Gynostemma is sometimes called ‘the herb of immortality.’ While it’s an exaggeration to claim that this supplement could make you immortal, it could make you feel that way by boosting the immune system, increasing energy, and reducing stress. Learn more about these benefits below.

What Is Gynostemma?

Gynostemma (also called jiaogulan) has a long history of use in herbal medicine, where it is nicknamed the “immortality herb.” It is also called “poor man’s ginseng” due to providing similar benefits and costing less when compared to Panax (Asian) ginseng [1].

Ginsenoside Content

Although gynostemma and ginseng are unrelated, both contain similar beneficial compounds called ginsenosides that are not found in other plants [2].

Additionally, gynostemma produces another type of potentially beneficial compounds called gypenosides that may also benefit the immune system, promote high energy levels, and provide cellular protection [3].

Benefits of Gynostemma

Insufficient Evidence for:

The following purported benefits are only supported by limited, low-quality clinical studies and some animal research. There is insufficient evidence to support the use of gynostemma for any of the below-listed uses. You may take gynostemma if your doctor considers that it may be helpful in your case. Remember that gynostemma should never be used as a replacement for approved medical therapies.

1) Anxiety

In a clinical trial on 72 healthy people, gynostemma leaf extract lowered anxiety from chronic psychological stress [4].

Gynostemma and its active compounds also reduced anxiety from chronic stress and Parkinson’s disease in mice [5, 6, 7].

2) Weight Loss

In a clinical trial on 80 obese people, supplementation with gynostemma extract for 12 weeks reduced body weight and fat mass [8].

Gynostemma extract also reduced weight in obese mice [9, 10].

Compounds in gynostemma improve blood flow during exercise and thus may increase exercise capacity [11]. This could help people aiming to lose weight to exercise longer and thus see faster results.

Gynostemma extract may boost fat burning and makes muscle cells more sensitive to insulin by activating the energy sensor molecule AMPK [12].

The protein PTP1B promotes obesity and reduces insulin sensitivity, but gynostemma extract can reduce the production of this protein [13, 14, 15].

3) Diabetes

Drinking gynostemma tea for 12 weeks reduced blood sugar levels before meals and insulin resistance in a clinical trial on 24 people with type 2 diabetes [16].

A complex carbohydrate isolated from gynostemma had similar effects in diabetic mice [17].

In rats, gynostemma regulated blood sugar and boosted antioxidant enzymes by promoting the transcription factor NRF2 [18].

Supplementing gynostemma may improve insulin sensitivity by activating the energy sensor AMPK, as seen in cell-based studies [12].

Other compounds from gynostemma may reduce the protein PTP1B, an insulin regulator that is being explored for the treatment of obesity and diabetes [13, 15].

Gypenosides extracted from gynostemma decreased pathways that lead to cholesterol production in cell-based studies [19].

4) Liver Health

Gynostemma extract may support healthy liver function in a variety of diseases.

In a clinical trial on 56 people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, gynostemma extract (as an add-on to conventional therapy) reduced liver cell death (liver damage markers AST and ALP), body mass index, and insulin resistance [20].

Similarly, gynostemma supplementation reduced liver fat accumulation and liver cell death in animal models of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease [21, 22, 23].

Treatment with gynostemma improved liver cell survival in animal models of chronic liver injury [24, 21].

It also prevented the growth of cancer cells, possibly slowing disease progression [25].

5) Cardiovascular Health

Narrowed arteries can reduce healthy blood flow, and chronically narrowed arteries are a major cause of heart disease [3, 26].

Compounds in gynostemma extract may help to maintain healthy blood flow and prevent excess arterial narrowing. Because they don’t widen arteries that are already open, gynostemma is less likely to cause unpleasant side effects like flushing and nasal congestion when compared with other drugs and supplements [3].

Regularly consuming tea made from gynostemma and hibiscus was associated with lower cholesterol in a small, uncontrolled study on 48 people [27].

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Gynostemma protected the heart from damage during a heart attack in animal models [28, 26, 29].

Gynostemma extract improved energy levels in cells and may aid recovery from exercise [12].

Gynostemma extract also helps prevent electrolyte imbalances, which can strain the cardiovascular system [30].

