Ginseng Supplementation Does Not Change Lactate Threshold and Physical Performances in Physically Active Thai Men
Onanong Kulaputana MD, PhD*, Siriwan Thanakomsirichot MSc*, Wilai Anomasiri PhD**
Affiliation : * Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok ** Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok
Background : Ginseng has been one of the most popular herbs said to improve human exercise performance.
Unclear and anecdotal information is known about the effect of ginseng on lactate threshold and aerobic
performance in humans.
Objective : The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of ginseng supplementation on lactate
threshold in physically active young men.
Materials and Methods : Sixty men from the Naval Medical Corps, Royal Thai Navy, aged 17 – 22 years old, were
randomized into either the ginseng (n = 30) or placebo (n = 30) group. The ginseng group took 3 grams of
100% ginseng orally, while the placebo group took an equal amount of lactose powder each day, for 8 weeks.
Blood lactic acid levels for determination of lactate threshold (LT) were measured during an incremental
cycle ergometer work. LT, exercise performance, and heart rate (HR) responses to exercise were determined at
baseline and after 8 weeks of ginseng and placebo consumption. Substrate oxidation rates during steady state
exercise were assessed upon study completion. Selected markers for liver and kidney functions, including
serum aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, blood urea nitrogen, and creatinine were moni-
tored for possible side effects of ginseng.
Results : LT before and after 8 weeks of supplementation in the ginseng group (164.5 + 32.8 and 170.9 + 26.4
watts), and in the placebo group (163.7 + 25.1 and 163.7 + 17.3 watts) were not different (p = 0.448). Both
groups had a similar pattern of exercise heart rate (p = 0.918), total exercise time (p = 0.241), and peak power
output (p = 0.411). After 8 weeks, the magnitude of difference between ginseng and placebo groups on
oxidation rates of fat (3.82 + 10.0 cal.kg-1.min-1, p = 0.704) or carbohydrate (4.36 + 12.6 cal.kg-1.min-1, p =
0.731) was not statistically significant. There were no abnormal changes of markers of liver and renal func-
tions after ginseng administration.
Conclusion : Daily administration of 3 g of ginseng for an 8-week period did not improve LT nor did it affect
physical performances. Therefore, ginseng supplementation did not exert an ergogenic property on aerobic
fitness enhancement in well-fit individuals.
Keywords : Ginseng, Lactate threshold, Exercise performance
