Mental Acuity
Conditions
Keywords
ginseng, mental health, cognitive performancd
Brief summary
College students face substantial and persistent mental health challenges that directly affect cognitive performance, stress regulation, and emotional well-being. Neurological functions such as working memory, attention regulation, executive control, and emotional processing are highly sensitive to stressors, leaving young adults vulnerable to daily fluctuations in cognitive efficiency. Recent findings from the Healthy Minds Network (2025) indicate that although rates of moderate to severe depression among college students declined from 44% in 2022 to 37% in 2025, and anxiety symptoms fell from 37% to 32%, levels of psychological flourishing also dropped, falling to 36% despite these improvements. Ginseng contains bioactive compounds known as ginsenosides that favorably influence brain function and inflammatory cascades. Studies in stressed and moderately stressed adults demonstrated reduced perceived stress, improved emotional processing, enhanced cognitive performance, and beneficial changes to biomarkers with ginseng supplementation. In addition, randomized controlled trials reported improvements in mood regulation, fatigue resistance, and aspects of working memory and attention following short-term ginseng supplementation. This study will examine the effects of daily red panax ginseng supplementation (3000 mg/day; two 1500 mg Red Panax gummies) on cognitive performance and emotional well-being in healthy young adults.
Detailed description
College students face substantial and persistent mental health challenges that directly affect cognitive performance, stress regulation, and emotional well-being. Neurological functions such as working memory, attention regulation, executive control, and emotional processing are highly sensitive to stressors, leaving young adults vulnerable to daily fluctuations in cognitive efficiency. Recent findings from the Healthy Minds Network (2025) indicate that although rates of moderate to severe depression among college students declined from 44% in 2022 to 37% in 2025, and anxiety symptoms fell from 37% to 32%, levels of psychological flourishing also dropped, falling to 36% despite these improvements. Ginseng contains bioactive compounds known as ginsenosides that favorably influence multiple neurobiological pathways such as neurotrophic signaling, neurotransmitter regulation, oxidative balance, and inflammatory cascades. Studies in stressed and moderately stressed adults demonstrated reduced perceived stress, improved emotional processing, enhanced cognitive performance, and modulated biomarkers related to the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis with ginseng supplementation. In addition, randomized controlled trials reported improvements in mood regulation, fatigue resistance, and aspects of working memory and attention following short-term ginseng supplementation. This study will examine the effects of daily red panax ginseng supplementation (3000 mg/day; two 1500 mg Red Panax gummies) on cognitive performance and emotional well-being in healthy young adults.
Interventions
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENTGinseng
This study will test the efficacy of ginseng on health compared to placebo treatment.
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENTPlacebo
This study will test the efficacy of ginseng on health compared to placebo treatment.
Sponsors
Arizona State University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Investigator)
Intervention model description
This study will assess both the acute effect and long-term effect of ginseng consumption on cognition and mental well-being.
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 30 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Healthy young adults * 18-30 years of age
Exclusion criteria
* medication/drug use that has not been consistent for the previous 3 months or will be discontinued during the trial * unresolved chronic medical conditions (e.g., presence of persistent symptomology) * diagnosed clinical depression * acute illness * regular use of cigarettes or marijuana * pregnant or lactating women * not fluent in English * currently competing in sports or unusually high-intensity exercise protocols (e.g., high-intensity exercise greater than 30 minutes most days of the week) * current use of ginseng or adaptogenic supplements, or allergy to ginseng * any significant food allergies * not willing to attend two in-person lab visits in downtown Phoenix and follow study protocol (including abstaining from caffeine in the 12 hours prior to testing)
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| cognitive performance | 2 hours post ingestion | Trail Making Test: measures cognitive flexibility; visual attention, and executive function, with interpretation based on completion times (in seconds) |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| stress | 2 weeks | Perceived Stress Scale: higher scores indicate higher stress |
| mental well being | 2 weeks | Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale: higher scores indicating greater positive mental wellbeing |
Contacts
CONTACTCarol Johnston
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORCarol Johnston
Arizona State University
Outcome results
None listed