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June 4, 2007
Report: 'Ginseng May Relieve Cancer Fatigue'
Topics: Nutrition and CancerMore than 90% of people with cancer suffer from extreme lethargy and low energy levels before, during, or after treatment, and if these results are confirmed, ginseng could help to improve their quality of life:
[...] June 4, 2007 (Chicago) -- The popular dietary supplement ginseng appears to relieve fatigue and boost energy levels in people with cancer, preliminary research shows.Read more ... at WebMD.The researchers studied 282 people with breast, colon, and other types of cancer. They were randomly assigned to take 750 milligrams, 1,000 milligrams, or 2,000 milligrams of American ginseng or placebo daily for eight weeks.
About 25% of those on the two highest doses reported their fatigue was "moderately or much better," compared with only 10% of those taking lowest dose or placebo. Also, energy levels were about twice as high in those taking the 1,000-milligram dose as those taking placebo.
People taking the two highest doses also reported generally feeling better, with improvements in mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional well-being. And they said they were more satisfied with their treatment.
The study was presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.
[...] Bruce Cheson, MD, a cancer doctor at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, says that while promising, it is too soon to recommend ginseng to people with cancer.
"We still don't know whether it interferes with their cancer treatment," he tells WebMD.
Cheson says that patients often "pull out big bags of this stuff from their bags and ask whether it will help me. Until we have more rigorous trials, we can't answer their question," he says.
Barton recommends that until the findings are confirmed, people suffering from cancer-related fatigue talk to their doctors about starting an exercise program. "Currently, the only intervention we know that works is exercise," she says.
Posted by Richard at June 4, 2007 5:16 PM
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