Ginseng for ADHD Inattentive and the ADHD of Any Other Type

Ginseng may help ADHD PI as well as all ADHD
My mother just recently started taking Ginseng and I thought that I would revisit this supplement and how Ginseng might help the symptoms of ADHD Inattentive as well as the symptoms of the other types of ADHD. Going back through old posts on vitamin and supplement recommendations for ADHD, I realized that though I speak of using this supplement, I have not gone into any detail about why and how it might help ADHD. This is my attempt to remedy that transgression.

Ginseng is a supplement that has long been used in Asia to treat everything from viruses to impotence. It has been studied extensively in the U.S. and is Asia and has been proven beneficial for treating various conditions including medical problems related to faulty brain functioning. 

 Ginseng’s active ingredients work together to provide many brain benefits but this supplement has, to date, mostly been used by medical experts as an adaptogen. An adaptogen is a substance that helps the body adapt to stress and keeps the body from becoming ill in the face of stressors.

The benefits that can be derived from taking Ginseng may be far greater than what it is most currently used for and I will outline why some researchers believe that Ginseng may be helpful for the treatment of ADHD and for the learning problems that frequently co-occur in people with the symptoms of ADHD. 

Few studies have been performed looking at the benefits of Ginseng for the treatment of ADHD but there is good reason to believe that Ginseng might help treat ADHD. The most compelling reason to find Ginseng potentially helpful is the fact that Ginseng, in animal studies, has been found to improve the functioning of brain neurotransmitters such as dopamine and norepinephrine.

Most researchers believe that the stimulants used to treat ADHD work by improving neurotransmitter function and for this reason it is possible that Ginseng may provide benefits as well. Ginseng has also been shown to improve the functioning of a substance called brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Some researchers believe that genetic difference seen in people with ADHD cause them to have faulty neurotransmitter and BDNF functioning.

The learning and memory problems frequently seen in people with ADHD, especially people with the Inattentive type of ADHD is thought, by some researchers, to be the result of the failure of proper cell communication and proper cell development in the ADHD brain. Ginseng has been found in studies to improve the way that brain cells communicate with each other which, in turn, is thought to help memory and learning.

Problems with ADHD often improve with age and this is thought to be the result of brain cell development. Ginseng, is some studies, has been found to help nerve growth and brain cell growth, especially early in life. These benefits to cell development may also be the reason why Ginseng has been found to help with memory and learning and is one more reason why Ginseng may be useful for the treatment of ADHD.

Several studies have found increased levels of toxins such as pesticides and heavy metals in children with ADD I, ADD PI and ADHD. Animal studies report that Ginseng can alleviate the brain damage caused by these toxins and there is reason to believe that Ginseng, acting as an adaptogen, can remedy the brain damage caused by other environmental toxins as well. 

Ginseng has been found in several studies to improve memory, learning and sleep. Studies in the elderly have found that Ginseng protects the aging brain by decreasing the inflammatory processes and cell death that inevitably occurs with aging and that is thought to contribute to memory loss and cognitive deficits associated with the aging brain.

Few studies have been performed looking at the benefits of Ginseng for ADHD but there is reason to believe that Ginseng may be useful for treating ADHD by acting on the ADHD brains as: 
  • An adaptogen 
  • A neurotransmitter booster 
  • A brain cell communication enhancer 
  • A brain glucose optimizer
  • A brain development supplement 
  • A brain toxin repair substance
  • An aging brain repairer 
The dose of Ginseng that is typically used to treat memory and learning problems is 200mg of Ginseng twice a day. Ginseng is available at most supplement stores and can be purchased in various forms including capsules, teas, candy, and liquids.

Int J Neuropsychopharmacol. 2011 Apr 5:1-10. [Epub ahead of print]
Study on the possible association of brain-derived neurotrophic factor polymorphism with the developmental course of symptoms of attention deficit and hyperactivity.
Bergman O, Westberg L, Lichtenstein P, Eriksson E, Larsson H.

J Psychiatry Neurosci. 2001 May;26(3):221-8.
Effect of the herbal extract combination Panax quinquefolium and Ginkgo biloba on attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: a pilot study.
Lyon MR, Cline JC, Totosy de Zepetnek J, Shan JJ, Pang P, Benishin C.

1 comment:

  1. I have also started taking panax ginseng to treat adhd-Inattentive type. I have found it to be extremely helpful. I have also tried American ginseng, which did not seem as helpful with spacing out/being distracted. I have been trying to figure out doses for the panax ginseng. I appreciate your info on that. I have read in some places not to take long term. What have you heard in your research?

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