Animal and Cell Research (Lack of Evidence)

No clinical evidence supports the use of gynostemma for any of the conditions listed in this section. Below is a summary of the existing animal and cell-based research, which should guide further investigational efforts. However, the studies listed should not be interpreted as supportive of any health benefit.

Allergies

Th2 immune system dominance contributes to seasonal allergies and asthma [31, 32].

Supplementing gynostemma boosted Th1 immune cell production in mice and rats, which balances an overactivated Th2 system [33, 34, 35].

Gynostemma treatment lowered multiple inflammatory molecules associated with allergies in animal studies:

• Gynostemma stabilizes mast cells and reduces histamine production [36]
• Gynostemma reduces airway inflammation caused by Th2 cytokines [37, 3, 38]
• Gynostemma reduces the activation of inflammatory astrocytes [39]

Gynostemma increased Th1 immune system activity by activating PPAR alpha in cell-based studies [3]. This may help explain how gynostemma could reduce allergy symptoms caused by Th2 dominance.

Compounds from gynostemma may also limit inflammation by boosting nitric oxide and activating AMPK, as seen in cell studies [40, 12].

Brain Protection

Preliminary evidence suggests that gynostemma extract protects brain cells from damage.

In an animal model, gynostemma protected the brain from damage caused by low oxygen [41].

Moreover, gynostemma is being studied in rats as part of a potential treatment for recovery from stroke [42].

Gynostemma protected brain cells from damage caused by low oxygen and low blood sugar [43, 42].

Laboratory animals under excessive stress learn new skills more slowly. Treating stressed animals with gynostemma reduced these negative changes in learning rates [39].

Gynostemma extract protected cells from damage in an animal model of Parkinson’s disease [44].

Higher doses of the extract provided greater protection, which shows promise for a close relationship between supplementation and protection [44].

In Alzheimer’s disease, beta-amyloid molecules damage neural cells, but gynostemma extract protected those cells in a laboratory setting [45].

Compounds in gynostemma managed the balance of sodium and potassium ions in cells, protecting the brain from glutamate-induced oxidative stress [30].

Gynostemma activates the PPAR-alpha pathway, which may boost energy production [46, 3].

The PPAR alpha pathway also increases the amount of glucose available as fuel [46, 3]. This increased cellular energy likely explains how gynostemma may protect cells from various types of stress.

Gynostemma may also limit inflammation by boosting nitric oxide and activating AMPK, which could explain how it may protect the brain [40, 12].

Antioxidant and Immunomodulatory

Gynostemma extract increased the levels of both beneficial immune cells and antioxidant enzymes in animal models of immune suppression [33].

Gynostemma enhanced antioxidant enzyme activity and reduced oxidative cell damage in animal studies [39, 47].

Gynostemma protected the brain from damage caused by a variety of stressors in animals and isolated brain slices [43, 47, 42, 44].

Also, gynostemma extract neutralized free radicals in cell studies [47].

Gynostemma activated the PPAR alpha pathway, which supports energy production and regulates the amount of glucose available as energy [46, 3].

Gynostemma is also an activator of AMPK, which also protects cells by boosting available energy. These effects may contribute to the cellular protection observed in the studies [12].

Cancer

Below, we will discuss some preliminary research on the anticancer activity of gynostemma. It’s still in the animal and cell stage and further clinical studies have yet to determine if its compounds are useful in cancer therapies.

Do not under any circumstances attempt to replace conventional cancer therapies with gynostemma, its components, or any other dietary interventions. If you want to use them as supportive measures, talk to your doctor to avoid any unexpected interactions.

Gynostemma extract reduced the spread of colon cancer in an animal model [48].

Animal studies showed increased production of antioxidant enzymes that help fight cancer during supplementation with gynostemma [48, 49].

Compounds extracted from gynostemma prevented lung cancer from spreading in human cell studies [49].

Chronic elevation of the Th2 system is a risk factor for developing breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and pancreatic cancer. Gynostemma may reduce this risk because it reduces excess Th2 inflammation [33, 34, 35].

Information on Using Gynostemma

Dosage

Because gynostemma is not approved by the FDA for any conditions, there is no official dose. Users and supplement manufacturers have established unofficial doses based on trial and error. Talk to your doctor before supplementing with gynostemma and never use it to replace what your doctor recommends or prescribes.

