Ingredient profile
Panax Ginseng in Sugar Defender: 12th in the Blend, at Most 17 mg
Panax ginseng in Sugar Defender is a root extract, 12th of 22 ingredients in the 200 mg blend, so one 1 mL serving holds at most 17 mg. A review of 16 trials found fasting glucose about 5.6 mg/dL lower and no change in A1C, at doses from about 100 mg to 20 g a day.
Written by the Sugar Defender label teamUpdated
The label line01
What is Panax ginseng in Sugar Defender?
Panax ginseng in Sugar Defender is an extract of Asian ginseng root, printed as "Panax Ginseng Root Extract" in the blend. It is the plant most people mean by ginseng, and the one behind a 16-trial glucose review.
It is not the same plant as eleuthero, which is sold as Siberian ginseng. Eleuthero is a separate line, fifth in the blend.
Panax ginseng sits 12th of 22 lines. Eleven ingredients weigh at least as much, from maca root to grapefruit seed extract.
The label gives no milligram amount and no extract strength for it.
| Name on the label | Panax Ginseng Root Extract |
|---|---|
| What it is | Asian ginseng root |
| Place on the label | 12 of 22 in the 200 mg proprietary blend |
| Amount per mL (1 dropper) | Not listed; #12 of 22 in the 200 mg blend, so at most 17 mg per mL |
| Amount used in research | About 100 mg to 20 g |
| 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. |
Blend math02
How much Panax ginseng is in Sugar Defender?
Sugar Defender holds at most 17 mg of Panax ginseng per 1 mL serving. That cap comes from its place in the label order, not a printed figure.
Blend lines run from heaviest to lightest (21 CFR 101.36 (eCFR)). With 11 lines above it, ginseng is one of 12 shares that are each at least its size. Twelve such shares fit in 200 mg only if each is about 17 mg or less.
On an even split, it would be about 9 mg. The real amount could be lower still, since the lines below it may be tiny.
| Scenario | Ginseng | Share of 100 mg a day |
|---|---|---|
| Even split (200 mg / 22) | About 9 mg per mL | About 9% |
| Label-order ceiling (place 12) | At most 17 mg per mL | About 17% |
| Lowest trial dose | About 100 mg a day | 100% |
| Highest trial dose | About 20 g a day | 200 times |
| Printed on the label | Not published | Not published |
What 16 trials found03
What did the 16-trial ginseng meta-analysis find?
The 16-trial meta-analysis found that ginseng lowered fasting blood glucose by a modest 0.31 mmol/L, about 5.6 mg/dL (Shishtar et al., PLoS One 2014). It found no clear effect on fasting insulin or A1C.
The trials included 770 people in all. Results varied widely from one study to the next.
Doses ran from about 100 mg to 20 g a day. Even the low end is about six times the most a 1 mL serving can hold.
Fasting glucose
About 5.6 mg/dL lower on average, with wide spread.
A1C
No significant change across the trials.
Fasting insulin
No significant change either.
In real numbers04
How big is a 5.6 mg/dL drop in fasting glucose?
A 5.6 mg/dL drop is small. A fasting reading of 110 mg/dL would become about 104, still in the prediabetes range of 100 to 125 (NIDDK, Diabetes & Prediabetes Tests).
A1C reflects blood sugar over about three months, and the trials saw no change in it. That is the number doctors lean on most.
NCCIH calls ginseng research in diabetes inconclusive and conflicting, though a 2022 review of 20 studies found better fasting glucose (NCCIH, Asian Ginseng). In its diabetes overview, NCCIH finds no reliable evidence that any herb, ginseng included, helps to control diabetes (NCCIH, Diabetes and Dietary Supplements).
See what each range means on the blood sugar numbers guide.
Sales claim05
Does the ginseng in Sugar Defender support healthy blood glucose?
Not at a dose anyone has tested. The sales page lists ginseng under "Supports Healthy Blood Glucose" (Sugar Defender sales and order pages); the trials behind that idea used at least about six times the label ceiling (Shishtar et al., PLoS One 2014).
Even at those doses, the change was a few points of fasting glucose with no A1C shift. The line describes ginseng research in general, not these drops.
