Ginseng for Menopause

Ginseng, a widely used herbal remedy, has been the subject of numerous clinical trials and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating its potential benefits for women experiencing menopause. These studies explore ginseng's efficacy in alleviating various menopausal symptoms, a significant area of research given the prevalence and impact of these symptoms on women's health and quality of life. The diverse range of purported effects warrants a closer examination of the existing evidence from these trials.

Protocols Studied in Research

[1] Panax ginseng for genitourinary syndrome in postmenopausal women. (Cited by: 1) (pmid: 33730722)

• Protocol: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 60 postmenopausal women with genitourinary syndrome. Participants received ginseng or placebo twice daily for 4 weeks. Vaginal maturation index, pH, and questionnaires assessed outcomes.
• Outcome: Ginseng significantly improved patient-reported (subjective) symptoms of atrophic vaginitis, but not clinician-assessed (objective) symptoms. Further research is needed to clarify ginseng's mechanism of action.

[2] Red ginseng supplementation for menopausal symptoms and cardiovascular risk factors in postmenopausal women. (Cited by: 34) (pmid: 22027944)

• Protocol: A 12-week, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial involving 72 postmenopausal women (ages 45-60) assigned to either 3g/day red ginseng (60mg ginsenosides) or placebo.
• Outcome: Red ginseng significantly improved menopausal symptoms (Kupperman index and menopause rating scale), reduced total and LDL cholesterol, and decreased carotid intima-media thickness. Estradiol levels were unaffected. Results suggest potential benefit for managing menopausal symptoms and cardiovascular risk.

[3] Panax Ginseng for sexual dysfunction in postmenopausal women. (Cited by: 6) (pmid: 31331583)

• Protocol: A double-blind, randomized controlled trial involving 62 postmenopausal women with sexual dysfunction. Participants received either 500mg of Panax Ginseng or a placebo twice daily for four weeks.
• Outcome: Ginseng significantly improved sexual function (FSFI), quality of life (MENQOL), and reduced menopausal symptoms compared to placebo. The findings suggest ginseng as a potential alternative therapy for menopausal women.

[4] Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) for surgical menopause symptoms in premenopausal women after gynecologic cancer surgery. (Cited by: 3) (pmid: 33216632)

• Protocol: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial involving 55 premenopausal women with gynecologic cancer. Participants received either 3g/day KRG or placebo for 12 weeks. Menopausal symptoms were assessed using the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS).
• Outcome: KRG did not significantly reduce overall surgical menopause symptoms compared to placebo. However, KRG showed a potential benefit in reducing sexual complaints. Further research is needed.

[5] Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) for hypercholesterolemia in postmenopausal women. (Cited by: 8) (pmid: 33171597)

• Protocol: A 4-week, double-blinded, placebo-controlled pilot study of 68 postmenopausal women with hypercholesterolemia. Participants received 2g of KRG or placebo daily. Serum sterols were analyzed via LC-MS/MS.
• Outcome: KRG significantly reduced cholesterol and 7-hydroxycholesterol levels compared to placebo, suggesting improved sterol metabolism in postmenopausal women with hypercholesterolemia.

[6] Lady 4 herbal formula (evening primrose oil, damiana, ginseng, royal jelly) for menopausal syndrome. (Cited by: 9) (pmid: 22105039)

• Protocol: A randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 120 women with menopausal symptoms. Participants received either Lady 4 (2 capsules daily) or placebo for 4 weeks. Menopause Rating Scale II (MRS-II) measured outcomes.
• Outcome: Lady 4 showed significantly greater improvement in MRS-II scores compared to placebo (p<0.001). A substantially higher percentage of women in the Lady 4 group reported "much improved" or "very much improved" symptoms.

[7] Various herbal and conventional treatments (black cohosh, multibotanical formulas, soy, conjugated equine estrogen) for menopause symptoms. (Cited by: 10) (pmid: 16186076)

• Protocol: A randomized, double-blind trial comparing the efficacy of several herbal and conventional menopause treatments (including placebo) in women. Recruitment involved mass mailing. Blinding methods were developed for herbal capsules and soy intervention.
• Outcome: The abstract does not present study findings; it focuses on the study design and methodology, highlighting challenges and successes in conducting the trial and emphasizing the need for further research on alternative therapies for menopause.

