If you had to rate your stress levels right now from 1-10, where would you be sitting? If your number was on the higher end of the scale you are not alone here. According to The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s data an astounding 63% of the adult population experienced at least 1 personal stressor in a 12 month period, while 13% of adults experienced high or very high levels of psychological distress. Although there are many pharmaceuticals prescribed by doctors to help manage these levels of stress, there are also many great natural alternatives such as Panax Ginseng that can support your body through the effects of stress without having the negative side effects of medications.
Stress can manifest from a variety of different circumstances and scenarios that life throws our way, so it is safe to say majority of people who experience stress can usually identify where it comes from. However, most of us lack the basic understanding of what this actually causes internally on a biochemical level. As a response to stress, the body secretes hormones and inflammatory cytokines that act as chemical messengers to regulate biorhythms (basic human body functions such emotion, sleep, body temperature, etc.). To counteract stress and maintain the body’s functioning (homeostasis), the hormone cortisol is produced by the HPA axis also known as the body’s hormonal control center; where it is regulated by the sympathetic nervous system and secreted into the bloodstream. During this activity, the effects of stress are counteracted as cortisol interacts with a receptor called the cytoplasmic glucocorticoid receptor to move to the nucleus where it can regulate several gene expressions, messenger RNAs and important cytokines in various organs and immune cells.
Research of the effects of panax ginseng on the body’s stress response suggests ginseng’s adaptogen qualities show a superior regulation of stress when compared to other adaptogens. Ginseng shows improvement in stress response by regulating the function of the HPA axis to reduce hypersecretion of the stress hormone cortisol. This in itself shows protective factors against stress induced disorders such as depression, PTSD, asthma and hypertension. The active compound known as ‘ginsenosides’, which is unique to the ginseng species has several mechanisms of action that contribute to stress reduction. TNF-α (Tumour necrosis factor-alpha), is an inflammatory cytokine cell that is secreted during stress, ginsenosides work to restrict the production of this cell to reduce the inflammatory responses caused by stress. By reducing inflammatory responses, the immune system is supported and able to stabilise the nervous system and regain homeostasis. This compound’s powerful antioxidant properties have also shown to help reduce stress-related symptoms such as headaches and fatigue by combatting oxidative stress within the cells.
While ginseng is a great option in itself for helping combat stress, drinking ginseng as a warm tea shows even more benefit to reducing stress levels. Several studies have been done on behaviour patterns and how certain rituals of actions and behaviours can reduce the impact of stress on the body. According to literature by French & Booth, feelings of relaxation and a positive mood can be associated with the action of making and drinking tea by releasing feel good chemicals to the nervous system.
As well as promoting health and wellbeing through a plethora of other positive health benefits, ginseng is a great natural alternative to combat stress and look after yourself in times of higher stress while providing a protective and preventative approach to stress-related health conditions. Bing Han’s Ginseng Tea (https://binghanaustralia.com.au/our-ginseng/) contains the purest panax ginseng that undergoes 5 steps of processing to ensure the highest quality.
So what are you waiting for? There is no time like the present to try out the benefits of ginseng for yourself. Get in the habit of pouring yourself a daily cup of ginseng tea and let your stress decrease while supporting your body’s optimum health.
References
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2021. Stress and Trauma, https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/australias-health/stress-and-trauma
Cross, M., Michaels, R. 2009. The Social Psychological Effects of Tea Consumption on Stress, http://www.teamergency.com/files/directline_report.pdf
French, J.A., Booth, D.A (1994). Social Situation and Emotional State in Eat- ing and Drinking. British Food Journal, Vol. 96, No.1, pp.23-28
Kaneko, H., Nakanishi, K. 2004. Proof of the Mysterious Efficacy of Ginseng: Basic and Clinical Trials: Clinical Effects of Medical Ginseng, Korean Red Ginseng: Specifically, Its Anti-stress Action for Prevention of Disease. Journal of Pharmacological Sciences, 95, 158-162. https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jphs/95/2/95_2_158/_pdf/-char/en
Kim, J. H., Yi, Y. S., Kim, M. Y., & Cho, J. Y. 2017. Role of ginsenosides, the main active components of Panax ginseng, in inflammatory responses and diseases. Journal of ginseng research, 41(4), 435–443. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jgr.2016.08.004
Lee, S., & Rhee, D. K. 2017. Effects of ginseng on stress-related depression, anxiety, and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Journal of ginseng research, 41(4), 589–594. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jgr.2017.01.010
