Ingredient profile
Panax Ginseng and Blood Sugar: What the Root Extract in Glyco Defender Adds
Panax ginseng, or Asian ginseng, is the 12th of 21 lines in the Glyco Defender blend, so one dropperful holds at most about 1.3 mg. In 16 trials using about 100 mg to 20 g a day, ginseng lowered fasting glucose by roughly 5.6 mg/dL, with no change in A1C. No trial has tested the drops.
Written by the Glyco Defender label deskUpdated
The plant01
What is Panax ginseng in Glyco Defender?
Panax ginseng is Asian ginseng, and the part used is its root. Glyco Defender lists it as "Ginseng (Panax Ginseng) Root Extract", 12th of 21 lines in its blend.
It is the last plant line before the compounds and amino acids begin. Raspberry ketones come right after it.
Of the herbs in the blend, ginseng has the largest set of glucose trials. The table sets the label line next to that research.
| Name on the label | Ginseng (Panax Ginseng) Root Extract |
|---|---|
| What it is | Asian ginseng root |
| Place on the label | 12 of 21 in the 15.47 mg proprietary blend |
| Amount per mL (1 dropperful) | Not listed; #12 of 21 in the 15.47 mg blend, so at most 1.3 mg per mL |
| Extract footnote | None printed |
| Amount used in research | About 100 mg to 20 g a day (mostly root) |
| Strength of evidence | Modest drop in fasting glucose; no A1C effect |
| Marketed or traditional use | Studied for glucose control |
| Main caution | May lower blood sugar; may affect blood thinners; insomnia. |
Label math02
How much Panax ginseng is in one dropperful?
One dropperful of Glyco Defender holds at most about 1.3 mg of Panax ginseng extract. The label gives no single amount, so that figure is a ceiling, not a dose.
A proprietary blend lists lines from most to least by weight (21 CFR 101.36 (eCFR)). The 12th line can weigh no more than any of the 11 above it, which caps it at 15.47 mg divided by 12. On an even split of 21 lines, it would be about 0.74 mg.
The ginseng trials started at about 100 mg a day (Shishtar et al., PLoS One 2014). Even the ceiling is about 1.3% of that low end.
| Amount | Ginseng | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Even split | About 0.74 mg | 15.47 mg shared by 21 lines |
| Label-order ceiling | At most 1.3 mg | 15.47 mg divided by place 12 |
| Low end of trials | About 100 mg | 16 randomized trials (Shishtar et al., PLoS One 2014) |
| High end of trials | 20 g | Mostly whole root (Shishtar et al., PLoS One 2014) |
The footnote03
Why does the ginseng line have no extract ratio?
The ginseng line is printed without the "^" mark, so the label gives it no extract ratio. Most other plant lines carry a 20:1 mark, and African mango carries 10:1.
The missing mark changes little. A ratio only shows how much dried plant went into the extract. It does not measure strength, and two extracts with the same ratio can differ (Monagas et al., Front Pharmacol 2022).
What matters is the weight, and that stays capped at about 1.3 mg either way.
On the panel, every plant line from maca to grapefruit seed ends in a mark: "^", or a double prime for African mango. "Ginseng (Panax Ginseng) Root Extract" has none. Every line is typed out on the supplement facts page.
The research04
Does Panax ginseng help blood sugar?
Panax ginseng has shown a modest effect on fasting glucose in trials, with no change in A1C. The best-known review pooled 16 randomized trials and found a small drop with wide variation between studies (Shishtar et al., PLoS One 2014).
NCCIH calls the research on ginseng and blood sugar in diabetes inconclusive and conflicting. It also notes a 2022 review of 20 studies that found better fasting glucose and other heart and metabolic markers (NCCIH, Asian Ginseng).
Trials
Randomized and controlled, pooled in 2014.
People
Across all 16 trials combined.
mg/dL
Average fasting-glucose drop, about 0.31 mmol/L.
A1C change
No significant effect on A1C or fasting insulin.
Context05
How big is a 5.6 mg/dL drop in fasting glucose?
A 5.6 mg/dL drop is small next to the ranges doctors use. Normal fasting glucose is below 100 mg/dL, and prediabetes runs from 100 to 125 (NIDDK, Diabetes & Prediabetes Tests).
The 2014 review also saw no significant A1C change, and results varied widely from trial to trial (Shishtar et al., PLoS One 2014). A small average can hide studies that found nothing.