No trial has tested Panax ginseng, or the full formula, as sold in Sugar Defender.
Our Panax ginseng and blood glucose post goes through the 16 trials one point at a time.
Sugar Defender: from $49 a bottle60 mL · 1 mL a day · free US shipping on 3 or 6 · 60-day money-back guarantee
See packsCautions06
Is the Panax ginseng in Sugar Defender safe?
Short-term use of Panax ginseng appears safe in small studies (NIH ODS, Exercise & Athletic Performance), but NCCIH lists three cautions. It might lower blood sugar, it may interfere with blood clotting, and it may interact with some medicines (NCCIH, Asian Ginseng).
Insomnia is its most common side effect. NCCIH also says it may be unsafe in pregnancy, and the label asks pregnant or nursing women to consult a physician.
If you take a blood thinner or a diabetes drug, ask your doctor or pharmacist before starting.
Ginseng is not a substitute for a glucose-lowering drug. With insulin or a sulfonylurea, a herb that might lower blood sugar raises the chance of a low (NIDDK, Low Blood Glucose).
More on drug checks in Sugar Defender and diabetes medicines.
In the serving07
How does Panax ginseng fit in a 1 mL Sugar Defender serving?
Panax ginseng is a small, lower-half share of each 1 mL Sugar Defender serving. It sits after grapefruit seed extract and before raspberry ketones in the 200 mg blend.
Its closest relative on the label is eleuthero, at place 5. The two are often grouped as ginsengs but are separate plants with separate research; see the eleuthero in Sugar Defender profile.
The blend also brings caffeine from guarana and green tea. Like ginseng, caffeine can affect sleep (MSKCC, Guarana).
What the label leaves out
- Milligrams of ginseng per mL
- Which ginsenosides, and how much
- The extract ratio or standard
Bottom line08
Is the ginseng in Sugar Defender worth counting on?
No. The Panax ginseng in Sugar Defender is real and named, but its most possible dose is under a fifth of the smallest trial dose, and those trials showed only a modest change.
Treat it as one of 22 small parts of the blend, not as a ginseng supplement.
Compare it with every other line on the Sugar Defender ingredients list.
FAQ09
Panax ginseng in Sugar Defender: questions
How much Panax ginseng is in Sugar Defender?
The label does not print an amount. Panax ginseng is 12th of 22 lines in a 200 mg blend, so one 1 mL serving holds at most about 17 mg. An even split would be about 9 mg. Trials used about 100 mg to 20 g a day (Shishtar et al., PLoS One 2014).
Is the ginseng in Sugar Defender the same as Siberian ginseng?
No. Panax ginseng is Asian ginseng. Siberian ginseng is eleuthero, a different plant with its own line on the label at place 5. The two have separate research, and only Panax ginseng has the 16-trial glucose review behind it.
Does Panax ginseng change A1C?
Not in the 16-trial review. It found a modest fasting-glucose drop of about 5.6 mg/dL but no significant change in A1C or fasting insulin (Shishtar et al., PLoS One 2014). A1C reflects about three months of blood sugar, so it is the number most doctors watch.
Can the ginseng in Sugar Defender keep me awake?
It could add to it. Insomnia is the most common side effect of Asian ginseng (NCCIH, Asian Ginseng), and the blend also has caffeine from guarana and green tea. Taking the drops in the morning is a sensible choice if sleep is an issue.
Can I use Sugar Defender with a blood thinner?
Ask your doctor or pharmacist first. NCCIH says Asian ginseng may interfere with blood clotting and interact with some medicines (NCCIH, Asian Ginseng). The label also asks anyone on medication to consult a physician before use.
Is Panax ginseng safe during pregnancy?
It may not be. NCCIH says Asian ginseng may be unsafe in pregnancy (NCCIH, Asian Ginseng), and the Sugar Defender label asks pregnant or nursing women to consult a physician before use. Talk with your doctor or midwife first.
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 the way we check reviews. This website is run by an authorized American Sugar Defender outlet, not by the manufacturer or the distributor. Purchases made through our order links earn us money.
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