Eleuthero
EVIDENCE: WEAKAlso sold as: Eleutherococcus senticosus, Siberian ginseng, Acanthopanax senticosus
Eleuthero is a shrub root sold as an adaptogen for energy and stress. Human studies are small and inconsistent, typically using about 300–1,200 mg of extract a day.
Compiled by iSupplementReviews editorial team ·Researched 2026-10-16 · 3 sources
- Type
- Botanical adaptogen
- Studied dose
- 300–1,200 mg/day of root extract
- Best form
- root extract standardized to eleutherosides
- Our rating
- WEAK — Mostly small, animal, or traditional evidence
What is eleuthero?
Eleuthero (Eleutherococcus senticosus) is a thorny shrub from northeast Asia whose root is sold as an “adaptogen” for stamina and stress. It was widely studied in the Soviet Union, though much of that work is hard to verify today.
Other names and forms
Siberian ginseng, Acanthopanax senticosus, ci wu jia. Better products state an eleutheroside content.
Where does eleuthero come from?
The root and rhizome of a shrub native to Russia, China, Korea and Japan.
How does eleuthero work in the body?
Proposed effects on stress-hormone signaling and immune cells come mainly from animal and lab studies. The “adaptogen” label describes a hoped-for effect, not an established mechanism (Todorova et al., 2021).
What is eleuthero claimed to do?
Raise energy, reduce fatigue, improve endurance and help the body cope with stress.
What does the research show?
| Claim | Evidence | Dose studied | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Endurance | Small trials, mixed | 800–1,200 mg/day | Mixed |
| Fatigue | Small trials | 300–2,000 mg/day | Weak |
| Blood sugar | Animal data only | — | Insufficient |
Endurance
One small study found better endurance after 8 weeks; others found nothing. Kuo et al. (2010) gave 9 recreational athletes 800 mg a day for 8 weeks and reported longer time to exhaustion and higher oxygen uptake. With so few people and no consistent replication, the finding is preliminary.
What dose was studied?
| Goal | Dose | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Endurance | 800–1,200 mg extract/day | 6–8 weeks |
| Fatigue | 300–2,000 mg/day | 2–8 weeks |
Side effects
Generally mild: insomnia, headache, occasional rise in blood pressure.
Drug interactions
- Digoxin: may falsely raise digoxin blood-test results (moderate, lab interference).
- Diabetes medicines: theoretical additive effect (minor).
- Sedatives: possible interaction reported in animal data (minor).
Who should not take eleuthero?
People who are pregnant or breastfeeding, and people with uncontrolled high blood pressure.
What the authorities say
Memorial Sloan Kettering’s About Herbs entry describes limited and inconsistent human evidence. It notes the digoxin test interference.
What to know about eleuthero
Eleuthero has small, mixed human studies for endurance and fatigue at roughly 300–1,200 mg of extract a day. Evidence for blood sugar is limited to animal research.
Frequently asked questions about Eleuthero
Is eleuthero the same as ginseng?
No. It is often called Siberian ginseng, but it belongs to a different genus than Panax ginseng and contains different active compounds (eleutherosides instead of ginsenosides).
Does eleuthero boost energy or endurance?
The evidence is mixed. One small 8-week study at 800 mg a day found better endurance in recreational athletes, while other exercise trials found no effect.
Is eleuthero safe?
It is generally well tolerated in short studies. It can interfere with some digoxin blood tests and may affect blood pressure in some people.
References
- [1]Kuo J et al. — The effect of eight weeks of supplementation with Eleutherococcus senticosus on endurance capacity and metabolism in human (Chin J Physiol, 2010)
- [2]Todorova V et al. — Plant Adaptogens: History and Future Perspectives (Nutrients, 2021)
- [3]Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center — Siberian Ginseng (About Herbs database)
Products we reviewed containing Eleuthero
Based on recorded labels or seller-described formulas. Inclusion does not establish a match to the strains, preparations or amounts studied here; check each review's disclosure limits.