[8] Phyto-Female Complex herbal formula for menopausal symptoms (hot flushes, night sweats, sleep quality). (Cited by: 15) (pmid: 17454163)

• Protocol: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 50 pre- and postmenopausal women (44-65 years) receiving Phyto-Female Complex or placebo twice daily for 3 months. Weekly symptom questionnaires and final biochemical tests were conducted.
• Outcome: Phyto-Female Complex significantly reduced hot flushes (73%), night sweats (69%), and improved sleep quality compared to placebo. The treatment was deemed safe, showing no adverse effects on hormone levels or organ function.

[9] ArginMax supplementation for improving female sexual function in women of different menopausal stages. (Cited by: 14) (pmid: 16959660)

• Protocol: A double-blind, placebo-controlled study involving 108 women (aged 22-73) with low sexual desire. Participants received either ArginMax (L-arginine, ginseng, ginkgo, damiana, multivitamins, and minerals) or placebo for 4 weeks.
• Outcome: ArginMax significantly improved various aspects of sexual function in premenopausal, perimenopausal, and postmenopausal women, with specific improvements varying by menopausal status. The supplement may offer a hormone-therapy alternative for sexual concerns.

Research Interpretation: Summary and Conclusion

Multiple randomized, placebo-controlled trials investigated the efficacy of various ginseng preparations in managing menopausal symptoms. Studies employed diverse ginseng formulations (red ginseng, Panax ginseng, KRG, Lady 4, and ginseng within multi-ingredient supplements) and assessed a range of outcomes, including vasomotor symptoms, sexual function, vaginal atrophy, cholesterol levels, and overall menopausal symptom scores. While several studies demonstrated significant improvements in specific menopausal symptoms or related health markers with ginseng compared to placebo, the results were not uniformly positive across all preparations and outcomes. Consistent positive findings included improvements in sexual function and certain menopausal symptoms, particularly in postmenopausal women. However, the lack of consistent effects across different ginseng types highlights the need for further research to determine optimal ginseng formulations and dosages for specific menopausal symptoms. The varying study designs and outcome measures also limit the ability to draw definitive conclusions about ginseng's overall efficacy as a menopausal treatment.

Publications

[1] Ghorbani Z; Mirghafourvand M; Farshbaf Khalili A; Javadzadeh Y; Shakouri SK; Dastranj Tabrizi A (2021). The Effect of Panax ginseng on Genitourinary Syndrome in Postmenopausal Women: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial Complementary medicine research 28 (5) :419-426.

[2] Kim SY; Seo SK; Choi YM; Jeon YE; Lim KJ; Cho S; Choi YS; Lee BS (2012). Effects of red ginseng supplementation on menopausal symptoms and cardiovascular risk factors in postmenopausal women: a double-blind randomized controlled trial Menopause (New York, N.Y.) 19 (4) :461-6.

[3] Ghorbani Z; Mirghafourvand M; Charandabi SM; Javadzadeh Y (2019). The effect of ginseng on sexual dysfunction in menopausal women: A double-blind, randomized, controlled trial Complementary therapies in medicine 45 :57-64.

[4] Chung YS; Lee IO; Lee JY; Nam EJ; Kim SW; Kim YT; Kim S (2021). Effects of Korean Red Ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) on Menopausal Symptoms in Premenopausal Women After Gynecologic Cancer Surgery: A Double-Blind, Randomized Controlled Trial Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.) 27 (1) :66-72.

[5] Kwon YJ; Jang SN; Liu KH; Jung DH (2020). Effect of Korean Red Ginseng on Cholesterol Metabolites in Postmenopausal Women with Hypercholesterolemia: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial Nutrients 12 (11).

[6] Yakoot M; Salem A; Omar AM (2011). Effectiveness of a herbal formula in women with menopausal syndrome Forschende Komplementarmedizin (2006) 18 (5) :264-8.

[7] Newton KM; Reed SD; Grothaus L; Ehrlich K; Guiltinan J; Ludman E; Lacroix AZ (2005). The Herbal Alternatives for Menopause (HALT) Study: background and study design Maturitas 52 (2) :134-46.

[8] Rotem C; Kaplan B (2007). Phyto-Female Complex for the relief of hot flushes, night sweats and quality of sleep: randomized, controlled, double-blind pilot study Gynecological endocrinology : the official journal of the International Society of Gynecological Endocrinology 23 (2) :117-22.

[9] Ito TY; Polan ML; Whipple B; Trant AS (2006). The enhancement of female sexual function with ArginMax, a nutritional supplement, among women differing in menopausal status Journal of sex & marital therapy 32 (5) :369-78.