Ginseng has a lot of benefits to the human body, and there are a lot of claims that suggest Panax Ginseng Boosts Testosterone production, the question of course is, how much of that is true.

The good news is that there are a lot of studies that do suggest that ginseng is actually quite good as a testosterone boosting ingredient, in fact it is actually one of the better ingredients and one of the more well studied.

Ginsenosides, the active ingredient in ginseng come in more than 100 variations and we’re not currently sure exactly which ones are effective as testosterone supplements, they are however a plant based steroidal compound (not to be confused with anabolic, plant-based supplements don’t have any of the nasty side effects).

Does Ginseng Raise Testosterone? The Studies

There have been several studies that show ginseng increases overall serum testosterone levels [1] and that ginseng increased testosterone in the saliva [2], the main issue is that there are a few studies that show this effect does decline over time. It was also less effective in well trained athletes, although can be particularly effective in sedentary men [3] although there are studies that show the opposite.

In general most studies do show that there is some benefit in taking ginseng to raise overall testosterone levels with several meta analysis showing what would be overall positive results for around 40% of men [4] although most studies have been done on men who do not have clinically low testosterone.

Ginseng can also improve physical performance by improving endurance, however, this was in particularly high doses of 200mg per kg of body weight and not something that we typically see in supplements. [5]

In short Ginseng does seem to have a positive impact on testosterone for a large portion men, in a statistically significant way beyond a placebo. We’re talking a few percentage points, which when combined with other supplements can be quite beneficial.

However, it’s not enough for ginseng to treat low testosterone. It does also seem to be more effective for the short term, which could make it more ideal as a use for people with temporarily suppressed test levels.

Panax Ginseng For Testosterone vs American Ginseng

Some supplements use the cheaper American Ginseng rather than the Red Korean Ginseng for testosterone, unfortunately studies have shown that American Ginseng does not actually have nay testosterone boosting effects.

Other Benefits Of Ginseng Relevant To Low Testosterone

Mood

Ginseng does seem to be beneficial for mood, which has a benefit in combatting low testosterone symptoms, however, again ginseng seemed to work better at first with one interesting double blind study showing that over 4 weeks ginseng far outperformed a placebo, but by 8 weeks there were no longer any statistically significant differences. [6] Stress in itself can lower testosterone, so there is a tangential benefit here.

Blood Flow

Ginseng has been shown to improve blood flow to both the brain and pubic regions [7] which can help with erectile issues as a result of low testosterone.

Focus and Cognition

Some studies show that ginseng can help combat brain fog, but there are equally as many negative result studies. However, it does seem to work well in tandem with Gingko Biloba, when both were taken together Ginseng made a statistically significant improvement.

Does Ginseng Boost Testosterone Conclusion

In short, ginseng does seem to have a positive effect on testosterone production for a notable portion of healthy men, unfortunately there isn’t enough information to evaluate the use of panax ginseng for low testosterone.

It seems to be most effective in the short term. But, it makes a good inclusion for testosterone boosters.

References

1 - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3861174

2 - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7352699/

3 – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19950577/

4 - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8166567/

5-  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20580802

6 - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11895046

7 - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12895688