E0 ConsensusWeak / uncertainPEM not requiredSystematic-ReviewPeer-reviewedReviewed
Ginseng for the Treatment of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Systematic Review of Clinical Studies.
Yang, Juan, Shin, Kyung-Min, Abu Dabrh, Abd Moain et al. · Global advances in health and medicine · 2022 · DOI
Quick Summary
Researchers looked at whether ginseng, a plant supplement used for fatigue in other conditions, might help people with ME/CFS. They found only 2 small studies with a total of 68 patients. While the results suggest ginseng might be helpful, there isn't enough evidence yet to say for certain whether it works or is safe for ME/CFS patients.
Why It Matters
This review addresses a critical gap in ME/CFS research by systematically evaluating a widely-used traditional remedy. Given the absence of curative or definitive therapies for ME/CFS, understanding whether complementary approaches like ginseng have evidence-based efficacy is important for patients seeking symptom management options and for guiding future research priorities.
Observed Findings
- Only 2 eligible studies evaluating ginseng for CFS were found in the literature through October 2020
- Combined patient population across both studies was 68 individuals
- Certainty of evidence for effectiveness was rated as low-to-moderate quality
- Certainty of evidence for safety was rated as very low quality, based on data from only one study
- Study findings indicated potential benefit of ginseng therapy, but confidence was limited
Inferred Conclusions
- Ginseng may have potential benefit in CFS treatment based on available evidence
- The paucity and low certainty of current evidence prevents firm conclusions about ginseng's effectiveness or safety
- Rigorous, well-designed clinical trials are needed to adequately evaluate ginseng for CFS
- Limited confidence should be placed in current findings pending additional high-quality research
Remaining Questions
- What is the optimal dose, duration, and formulation of ginseng for potential CFS benefit?
- How does ginseng's effect on CFS fatigue compare to other interventions or standard care?
What This Study Does Not Prove
This study does not prove that ginseng is effective or safe for treating ME/CFS fatigue. The extremely limited number of studies and small sample sizes mean findings could be due to chance or bias rather than ginseng's actual effects. The review cannot establish whether any observed benefits would persist long-term or generalize to diverse ME/CFS populations.
Tags
Symptom:Fatigue
Method Flag:Weak Case DefinitionSmall SampleExploratory Only
Metadata
- DOI
- 10.1177/2164957X221079790
- PMID
- 35186446
- Review status
- Editor reviewed
- Evidence level
- Higher-level evidence type — systematic reviews, meta-analyses, guidelines, or major syntheses (study type, not a quality guarantee)
- Last updated
- 12 April 2026
About the PEM badge: “PEM required” means post-exertional malaise was an explicit required diagnostic criterion for participant inclusion in this study — not that PEM was studied, observed, or discussed. Studies using criteria that do not require PEM (e.g. Fukuda, Oxford) are tagged “PEM not required”. How the atlas works →
Contribute
Private, reviewed by a human. Not a public comment thread.