Blog
Eleuthero Benefits: What Siberian Ginseng Research Supports
Eleuthero, also called Siberian ginseng, is a root used traditionally as an adaptogen and performance booster. Memorial Sloan Kettering says human studies are quite limited. It is a different plant from Panax ginseng. Payarmin lists eleuthero root extract fifth in its blend, at no more than 40 mg per 1 mL.
Written by the Payarmin label deskUpdated · 4 min read
The plant01
What are eleuthero benefits, according to research?
The honest list of eleuthero benefits is short. Traditional use is long, human proof is thin.
Memorial Sloan Kettering says eleuthero is used traditionally as an adaptogen, a performance enhancer and an immune stimulant. It also says "studies in humans are quite limited" and more are needed for usefulness and safety (MSKCC, Siberian ginseng).
Lab and animal work suggests blood-sugar-lowering and other effects (MSKCC, Siberian ginseng). That is early evidence. It tells researchers where to look, not what a bottle will do for you.
The one human trial the summary mentions tested a mixed herbal product in knee osteoarthritis (MSKCC, Siberian ginseng). A mixed product cannot show what one herb does.
Two ginsengs02
Is eleuthero the same as Panax ginseng?
No. Eleuthero is Eleutherococcus senticosus, and the MSKCC summary says it is not the same plant as Panax ginseng (MSKCC, Siberian ginseng). Payarmin lists both.
| Eleuthero root extract | Panax ginseng aerial extract | |
|---|---|---|
| Place in the blend | 5th of 22 | 12th of 22 |
| Ceiling per 1 mL | 40 mg | 17 mg |
| Part of plant | Root | Aerial (above ground) |
| Source summary | Human studies limited (MSKCC, Siberian ginseng) | Blood sugar research inconclusive (NCCIH, Asian ginseng) |
The ceilings are 200 divided by the place number, from label order. They are not lab results. See the Panax ginseng page for the other plant.
Cautions03
Who should ask a clinician about eleuthero?
- Anyone on digoxin: a case report found raised digoxin levels, and eleuthero may falsely raise digoxin test results (MSKCC, Siberian ginseng).
- Anyone on medicines cleared by liver enzymes CYP2C9 or CYP2E1: lab work suggests it may inhibit them, and the clinical meaning is undetermined (MSKCC, Siberian ginseng).
- Anyone breastfeeding: the source says to avoid it because safety is unknown (MSKCC, Siberian ginseng).
The summary says side effects have not been reported. A bleeding case involved a three-herb product, so it is not blamed on eleuthero alone (MSKCC, Siberian ginseng).
Keep taking prescribed medicine, and tell your pharmacist what you take. The ingredients page lists all 23 lines.
FAQ04
Eleuthero questions
Is eleuthero an adaptogen?
It is used traditionally as one, per Memorial Sloan Kettering. The word describes a traditional category, not a proven effect, and the summary says human studies are quite limited.
Does eleuthero lower blood sugar?
Lab and animal work suggests it may, but human studies are limited. We did not find a human trial showing it changes blood sugar, and it is not proven to.
Can eleuthero be taken with digoxin?
Ask your pharmacist first. A case report found elevated digoxin levels with eleuthero, and the herb may falsely raise digoxin test results, according to the MSKCC summary.
Is eleuthero the same as American ginseng?
No source we cite equates them. MSKCC separates eleuthero from Panax ginseng, and American ginseng is a further plant we did not research for this post.
Who wrote this05
Written and reviewed by
Pages built from the label, the sales page and linked NIH, FDA, CDC, FTC and peer-reviewed sources.
Last updated . Read our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is run by Gopayarmin, a Payarmin U.S. shop, not by the manufacturer or the distributor. We earn money when you buy through our order links.
Keep reading
More about Payarmin
Payarmin U.S. shop
Ready to try Payarmin?
Check your medicines first, then pick a pack. Three or six bottles ship free and cost less per bottle, and every pack carries the 60-day results-or-refund guarantee.
- Order on the sales page checkout
- 60-day results-or-refund guarantee
- Ships from the U.S.
