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Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the inability to get or maintain a firm erection. ED affects millions of men, especially those over the age of 40, leading to stress and a reduced quality of life. It's likely that you have seen advertisements for prescription drugs such as sildenafil (Viagra), as well as for a wide variety of herbal supplements. One common herbal supplement used for ED 1. Korean red ginseng. But what is red ginseng, and does it actually work to treat ED?
Korean ginseng is a species of plant with the scientific name Panax ginseng (other species grow in China, Vietnam, and even the United States). The roots of ginseng have been used in traditional medicine for thousands of years. Ginseng was believed to cure a wide variety of ills, including ED, and even to extend lifespan. The "red" in Korean red ginseng has to do with how the roots are processed. Fresh ginseng root is called green ginseng. White ginseng is ginseng which has been peeled and dried in the sun. The drying turns the root white.
Red ginseng is also dried, but before being dried it is heated with steam. The steaming produces the reddish color. Korean red ginseng has traditionally been the preferred type for treatment of ED, and we now know that the steaming process increases the concentration of plant chemicals.
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