Ginseng for Health

Is ginseng the miracle drug cold sufferers have been waiting for? A recent study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal suggests it might be. Researchers found in a controlled experiment that a proprietary polysaccharide-based extract that included ginseng showed significant benefit to improving the sniffles. Some of the participants were randomly assigned 200 mg of the extract while others received a placebo. The extract and placebo were then taken twice a day for four months. Results showed the first group was 13 percent less likely to develop a second cold during the four-month period than the placebo group. And the extract takers also reported milder symptoms, with an average cold length reduced by 27 percent.

While the findings are promising, researchers are suggesting additional studies to see if the results can be duplicated.