Throughout her cancer surgery and chemotherapy, a friend stayed staunchly upbeat. But one side effect really bothered her—the unrelenting fatigue. Hers was a common experience, since cancer patients often suffer from profound exhaustion that can last for months or even years. Exercise is the only thing proven to relieve the fatigue…but patients often don’t have the energy to exercise. So it is welcome news that the herb American ginseng can ease this debilitating side effect, according to recent research.
The study included 364 cancer patients who were undergoing or had recently completed cancer treatment. Participants rated their fatigue symptoms on a scale of zero to 100—to be in the study, they needed a score of 40 or higher. One group took capsules containing 1,000 mg of pure, ground American ginseng root twice a day…a second group took placebos. After eight weeks, fatigue scores for ginseng users had improved by 20 points, on average, while placebo users’ scores improved by only 10 points. Side effects (nausea, loose stool, dizziness) were uncommon and were reported with similar frequency in both groups.
How it works: Fatigue in cancer patients has been linked to cytokines (inflammatory substances produced by the immune system) and to the stress hormone cortisol. Ginseng contains compounds called ginsenosides that are thought to improve the immune response, reduce inflammation and control stress hormone levels. The herb has long been used as an energy booster in traditional Chinese medicine.
Cancer patients: Ask your doctor whether ginseng is an option for you—the herb can interact with certain drugs and may not be appropriate for people with diabetes or high blood pressure. For dosage guidelines, consult a health-care provider with expertise in herbal remedies. Be sure to use American ginseng, also called Panax quinquefolius (not Asian, Siberian, Thai or another type of ginseng). Choose a product labeled “pure ground root of ginseng.” Avoid any product labeled “extraction,” researchers warned—some extraction methods use ethanol, which can stimulate the growth of breast cancer cells.
