Ginseng

Ginseng has been used for centuries in Asian cultures to reduce fatigue. In a limited number of studies, components of ginseng have been shown to spare glycogen usage and increase the oxidation of fatty acids.⁴⁷ Exercised animals that have been injected with a ginseng extract have shown reduced fatigue.⁵⁵ However, human studies evaluating various doses of ginseng root for periods of up to 2 months have shown no clear ergogenic benefit. There is only limited evidence that providing a supplement of ginseng extract may improve endurance performance by increasing oxygen delivery to the muscles. Ginseng ingested at either 8 or 16 milligrams per kilogram of body weight for 7 days did not improve either submaximal or maximal cycling performance.⁵⁶