This study evaluated whether eight weeks of Korean ginseng extract supplementation could affect exercise performance, body composition, and selected blood-based physiological markers in healthy adults.

A total of 60 healthy adults aged 20 to 50 years were recruited and randomly assigned to either a Korean ginseng extract group or a placebo group in a double-blind, placebo-controlled design. Participants consumed one 10 mL packet of Korean ginseng extract or placebo daily for eight weeks. Assessments were performed before and after the intervention. Outcome measures included exercise performance tests, body composition, endocrine markers, inflammatory markers, oxidative stress markers, immune cell indices, and blood cell counts.

Forty-nine participants completed the post-intervention assessments. The study was approved by the University of Taipei Institutional Review Board under approval number IRB-2023-011.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Healthy adults aged 20 to 50 years.
• Able and willing to participate in the study.
• Able to provide written informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Allergy to ginseng products.
• History of cardiovascular disease, asthma, diabetes, liver disease, kidney disease, arrhythmia, or other chronic diseases.
• Current use of medications for chronic diseases.
• Habitual use of ginseng or other traditional Chinese medicine-related supplements.
• Pregnancy or breastfeeding.
• Menopausal women.

Individual participant data will not be shared because the informed consent form did not include a specific plan for sharing individual-level data with other researchers, and participant confidentiality will be protected.

Participants and investigators were masked to group assignment. The placebo was designed to have a similar taste and appearance to the Korean ginseng extract supplement.