Low muscle tolerance can make physical jobs or workouts tough, even for the fittest individuals. Additionally, recovery times and lingering soreness can make keeping an exercise regimen more of a challenge than it often is for anyone with a busy schedule. Fortunately, a clinical study showed that a specific red ginseng (HRG80) in either capsule form (400 mg) or chewable (100 mg) dramatically improved exercise performance and endurance in just one week, and significantly reduced muscle soreness.

The participants in this study were elite weightlifters from the Armenian National team, so they are used to intensive exercise and the need for both physical and mental endurance.

In only seven days, these professional athletes taking red ginseng more than doubled their improvement in physical performance compared to their baseline numbers at the beginning of the study. While both supplemental forms showed benefits, participants noted the fastest results when taking the chewable, which is very likely due to its formulation with gamma cyclodextrin, an oligosaccharide known for enhancing nutrient absorption.

Previous clinical work with the red ginseng used in the study has also shown improved mental and physical energy, stamina, and resilience under stress, so the botanical has a record of noted positive effects. As a hydroponically grown botanical, the roots of each plant get exactly the nutrients they need, along with calibrated stressors. This has the effect of boosting the concentration of special compounds called noble ginsenosides by seven times compared to conventionally grown ginseng. These compounds work through a variety of pathways in the brain and body but are rarely found in most common supplemental forms of ginseng.

So whether or not your patients are professional athletes, if they are looking to boost their physical and mental performance, the red ginseng featured in this clinical study is an excellent recommendation.

The Formula We Recommend:
Korean Red Ginseng (Panax ginseng) Root Powder containing rare, noble ginsenosides
OR
Korean Red Ginseng (Panax ginseng) Root Powder containing rare, noble ginsenosides and featuring gamma cyclodextrin

Effects on Exercise Performance in Elite Athletes

Participants: Professional athletes – men and women from the Armenian National Weightlifting Team

Supplements: Red ginseng capsules (400 mg) or red ginseng chewable combined with gamma cyclodextrin (100 mg) for 10 days each

Measurements: Fitness (barbell squats and pushups); Endurance or time to muscle fatigue (muscle soreness)

Results:

Both forms of red ginseng effectively reduced muscle soreness and extended endurance (time to muscle fatigue), although participants reported faster effects with the chewable.

Both forms of red ginseng supported fitness, energy, and endurance.

By day seven, athletes taking red ginseng saw over two times a boost in performance compared to their baseline numbers.

The Study Abstract

Hovhannisyan AS, Mosinyan DN, Hayrumyan SA, Panossian AG. Study of Red Ginseng Preparation HRG80™ for Relieving Muscle Pain/Soreness and Supporting the Neuromuscular Performance of Elite Weightlifters in Intense Resistance Exercise: An Open-Label, Randomized, Crossover Trial. Phys Med Rehabil Int. 2022; 9(3): 1207.

This study aimed to assess the efficacy of new Panax ginseng C.A.Mey preparation of increased bioavailability in fatigue assessed as relief of muscle soreness and improving the neuromuscular performance of healthy subjects following a bout of intense resistance exercise. The effects of the hydroponically cultivated red ginseng root powder HRG80™ (RG) γ-Cyclodextrin -based chewable tablets and cyclodextrin-free RG capsules were compared in an open label, randomized, crossover trial on 20 elite weightlifters. The RG treatments for 10 days have a statistically significant effect on the relief of the muscle’s soreness compared to the control. No statistically significant difference was observed in the effects of two capsules vs. one tablet suggesting that γ-Cyclodextrin based chewable tablets of red ginseng preparation HRG80 are almost 4-fold active of cyclodextrin-free HRG80 capsules.

Furthermore, the effect of tablets vs. control was significant on the 5th day of the treatment, while the effect of capsules vs. control was observed three days later – on the 8th day. However, in push-ups on the uneven bars (PUB) test of neuromuscular performance, the capsule intake results in increased physical performance compared to tablets or control with maximal effect on the 7th day of treatment. The results of this study provide evidence for the efficacy of γ-cyclodextrin-based chewable tablets containing 100 mg of red ginseng HRG80™ for relief of muscle soreness and supporting the neuromuscular performance of healthy subjects in intense resistance exercise.