Research on the effects of Panax ginseng on mood and cognition yields mixed findings.
One study found that Panax ginseng may have a dose-dependent calming effect on mood,[1] but subsequent research failed to replicate these results.[2] Moreover, supplementation with Panax ginseng showed initial improvements in mental health at the 4-week mark, but this effect diminished by the end of the 8-week intervention period.[3] Overall, the evidence suggests that Panax ginseng's effects on mood may be short lived, lasting between 1 and 4 weeks before diminishing.
Similarly, the potential cognitive benefits of Panax ginseng remain inconclusive due to variations in study methodologies and inconsistent results.[4][5] While some studies reported enhancements in reaction time and accuracy with Panax ginseng supplementation, others failed to establish significant cognitive improvements.[1][6] Thus, further research is necessary to validate these effects and elucidate the mechanisms underlying Panax ginseng's impact on cognition.
Additionally, Panax ginseng extracts appear to have some immunomodulatory properties and to reduce the occurrence of the flu in humans when taken alongside flu vaccination.[7]