Orient Espresso Ginseng pushes coffee off the counters Written by Azadeh Nashat Photo by Ron Lewis It's said to increase the sex drive, stamina and energy. It may even enhance longevity and appetite. A new miracle drug? No, a strange looking root that more resembles a sea monster than an herb &emdash; ginseng. Like a coffee drinker pledging to the coffee bean, Darcie Powers swears by it. "Ginseng is a great start to my day," says the San Francisco State student. "It gives my body a jump-start." At the Total Life Health Foods store, many ginseng customers are looking for a burst of energy , says store clerk, David O'Connor. "It has a reputation that gets around," he says. "Panax (a form of ginseng) is starting to be a catch-all term." The two shelves containing ginseng, in the small store, are wide and long, catering to passing energy seekers and die-hard athletes. The store carries many forms of the root in capsule form, including specialty varieties for women. Ginseng is a general term for several different plants. Having been used for thousands of years, it is an ancient herb still used by millions of people worldwide. It contains no toxins and can be taken in pill form, tea, tablets, powders, extracts and tonics. One can even find it in energy bars, candy and soda. But prudent shopper be warned, different ginseng strains produce widely different effects Chinese ginseng (panax ginseng), American ginseng (eleuthero), dang shen (cononopsis) and tienchi (pseudoginseng) are the available varieties. Each falls into categories based on temperature, that is, the effect each kind produces. The countries' names attached to ginseng are not important compared to the temperature of the root. Chinese or Korean ginseng is the most popular of the five. It is categorized as warm, and stimulates energy and metabolism. It also treats shortness of breath, nervous anxiety, forgetfulness and impotence produced from weakness. However, because panax ginseng stimulates the metabolism, the heart rate rises and it sometimes results in faster breathing, hunger and sleeplessness. According to O'Connor, Korean ginseng has the same stimulating effects as caffeine. Athletes who use it while working out, he explains, will have greater results and increased stamina. It is a stimulant with the warming effect, but it does wear off. "I used to drink ginseng tea before I played basketball," says Mike Cameron. "But then I would crash two hours later." American ginseng is the opposite. It is a cooling herb. The root once grew from Quebec, Canada down to Florida, and is now endangered. It is best for someone who is very 'dry,' that is, someone who smokes or is always craving water. American ginseng refreshes while strengthening the body. Chinese doctors traditionally recommend American ginseng tea for fever, and to help with dry mouth that often follows sickness. Modern research also shows it may also enhance sperm counts and fertility. In the 1960s, Soviet clinical studies suggest that Siberian ginseng increases resistance to adverse influences &emdash; reducing stress from excessive noise and motion, to excess work or too much exercise. As a cautionary note, Siberian ginseng &emdash; often found in body building formulas &emdash; may affect hormone production, and increase testosterone. For women, it is better to take a balanced herbal formula because extra testosterone could create problems in the menstrual cycle. "Siberian ginseng enhances the sports endurance," says Sunshine Health Foods clerk Peter Vagenas, who takes Siberian ginseng to enhance biking performance. He claims that products made from Siberian ginseng gives eergy and endurance that last all day. "But it's expensive," he says, "almost $1 per capsule." For people wanting to lose weight, dang shen, a neutral form of ginseng, is included in many weight-loss formulas. It reportedly turns fat to muscle by speeding metabolism and it also improves performance and increases red-blood count. It is very similar to Chinese ginseng, but not as warming. For someone under stress, taking a ginseng adaptogen &emdash; a substance that "normalizes" adverse conditions of the body &emdash; may be beneficial. When taken regularly, Siberian ginseng may alleviate a person's reaction to stress. "If a person is high energy, it will chill them out," says O'Connor. "If the person is dull and listless it gives them more energy." One must not expect instant effects though. The Siberian ginseng must be taken as a daily supplement and over a period of time, about a month, a person will notice the effects. The tonic herbs tone up a system says O'Connor. "Everyone is under stress and anxiety, so Siberian ginseng, by supporting the adrenal glands, helps people adapt to the burden of stress," says O',Connor. "Therefore, it is truly the herb of our time." Often, many ginseng plants are combined into a blend. But buyer beware. There is no industry standard for the amount of ginseng put in a product, so consumers are often misled by product labels. Don't expect to receive the benefits of ginseng from mass -maket products that mark ginseng on the front but include no explanation on the back. One product claims to give a burst of energy from ginseng but includes in the capsule, guarana which contains caffeine, two and half times the amount in coffee. However, ginseng, when taken properly for the right uses, is said to regulate stress in the body. Powers is still energetic at 2 p.m. as she prepares for her step-aerobic class. "I really think it's more mental," says Powers w-o drinks her Ginseng Sport Hot™ everyday. "I don't know how much is there, but it works for me." |ISSUE #2|FEATURES|A&E|INVESTIGATIVE| |GREEN WATCH|NAKED TRUTH|IN MOTION|HEALTH|INDEX|