- Width of the prediabetes fasting range: 25 points
- Average ginseng effect in trials: about 5.6 points
- Trial doses: at least about 77 times the drops' ceiling
- A1C: no significant change
See where readings fall on blood sugar numbers.
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See packsSales claim06
Does Panax ginseng give you energy?
Ginseng is widely sold for energy, but small studies found little or no exercise benefit from Panax ginseng (NIH ODS, Exercise & Athletic Performance). The sales page promises "steady all-day energy", which no trial of the drops has measured (Glyco Defender sales page).
Any lift from Glyco Defender is more likely to come from guarana and green tea, the two caffeine sources in the blend.
Ginseng is also not the same plant as Siberian ginseng. That one is eleuthero, 5th in the blend (MSKCC, Siberian Ginseng (Eleuthero)), covered with maca and adaptogens.
Safety07
Is Panax ginseng safe with diabetes or blood-thinning medicines?
Ask first. NCCIH says ginseng might affect blood sugar, so people with diabetes should talk to a provider. It may also interfere with blood clotting and interact with some medicines (NCCIH, Asian Ginseng).
Insomnia is the most common side effect. Ginseng may be unsafe in pregnancy, and the Glyco Defender label already rules out pregnant or nursing women (NCCIH, Asian Ginseng).
Do not adjust insulin, a sulfonylurea or a blood thinner on your own because of a ginseng product. Give your care team the full label first (ADA, Vitamins & Supplements).
- On insulin or a sulfonylurea: lows are possible with those drugs (NIDDK, Low Blood Glucose)
- On warfarin or another blood thinner: ask your doctor or pharmacist
- Trouble sleeping: take the drops early in the day
The formula08
How does ginseng compare with the other Glyco Defender ingredients?
Ginseng has more glucose trials than any other blend herb, yet its ceiling of about 1.3 mg is among the lowest of the plant lines. Only gymnema and chromium have comparable research.
The full ingredient list shows all 22 lines in order, with the most each can weigh.
FAQ09
Panax ginseng questions
How much Panax ginseng is in Glyco Defender?
The label does not print an amount. Ginseng is 12th of 21 lines in a 15.47 mg blend listed by weight, so one dropperful holds at most about 1.3 mg. Shared evenly, it would be about 0.74 mg. Trials began at about 100 mg a day (Shishtar et al., PLoS One 2014).
Does Panax ginseng lower A1C?
Not in the main review. Across 16 randomized trials, ginseng had no significant overall effect on A1C or fasting insulin, even though fasting glucose dropped by about 5.6 mg/dL (Shishtar et al., PLoS One 2014). NCCIH calls the overall research on ginseng and diabetes inconclusive and conflicting (NCCIH, Asian Ginseng).
What dose of Panax ginseng was used in blood sugar studies?
Doses ranged from about 100 mg to 20 g a day, mostly as root (Shishtar et al., PLoS One 2014). One Glyco Defender dropperful holds at most about 1.3 mg of root extract, so even the low end of the trials is many times larger than anything the drops can hold.
Is Panax ginseng the same as Siberian ginseng?
No. Panax ginseng is Asian ginseng. Siberian ginseng is eleuthero, a different plant, and it sits 5th in the Glyco Defender blend (MSKCC, Siberian Ginseng (Eleuthero)). MSKCC notes that human studies of eleuthero are limited and its blood sugar findings come from animal studies.
Can Panax ginseng cause trouble sleeping?
Yes, insomnia is the most common side effect NCCIH lists for Asian ginseng (NCCIH, Asian Ginseng). The drops also contain guarana and green tea, which add caffeine. If sleep suffers, take your dropperful in the morning and tell your doctor if the problem continues.
Is Panax ginseng safe with blood thinners?
Ask your doctor or pharmacist first. Asian ginseng may interfere with blood clotting and interact with some medicines, NCCIH says (NCCIH, Asian Ginseng). If you take warfarin or another blood thinner, your care team should see the full Glyco Defender label before you start.
Does Panax ginseng in Glyco Defender boost energy?
No study shows it does. Small studies of Panax ginseng found little or no benefit for exercise performance, though short-term use appeared safe (NIH ODS, Exercise & Athletic Performance). The energy promise on the Glyco Defender sales page has not been tested in any trial of the drops (Glyco Defender sales page).
Who wrote this10
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 a licensed U.S. retail desk for Glyco Defender, not by the manufacturer or the label's distributor. Buying through our order links earns us money.
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