Ginseng & Post meal Insulin / Glucose control

[Guest guest]

Am J Clin Nutr 2001 Apr;73(4):753-8

 

American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.) attenuates postprandial glycemia in a

time-dependent but not dose-dependent

manner in healthy individuals.

 

Vuksan V, Sievenpiper JL, Wong J, Xu Z, Beljan-Zdravkovic U, Arnason JT,

Assinewe V, Stavro MP, Jenkins AL, Leiter LA,

Francis T.

 

Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto,

Toronto. v.vuksan

 

BACKGROUND:

We previously showed that 3 g American ginseng administered 40 min before an

oral glucose challenge significantly

reduces postprandial glycemia in subjects without diabetes. Whether this effect

can be replicated with doses <3 g and

administration times closer to the oral glucose challenge is unclear.

 

OBJECTIVE:

Our objective was to study the dosing and timing effects of American ginseng on

postprandial glycemia.

 

DESIGN:

In a random crossover design, 12 healthy individuals received 16 treatments: 0

(placebo), 1, 2, or 3 g American ginseng

at 40, 20, 10, or 0 min before a 25-g oral glucose challenge. Capillary blood

was collected before administration and at

0, 15, 30, 45, 60, and 90 min after the start of the glucose challenge.

 

RESULTS:

Two-way analysis of variance showed that the main effects of treatment and

administration time were significant (P <

0.05). Glycemia was lower over the last 45 min of the test after doses of 1, 2,

or 3 g ginseng than after placebo (P <

0.05); there were no significant differences between doses. The reductions in

the areas under the curve for these 3

doses were 14.4 /- 6.5%, 10.6 /- 4.0%, and 9.1 /- 6%, respectively. Glycemia in

the last hour of the test and area under

the curve were significantly lower when ginseng was administered 40 min before

the challenge than when it was

administered 20, 10, or 0 min before the challenge (P < 0.05).

 

CONCLUSIONS:

American ginseng reduced postprandial glycemia in subjects without diabetes.

These reductions were time dependent but

not dose dependent: an effect was seen only when the ginseng was administered 40

min before the challenge. Doses within

the range of 1-3 g were equally effective.

 

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This data would seem to indicate a 1 g dose of American Ginseng, 40 minutes

before a meal, will help to improve dynamic

glucose control.

 

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Good Health & Long Life,

Greg Watson,

http://www.ozemail.com.au/~gowatson

gowatson