medicines in the United States, while continuing to highlight the need for larger, long-term studies.
In the study, scientists divided test subjects into two groups. One group consisted of nine patients diagnosed with Type II diabetes, the most common form of the disease. The other group was composed of 10 non-diabetic patients.
On four separate occasions, with at least one week apart, each subject took a pill containing either three grams of American ginseng or a placebo. The pills were consumed either 40 minutes before (or in conjunction with) a simulated “meal” consisting of 25 grams of sugar mixed with water.
Blood samples were taken from each subject immediately before the meal; additional samples were taken at 15, 30, 45, 60 and 90 minutes after eating. Patients in the diabetic group also had blood samples taken 120 minutes after the meal.
Decreases in blood glucose levels were seen in both groups of patients. When the ginseng was taken in conjunction with the meal, blood glucose levels in diabetic patients decreased an average of 19% at 45 and 60 minutes after eating. When the ginseng was taken 40 minutes before eating, the diabetics’ blood glucose levels decreased an average of 22% at 30 and 45 minutes after the meal.
A similar decrease in blood sugar was seen in the non-diabetic patients, but only when the ginseng capsules were taken 40 minutes before the simulated meal. These results suggest that the effect of ginseng may depend on the time it is taken prior to eating.
Based on their observations, the scientists believe ginseng may be a viable alternative to traditional forms of diabetes treatment. Previous studies have shown that patients with Type II diabetes who watch their diet and control sugar intake have fewer complications than those who do not,4 and that a reduction of blood sugar in the diet decreases the risk of developing diabetes in men and women.5,6 Ginseng, the scientists feel, may hold the same potential as insulin or other medications in helping people control - or even prevent - diabetes.
“Implications of our preliminary findings are promising,” the researchers concluded. “If this improvement in control could again be accomplished by a decrease in the GI (glycemic index) of the diet affected by ginseng, then it may prove a useful adjunct to the conventional treatment of diabetes mellitus. In short, either use may offer a new way to use an old medicine.” Guardedly Optimistic Scientists Call for More Research.
Although the results of the study are encouraging, the researchers believe more intensive studies need to be conducted before determining ginseng's role in diabetes maintenance and prevention. “This is an initial, short-term study that only indicates a need for more research,” said Dr. Vladimir Vuksan, the study’s lead author, in an interview with Reuters Health. He recommended that the study of American ginseng, as well as the Japanese, Chinese and other varieties, “be taken seriously and investigated further.”7
“Of course, we are very encouraged by the results,” added John Sievenpiper, a doctoral candidate and co-author of the study. “But by no means do we want this to be a justification for everyone to take ginseng. It clearly indicates a need for more research.”8
Although the groups used in the ginseng trial were relatively small - a total of 19 subjects participated in the tests - Vuksan and his colleagues believe the study is an important step forward in the evaluation of herbal medicines. “A major criticism of the herbal field and past ginseng research has been the lack of scientific, placebo-controlled trials in humans,” said Vuksan. “Our study applied traditional clinical trial standards to research on an alternative medical product.”
“Our next step is to try and figure out ginseng’s optimal dosing and timing,” said Sievenpiper. “We need to do a long-term study that explores the efficacy and safety of ginseng before we can recommend it for use in diabetes.”
References
1. Liu CX, Xiao PG. Recent advances on ginseng research in China. J Ethnopharmacol 1992;36:27-38.
2. Murphy LL, et al. Effect of American ginseng (panax quinquefolium) on male copulatory behavior in the rat. Physiol Behav 1998;64:445-450.
3. Vuksan V, et al. American ginseng (panax quinquefolius L) reduces postprandial glycemia in nondiabetic subjects and subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Arch Intern Med 2000;160:1009-1013.
4. Wolever TM, et al. Beneficial effect of low-glycemic index diet in overweight NIDDM subjects. Diabetes Care 1992;15:562-564.
5. Salmeron J, et al. Dietary fiber, glycemic load and risk of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in women. JAMA 1997;277:472-477.
6. Salmeron J, et al. Dietary fiber, glycemic load, and risk of NIDDM in men. Diabetes Care 1997;20:545-550.
7. de Sousa S. American ginseng reduces blood sugar: implications for diabetes and herbal research. EurekAlert News, April 9, 2000.
8. Sherman N. Sweet news about ginseng. Health Scout News, April 11, 2000.
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