Gynostemma leaves can be prepared and consumed as a tea. Gynostemma tea has been used in smaller studies as well as in traditional medicine.

A standardized extract delivers a higher concentration of the beneficial compounds, but there are no well-controlled studies to recommend an optimal dosage.

Gynostemma Side Effects and Caution

Keep in mind that the safety profile of gynostemma is relatively unknown given the lack of well-designed clinical studies. Therefore, the list of side effects and drug interactions is not a definite one. You should consult your doctor about other potential side effects based on your health condition and possible drug or supplement interactions

Gynostemma should not be taken with drugs that suppress the immune system since it could potentially make them less effective by acting as an immune stimulant [33, 34, 35].

Gynostemma can increase blood flow, which can increase the side effects of other drugs or supplements that slow blood clotting.

Gynostemma pentaphyllum, also called jiaogulan and southern ginseng, is an herb and type of tea you might come across if you’re looking for natural remedies to help lift your energy.

What is gynostemma good for? Throughout its long history of use in traditional systems of medicine originating in Asia, it’s been associated with youthfulness and longevity.

In fact, according to the Wild Tea Qi website, “The mountainous region of Guizhou, where Gynostemma is historically linked, is famous for its sheer number of citizens who have lived past the age of 100.”

Gynostemma pentaphyllum may also help promote metabolic health and cardiovascular health. It also may have the potential to help fight cancer due to how it can combat oxidative stress and inflammation — although more research is needed to show how effective it is for these purposes.

What Is Gynostemma?

The gynostemma plant is a type of vine that is native to southern China and other parts of Asia. The plant produces leaves that are used to make an anti-inflammatory tea and other herbal concoctions.

The gynostemma plant belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family, which also includes other well-known vegetables, including melon and cucumbers. Within these leaves you’ll find many protective compounds, including antioxidants like polysaccharides, plant sterols, flavonoids, ginsenosides and saponins that may help to fight oxidative stress and promote healthy aging.

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It’s also rich in enzymes, vitamins and minerals.

Gynostemma/jiaogulan is also called by several other names, including “miracle grass” and makino.

What foods contain gynostemma?

Gynostemma is a type of leaf that can be eaten as food, brewed to make herbal tea or used to make extracts. The leaves are sometimes added to salads or dried and ground and used in different recipes.

Is gynostemma a green tea? The two are different species, although they have some of the same benefits and a similar taste.

When made into tea, this type of herbal tea is naturally caffeine-free, while green tea is caffeinated. It has a slightly bittersweet taste similar to black or green tea.

Jiaogulan Benefits

Here’s more about potential gynostemma benefits:

1. May Help Increase Energy

Is gynostemma a stimulant? Although it’s sometimes called southern ginseng, gynostemma is not directly related to pantax ginseng, the popular herb in Chinese medicine that is still taken today mostly for its stimulant effects.

Still, some people use gynostemma for its potential ability to fight fatigue and help improve concentration and stamina. It’s caffeine-free, however, and generally not considered to be a stimulant — although it might have the ability to increase energy due to supply of antioxidants and other health-promoting compounds.

More formal research is needed to explain exactly how it works, but it’s thought that gynostemma might releases AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). This helps turn up fat-burning and energy-releasing metabolic processes.

2. Has Adaptogen/Stress-Fighting Effects

Jiaogulan has traditionally been considered a naturally rejuvenating herb that acts as an adaptogen. This means that it helps the body cope with stress and maintain homeostasis or balance.

Adaptogen herbs do this by helping maintain normal levels of stress hormones, including cortisol. When released in high amounts, they can lead to a number of symptoms, like poor sleep, digestion and metabolic health.

A 2019 study published in the journal Phytomedicine found that supplementation with gynostemma “reduced ‘anxiety proneness’ in subjects under chronic psychological stress, as shown by a decrease in the score of T-STAI (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory).”

3. Supports Cardiovascular Health

It’s thought that jiaogulan benefits heart health by helping reduce inflammation as well as the negative effects of stress, such as changes in blood pressure.

It may also increase circulation and promote healthy cholesterol levels thanks to the presence of compounds called saponins. Saponins bind to reduce cholesterol. There’s some evidence that taking jiaogulan can decrease total cholesterol and increase the “good” HDL cholesterol.

