Efficacy of Ginseng Supplements on Fatigue and Physical Performance: a Meta-analysis.
We conducted a meta-analysis to investigate the efficacy of ginseng supplements on fatigue reduction and physical performance enhancement as reported by randomized controlled trials (RCTs). RCTs that investigated the efficacy of ginseng supplements on fatigue reduction and physical performance enhancement compared with placebos were included. The main outcome measures were fatigue reduction and physical performance enhancement. Out of 155 articles meeting initial criteria, 12 RCTs involving 630 participants (311 participants in the intervention group and 319 participants in the placebo group) were included in the final analysis. In the fixed-effect meta-analysis of four RCTs, there was a statistically significant efficacy of ginseng supplements on fatigue reduction (standardized mean difference, SMD = 0.34; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.16 to 0.52). However, ginseng supplements were not associated with physical performance enhancement in the fixed-effect meta-analysis of eight RCTs (SMD = -0.01; 95% CI = -0.29 to 0.27). We found that there was insufficient clinical evidence to support the use of ginseng supplements on reducing fatigue and enhancing physical performance because only few RCTs with a small sample size have been published so far. Further lager RCTs are required to confirm the efficacy of ginseng supplements on fatigue reduction.
Department of Cancer Control and Policy, Graduate School of Cancer Science and Policy, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea.
Hoang Viet
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8155-5435
HV
Bach
Department of Cancer Control and Policy, Graduate School of Cancer Science and Policy, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea.|Molecular Epidemiology Branch, Research Institute, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea.
Jeongseon
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0889-2686
J
Kim
Department of Cancer Control and Policy, Graduate School of Cancer Science and Policy, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea.|Molecular Epidemiology Branch, Research Institute, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea.|Department of Family Medicine, Center for Cancer Prevention and Detection, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea. msk@ncc.re.kr.
Seung Kwon
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8911-1345
SK
Myung
Molecular Epidemiology Branch, Research Institute, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea.
Young Ae
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6076-916X
YA
Cho
D016208:Databases, Factual; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005221:Fatigue / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D005894:Panax / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D010809:Physical Fitness; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D010936:Plant Extracts
Fatigue; Ginseng Supplements; Meta-analysis; Physical Performance; Randomized Controlled Trial