The ginseng berry may help alleviate symptoms of diabetes and obesity, according to a study by the University of Chicago. The berry contains higher concentrations of ginsenosides, the active ingredient in ginseng, than the root. The study found that administering ginseng berry extract helped equalize blood sugar levels and increased sensitivity to insulin in diabetic mice. However, more research is needed before ginseng berry extract can be considered a useful drug for treating diabetes in humans.
The ginseng berry is the red fruit of the Panax ginseng plant. Some people, starting with the Chinese, have used ginseng root medicinally for about 2,000 years, but relatively recent studies suggest that the berry contains a different chemical makeup than the root. An ongoing study conducted by the University of Chicago in the US state of Illinois claims that the berry’s ingredients may help alleviate the symptoms of diabetes and obesity.
The ginseng plant is said to contain protein, amino acids, and a substance called ginsenoside. Ginsenoside is the active ingredient that many believe gives the plant its stimulating effects on energy and metabolism. While the root of the plant has long been the preferred source of these active ingredients, a study by doctors at the University of Chicago showed that the ginseng berry had much higher concentrations, as well as different types of ginsenosides. As ginsenosides are believed to be the most effective ingredient in ginseng, a study was conducted to find out the effects of ginseng berry, particularly whether or not they greatly differed from the effects of ginseng root.
Diabetes is a condition related to the body’s ability to control blood glucose levels, which is often caused by a hormone called insulin not working properly. Diabetes sufferers should regularly check their blood sugar level and administer insulin injections when necessary. Using diabetic mice as subjects, the University of Chicago study found that administering ginseng berry extract helped equalize the mice’s blood sugar levels and increased the animals’ sensitivity to insulin. The extract also lowered cholesterol levels and, by suppressing appetite and stimulating exercise, helped diabetic mice lose unnecessary body weight. No conclusive results were found when the extract was injected into mice without diabetes.
While researchers and doctors remain hopeful, the results on the effect of ginseng berry extract in humans are still inconclusive. Sufficient information, along with US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval, which is required to consider ginseng berry extract a useful drug in the treatment of diabetes, may be many years away. . However, as the number of people suffering from diabetes and obesity increases, more consumers may turn to ginseng berry supplements and juice as a precaution.
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