Korean red ginseng supports the immune system of people with HIV-1

Consuming Korean red ginseng (Panax ginseng Meyer) over prolonged periods has been shown to extend the lifespans of healthy people. Korean researchers sought to determine if this increased longevity could be extended to patients suffering from human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection.

The researchers came from the University of Ulsan. They published their findings in the Journal of Ginseng Research.

• The retrospective analysis involved 252 participants.  The patients were diagnosed with HIV-1 from 1983 to 2013, but they only received antiretroviral therapy starting in 1996.
• Korean red ginseng was administered to 162 of the participants. The treatment period lasted for an average of 86 ± 63 months.
• The ginseng intake level and the length of the follow-up period were measured. The data determined the effects of Korean red ginseng on the survival duration of participants.
• In the ginseng treatment group, a considerable correlation was drawn between a participant’s total consumption of ginseng and his or her survival duration. Furthermore, a similar correlation was apparent between the total intake and the average yearly decrease of T helper cells in the immune system.
• The number of T helper cells in the immune system of the ginseng-treated group did not decrease as quickly as those in the untreated group. In addition, the members of the treatment group enjoyed much longer survival duration periods than the untreated group.

Given the results of their test, the researchers surmised that the consumption of Korean red ginseng reduces the loss of T helper cells caused by HIV-1 infections, allowing patients to live longer.

You can pore over the full study at this website.

If you want to read more about the ways Korean red ginseng can help increase your longevity, visit Herbs.news.

Journal Reference:

Cho Y-K, Kim J-E. EFFECT OF KOREAN RED GINSENG INTAKE ON THE SURVIVAL DURATION OF HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS TYPE 1 PATIENTS. Journal of Ginseng Research. 6 January 2017;41(2):222–226. DOI: 10.1016/j.jgr.2016.12.006.