4. May Reduce Respiratory Illnesses

Gynostemma herbal tea has been used in natural systems of medicine to help reduce coughing, colds, asthma and symptoms caused by other respiratory issues, such as infections like chronic bronchitis.

Available research indicates that it can help promote respiratory health by reducing inflammation of the airways and potentially decreasing allergic reactions. Studies have also found that G. pentaphyllum can promote positive immune responses through the activation of T and B cells.

5. Aids Liver Function

Certain studies suggest that gynostemma benefits include supporting detoxification, healthy liver function and protecting against nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

One small, randomized clinical trial found that adults who received 80 mL of gynostemma extract while following a prescribed diet for four months experienced a reduction in body mass index and fatty liver scores, as well as scores related to insulin resistance. Based on the results, researchers concluded that gynostemma extract “is an effective adjunct treatment to diet therapy for patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.”

6. May Have Cancer-Fighting Effects

There’s some evidence indicating that gynostemma’s antioxidants, including polysaccharides, can help inhibit cancer cell migration and invasion.

Observations from studies suggest that gynostemma has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects that can help induce apoptosis and repair DNA. This is linked to protection against some types of cancer, including colon cancer.

For example, according to a 2016 study published in Chinese Medicine, “Multiple mechanisms of action have been proposed regarding the anti-cancer activities of GpM, including cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, inhibition of invasion and metastasis, inhibition of glycolysis and immunomodulating activities.”

7. Seems to Have Anti-Diabetic Effects

Some research has demonstrated that compounds called gypenosides found within gynostemma have anti-diabetic effects due to how they can help balance blood sugar levels and fight insulin resistance. There’s still more to learn about how it works to promote insulin sensitivity, and at this time doctors recommend using it alongside standard anti-diabetic therapy as an adjunct treatment.

If you’re looking for further support for metabolic health with help from other herbs, consider trying gymnema sylvestre, an herb with a long history of use in Ayurvedic medicine, including helping with blood sugar balance.

How to Use (Dosage)

How much jiaogulan should you take? While there isn’t a standard dosage that experts recommend, a general recommendation for adults is to consume between two and four cups of brewed gynostemma tea per day.

In two of the studies mentioned above, the dosages that were used to help promote metabolic health were around six grams of leaves per day (measured by dry weight).

To make jiaogulan tea, sleep the leaves in hot water for at least 10 minutes. According to the Indigo Herbs website, if you’re using dried gynostemma powder, add 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon of powder per cup of hot water, let it infuse for 15 minutes and then drink up to three times per day (or as directed by your herbal practitioner).

If taking it in extract or pill form, read dosage directions for the specific product you’re using, since concentrations of jiaogulan vary from product to product. Also take note of other compounds and ingredients that may be combined with gynostemma for metabolic or heart health-promoting effects, such as berberine (a Chinese herb known for lowering blood sugar), quercetin (a flavonoid antioxidant) or vitamin C.

Some studies have found that for promoting heart and metabolic health, a daily dosage of about 10 milligrams of extract taken three times daily may be most effective and safe.

Risks and Side Effects

Is jiaogulan safe? Most studies have found there to be few jiaogulan side effects when it’s consumed in recommended amounts for several months. It seems safest to use it for up to four months before taking a break or consulting a doctor.

Some people have reported mild gynostemma side effects, including nausea and diarrhea. If you experience digestive issues when beginning to use this supplement, consider taking less or taking a break before beginning to use it again.

Gynostemma may not be safe for pregnant women or those with autoimmune diseases due to how it can impact the immune system. It should also be avoided by people with bleeding disorders and anyone taking medications to control blood clotting or that decrease the immune system.

Conclusion

• Gynostemma pentaphyllum is a type of leaf grown on a vine that’s native to Asia. It’s used to make herbal tea, extracts and supplements that seem to have a variety of beneficial effects.
• What is jiaogulan used for? Gynostemma benefits include supplying antioxidants and enzymes that can help counteract oxidative stress and promote heart, metabolic and respiratory health. It might also act like an adaptogen to increase energy and fight fatigue.
• Is jiaogulan a stimulant? It’s caffeine-free and unlikely to cause side effects that are associated with stimulant consumption. It can be consumed as an herbal tea, pill or extract and is generally safe — however it might cause digestive issues in some people.