Eleuthero (Siberian Ginseng):

also as ci wu jia, devil`s shrub, and touch-me-not, eleuthero has been widely used in Chinese medicine. The active ingredients of eleuthero responsible for its effects are eleutherosides, polysaccharides, and isofraxidin.

 Athletic Benefits of Eleuthero:

1. Improves athletic performance.
2. Delays exhaustion time.
3. Helps recover quickly from overtraining syndrome.
4. Enhances endurance by increasing oxygen uptake by the muscles.
5. Reduces post – exercise exhaustion.
6. Improves aerobic capacity.

 Non – Athletic Benefits of Eleuthero:

 Siberian ginseng may have potential benefits in the following conditions:

1. Chronic fatigue syndrome.
2. Adrenal exhaustion.
3. Fibromyalgia.
4. Frequent common cold and flu.
5. Diabetes.
6. Breast cancer.
7. High LDL cholesterol.

Dosage and Side Effects:

Eleuthero is generally taken as dried powder 2 – 3 grams a day or standardized extract 500 – 1000 mg a day. The possible side effects of eleuthero are diarrhea, insomnia, nervousness, increased blood pressure, headache, and hypoglycemia.