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This systematic review and meta-analysis examined whether ginseng extract, used as a nutritional supplement, could help combat osteoporosis in animal models. Researchers searched eight databases and identified twenty-eight randomised controlled trials that compared ginseng extract against placebo in animals with osteoporosis.
The results were broadly positive across multiple measures of bone health. Ginseng extract significantly increased bone mineral density and improved key indicators of bone microarchitecture, including trabecular number, thickness, and bone volume fraction, while reducing trabecular separation. Biomechanical properties such as maximum load and stiffness were also enhanced, suggesting stronger bones overall. On a biochemical level, the extract raised markers associated with bone formation — including procollagen type one N-terminal propeptide, estradiol, osteocalcin, serum calcium, and phosphate — while reducing tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase, a marker of bone breakdown. Alkaline phosphatase levels were unchanged.
Subgroup analyses revealed that efficacy was higher in female and naturally aged animal models, with ginsenosides identified as the key active components. Lower doses, at or below forty milligrams per kilogram per day, and intraperitoneal administration appeared to produce greater effects. Risk of bias was assessed using the SYRCLE tool, and sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of findings.
The authors acknowledge that these results come exclusively from animal studies and that further research is needed to establish optimal dosing, formulations, and clinical applicability in humans.
Conclusion: Ginseng extract consistently demonstrated multi-dimensional bone-protective effects in animal models of osteoporosis, supporting its potential as a candidate for further clinical investigation.
Source: Tang R, Wan D, Yuan H and colleagues. Frontiers in nutrition (2026). View on PubMed (PMID 42317874) · doi:10.3389/fnut.2026.1748861