Ginseng Side Effects

Scientists claim that Ginseng has a number of health benefits. Ginseng means “root of man” since it looks like a human body! Ginseng is herbal supplement that is known to have numerous possible health benefits such as curing infections, increasing erectile function in men, improving mood, increasing memory and energy and several other advantages including resistance to stress. It is understood that every treatment has some side effects and so does this. There are different types of Ginseng – such as American, Asian, and Siberian variety. The side effects of all these are different in their own way. Hence, these herbs must be taken with care, especially if having other medications so that it doesn’t react with them. A practitioner must always be consulted when taking any dosage of these herbs since sometimes a side effect is mistaken for a therapeutic effect. To know more about what could be the probable side effects of Ginseng, steer through this article.

Adverse Effects Of Ginseng

Ginseng is usually a safe medication when the quality and dosage is checked. But, when it has been tampered with, you might see several side effects. The most common one is nervousness and difficulty breathing.
Other side effects include nausea or vomiting, heart palpitations, heaviness in the chest, bloating, pain in the abdomen and insomnia. Skin rashes, diarrhea and loss of concentration are also common.
Blood sugar level may get reduced in some people while in others elevated blood pressure can be noticed.
More severe effects of Ginseng intake can result into asthma attacks, digestive disorders, accumulation of body fluids at the joints called edema, gastrointestinal disorders, vaginal bleeding in women etc.
Allergic reactions are also seen in some people. This might cause itching of throat, rashes and uneasiness.
Since Ginseng has the ability to alter a person’s physical and mental state, it should be avoided in patients who are mentally unstable, those preparing for surgery, persons with diabetes and those who smoke and drink excessively.
Ginseng can be quite detrimental when taken with any other medications, especially anti depressants or anti inflammatory drugs.
Asian and American Ginseng cause similar side effects such as breathing problems, loose stools, restlessness, migraines, breast pain and bleeding from the nose.
Siberian Ginseng causes most of the above side effects including muscle spasms, faster heart beats etc.
It is known the Ginseng has blood thinning capacity, so it is not advisable for heart patients.
It is quite obvious that this herb cannot be administered to children. This is due to the fact that the “active” ingredient in Ginseng is not approved by the FDA. Pregnant and nursing mothers also should not consume this herb for the same reason.
The dosage of the herb must be prescribed by your doctor and you must check if it is unadulterated.
Another disadvantage of taking Ginseng is that you can’t take it at one stretch for long periods of time. You need to abstain yourself from it, for a few days before starting it again because it can cause the side effects if taken in high doses.
It is highly recommended to consult your physician and understand the risk of the possible side effects before taking this herb.

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