Dr. Stephen Fulder, a medical research scientist, carried out with other doctors at Maudsley hospital study to test the adaptogenic theory put forward by Prof. Brekhman that ginseng helps to overcome stress. Nurses were given either ginseng or a look-alike inert tablet for the first three days of their switch from day work to night work. After the third night, which is the one that they usually feel the most, they were all tested as to performance, energy, tiredness, ability to sleep during the day, and so on. It turned out that as expected after switching to night work, the nurses showed a considerable drop in alertness, energy, proficiency, activity and ability to work, and they felt poorly. Ginseng restored their performance (more than the inert look-alike) and mood, not all the way back to what it was during normal daytime working, but about halfway there. This is only after three days at a small dose of just over 1 gram of good quality ginseng.

Dr. Y. S. Chang and his co-workers performed tests on 50 college students who received ginseng powder (7.5 grains per day) for 30 days. The anti-stress effect of ginseng was examined by comparison of the eosinophil counts after the injection of ACTH: the extent of reduction in eosinophil count after the ACTH injection was significantly greater in the test group receiving ginseng than the control. No side effects were observed as well.

Dr. Medvedev of the USSR Academy of Science performed an experiment for the investigation of the immediate effects of ginseng on a group of well-trained audio operators by the use of ginseng extract. This group consisted of 32 men ranging in age from 21 to 23. After they had been tested for accuracy and speed in transmitting telegraphic codes as control data, a double blind study was performed within three days. Eighteen men were administered 30ml of beverage containing ginseng extract, and the remainder a ginseng-free placebo identical in flavour and appearance, one hour before the test of their abilities. Judging from the data, no significant difference was noticed in the velocity of transmitting codes. But in the 18 men who received ginseng extract, the error rate was only 17% whereas the control group revealed 31%. Therefore, ginseng was thought to have played a prominent role in promoting efficiency at work.

Dr. Popov of the Central Research Institute, Office of Monopoly, Republic of Korea, reported that ginseng was excellent for the treatment of patients showing such symptoms as fatigue, insomnia, memory impairment and unsatisfactory sexual life commonly encountered in the present polluted and stressful environment. There was a 37 year old male pianist with long-standing fatigue and reduced power of concentration and refractory insomnia probably due to alcohol addiction or the like. He was tested for six months by a double blind method using ginseng extract and placebo on his musical performance. By taking the ginseng capsules, he gained more intense plaudits by more than 12%.

Prof. Brekhman's study (Head of the Institute of Biologically Active Substances, USSR) revealed that shortening the racing time on a 3,000 meter track was possible for 100 young men who took 3% ginseng tincture one and a half hours before racing, whereas the control group raced the same track in 15 minutes and 26 seconds, longer than the experiment group by 53 seconds.

Dr. Yamata (Japan) reported that nurses and swimmers who were administered ginseng showed more rapid recovery from fatigue than did the control group who took thiamine or glucose.