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Potential Ginseng Side Effects, Adverse Reactions And Contraindications

Ginseng has been widely used in both culinary and medicinal uses around the world. There are many members belonging to the ginseng family, with the most famous being American ginseng, Korean ginseng and Himalayan ginseng.

All of these different ginseng plants are thought to have various different uses and health benefits.

Ginseng is commonly used to help with boosting the immune system and helping with blood and heart health. It has also been found beneficial in treating various conditions involving the brain. It has been widely studied regarding its ability to reduce anxiety and stress, and help with cognitive problems that can appear for example in Alzheimer‘s disease.

The health benefits of ginseng might also include fighting and preventing certain forms of cancer. Although it is widely used, there are some potential ginseng side effects, adverse reactions and contraindications you should be aware of.

Sleeplessness

There have been many reports that using ginseng can cause you to suffer from problems regarding sleep. This ginseng side effect exists because it contains small amounts of caffeine. If you use it together with other supplements and foods that contain high amounts of caffeine, you may experience sleeplessness. You should refrain from use if you suffer from insomnia as it may worsen the symptoms.

Allergic reaction

It is possible that ginseng causes an allergic reaction. If you experience severe symptoms like hives, trouble breathing and vaginal bleeding, you should immediately contact your healthcare professional.

Nausea

Another mild ginseng side effect is that it might cause some nausea or vomiting. This is especially in the case of excessive use. You should thus use it according to guidelines of your diet or health conditions and stop use if nausea appears.

Blood sugar levels

There is some evidence that ginseng may influence blood sugar levels. Cathy Wong reported in 2012 that if you are already taking diabetes medication or using other supplements that lower blood sugar levels, you should refrain from using ginseng. Too low blood sugar levels may cause hypoglycaemia and be dangerous in the long run.

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