A Randomized, Controlled Trial of Ginseng Consumption on the Immune Response to a Moderate Exercise Stress Protocol in Non-Athletic Women~!2008-07-27~!2009-04-04~!2010-07-06~!

Abstract

Background: Ginseng is a popular herbal remedy that has been proposed to increase resistance to stress and en- hance immune function. Regular moderate exercise results in an acute physiological stress that affects immune function. Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of daily consumption of a standardized ginsenoside- containing North American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) extract on immune function before, immediately after, and during recovery from moderate exercise in healthy, non-athletic women. Research design and methods: A double-blinded randomized trial was conducted where healthy female subjects (n=12) were randomized to receive either ginseng (1125 mg/d; n=6) or placebo (n=6) for four weeks. An exercise test was per- formed and peripheral blood collected before and after the four-week treatment period. Immune assays (phenotype analy- sis, neutrophil function, lymphocyte proliferation and natural killer cell cytotoxicity) were performed before, immediately after, and 30 minutes post-exercise. Results: Ginseng-treated subjects had a lower (P<0.05) proportion of antigen mature CD4+CD45RO+ peripheral blood cells before and after exercise, and experienced a sustained reduction (P<0.05) in the proportions of total CD28+ and CD4+CD28+ cells during recovery from exercise. The ginseng group had significantly higher mitogen-stimulated neutro- phil function (oxidative burst) at all exercise protocol time points (P<0.05). There were no effects of ginseng on the pro- portions of other immune cells, lymphocyte proliferation, or natural killer cell cytotoxicity in peripheral blood. Conclusions: The consumption of ginseng for a four-week period improved the ability of neutrophils to respond to stimu- lation and produced changes consistent with less T cell activation after an acute exercise stress.