Side Effects of Ginseng (Cont.)

Side Effects With Ginseng to Report

There are a number of potential side effects of ginseng that you should report to your healthcare provider. These include but are not limited to:
 
  • Vaginal bleeding or significant changes in the menstrual cycle
  • A rapid heart rate (tachycardia)
  • Feelings of a rapidly or forcefully beating heart (known as heart palpitations)
  • Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
  • Low blood pressure (hypotension) or high blood pressure (hypertension)
  • Unusual, excessive behavior (such as irresponsible spending or sexual activity), known as mania
  • Signs of impaired blood clotting, such as:
 
    • Easy bruising
    • Bleeding that is slow to stop
    • Nosebleeds
    • Black, tarry stools; bright red blood in the stool; or vomiting blood (signs of gastrointestinal bleeding)
    • Signs of a hemorrhagic stroke (bleeding in the brain), such as vision or speech changes, weakness or numbness in an arm or leg, or a severe headache
 
  • Signs of an allergic reaction, such as:
 
    • Rash
    • Hives
    • Itching
    • Swelling of the mouth or throat
    • Wheezing
    • Difficulty breathing.
 

Final Thoughts on the Side Effects of Ginseng

You may experience some or none of the ginseng side effects described in this article. Unfortunately, there is no way for you or your healthcare provider to know beforehand whether you will have side effects from a medicine or supplement that you have never tried. Therefore, make sure to let your healthcare provider know if you develop any side effects while taking ginseng or if something "just does not seem right." While it may not be a side effect of ginseng, your healthcare provider will be able to diagnose and treat the problem.
 
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;