Effects of Red Panax Ginseng Supplementation on Cognitive Performance and Emotional Well-Being in Young Healthy Adults

NCT07648316 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: STUDY00024361
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 30
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

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.

Conditions

Mental Acuity

Keywords

ginseng; mental health; cognitive performancd

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• cognitive performance

  Trail Making Test

  2 hours

• cognitive performance

  Trail Making Test

  2 weeks

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• stress

  2 weeks

• mental well being

  2 weeks

Other Outcomes (2)

• cognitive performance

  2 hours

• cognitive performance

  2 hours

Study Arms (2)

ginseng

EXPERIMENTAL

ginseng

Dietary Supplement: Gummy

Placebo

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

strawberry gummy (2)

Dietary Supplement: Gummy

Interventions

Gummy DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

This study will test the efficacy of ginseng on health compared to placebo treatment.

Placebo; ginseng

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 30 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Healthy young adults
• years of age

You may not qualify if:

• 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)

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Arizona State University: lead

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Psychological Well-Being

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Personal Satisfaction; Behavior

Study Officials

• Carol Johnston

  Arizona State University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Carol Johnston

CONTACT

6024963463; carol.johnston@asu.edu

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, INVESTIGATOR
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Professor and Senior Associate Dean

Model Details: This study will assess both the acute effect and long-term effect of ginseng consumption on cognition and mental well-being.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: June 10, 2026
• First Posted: June 15, 2026
• Study Start (Estimated): June 22, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 15, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): June 15, 2027
• Last Updated: June 15, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-06

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share