Fueling physical, mental performance with clinically studied, standardized American ginseng extract

Consumers are prioritizing their physical and mental wellness more than ever before, to the tune of more than $500bn in the US alone.^¹

In fact, 84% of US consumers say wellness is a ‘top’ or ‘important’ priority, with younger generations over-indexing as they report greater burnout and prioritize sleep and managing stress more than older generations. Fatigue also compromises decision-making ability, as a lack of attention can impact information processing, leading to sub-optimal decision-making.

This opens up a great opportunity for the cognitive health market – already topping $11.55bn in 2025 – according to Future Market Insights, which noted: “More people suffering from burnout and cognitive fatigue push the need even more for performance-enhancing supplements”.^²

The term ‘performance enhancement’ may have traditionally been used in relation to physical wellness; however, active lifestyle consumers are increasingly using products for overall wellness, energy, and focus, and seeking products with benefits for energy and brain health.

The top claim on sports nutrition launches in the US and Canada in 2024 was ‘energy and alertness’, adding that one-quarter of US consumers say brain health is a priority as part of their physical health.^³

Combined with a desire for natural solutions, it’s no wonder that adaptogens – traditionally used to support mental and physical performance  – continue to set the pace for growth, with the market expecting to hit $12.35bn by 2035.^⁴ And among the leading ingredients it cites is ginseng, with a global market value of $820.31m in 2025, approximately one-third of which is American ginseng.^⁵

Different from traditional Asian (Panax ginseng), the American species (Panax quinquefolius) is defined in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) as a cooling (yin) botanical; research suggests just 200 mg of Cereboost™ a day delivers sufficient quantities of ginsenosides to provide a positive effect, with benefits for memory, attention, energy and mood that have been documented in human clinical trials published in peer-reviewed journals.⁴⁻⁷

This suggested a unique opportunity to develop a standardized extract of American ginseng that could be researched for its health effects. Cereboost™, a patented American ginseng extract from Givaudan, contains a specific and unique profile of six ginsenosides, standardized to 10% to 12% ginsenosides.

“Cereboost™ stands apart as a distinctive American ginseng extract, carefully standardized to deliver consistent levels of six key ginsenosides that support both cognitive performance and emotional wellbeing,” says Romain Le Cozannet, Category Technical Leader at Givaudan.

“Developed through decades of botanical expertise and close collaboration with our growers under Givaudan’s Sourcing4Good programme, it reflects our commitment to combining nature’s intelligence with scientific validation to help support everyday vitality,” Le Cozannet adds.

Substantiating acute, chronic benefits of supplementation

Cereboost™ was launched based on the strength of its science, as it was shown from early studies to have the ability to improve cognitive function, as it may be associated with increased levels of certain gut microbes (Lactobacillus and Akkermansia species) and short-chain fatty acids associated with cognitive health.⁶⁻⁸    

This may be linked with memory and mood benefits, while boosting the key neurotransmitter levels and helping to activate the prefrontal cortex.⁶⁻⁸ This directly supports learning and focus, as well as improving energy levels. Since its development, multiple clinical studies have shown the positive acute effects of Cereboost™.

Studies in healthy middle-aged adults have shown that 200mg of Cereboost™ can help support a caffeine-free boost in as little as one hour, working to activate the prefrontal cortex during cognitive tasks.^⁸⁻⁹ Similarly, a study including young adults found 200mg of Cereboost™ significantly improved working memory, attention, and mood, with the researchers further emphasizing: “The effects are distinct from those of Asian ginseng and suggest that psychopharmacological properties depend critically on ginsenoside profiles”.^¹⁰

Further work has shown Cereboost™ works not only in acute situations, but over time as well. A study including 61 healthy young adults was conducted to evaluate the effects of Cereboost™ in both the first six hours after consumption, as well as after two weeks of supplementation at 200mg/d. A concurrent in vitro study using the SHIME model also evaluated the impact of chronic supplementation on the gut microbiota.^¹¹

Cereboost™ supports working memory and attention during the immediate postprandial period; however, effects were amplified in acute-on-chronic, with two weeks of supplementation significantly improving attention, reducing fatigue, and increasing feelings of self-assurance. In vitro results showed increases in certain gut microbes, such as Akkermansia muciniphila and short-chain fatty acids associated with cognitive health, suggesting a gut-brain axis mechanism of action to enhance memory and mood.

Taking cognitive science to the track

To further understand how these cognitive and mood benefits could help support high-performance situations, Cereboost™ recently evaluated drivers in a professional race car simulator. The positive effects of chronic consumption were further showcased in the trial in which researchers from Michigan State University (MSU) worked with PitFit Inc., a premier training facility for professional race car drivers in Indianapolis.^¹² The four-phase open-label study included 42 licensed drivers who received 200mg/d of Cereboost; state-of-the-art tools were used to assess the impact of Cereboost on drivers’ reaction time.

After two weeks, there were notable improvements in driving performance among drivers taking Cereboost™, including a significant reduction in the fastest lap time by three seconds and significantly faster throttle application on corners by 27.2%. Participating drivers also reported positive effects in a subjective questionnaire, with 94% of participants agreeing that Cereboost™ effectively enhanced focus and 91% perceiving the effects faster than other products they’d used previously.^¹²

“These latest results help to emphasize the growing body of evidence around Cereboost™ and its ability to support sustained mental performance in real-world settings. The fact that 94% of the drivers in the study agreed that Cereboost™ effectively enhanced their focus and experienced measurable improvements in both reaction time and focus highlights how natural ingredients like American ginseng can help make a tangible difference in everyday performance,” says Le Cozannet.

Bolstered by clinical research and patents, multiple health claims are now in use around the world, focusing on attention, memory, cognitive function, and fatigue. With growing desire for natural solutions to enhance cognitive function, there is clear whitespace for new solutions powered by Cereboost™.

References

1. McKinsey. The $2 trillion global wellness market gets a millennial and Gen Z glow-up.
2. Future Market Insights. Cognitive Health Supplements Market.
3. Innova Market Insights. Sports Nutrition Market Trends in the US & Canada.
4. White, D.J.; et al. Effects of Panax quinquefolius (American ginseng) on the steady state visually evoked potential during cognitive performance. Human Psychopharmacology, Clinical and Experimental. 2020; 35(6):1-6.
5. Bell, L.; et al. A randomized, placebo-controlled trial investigating the acute and chronic benefits of American Ginseng (Cereboost®) on mood and cognition in healthy young adults, including in vitro investigation of gut microbiota changes as a possible mechanism of action. European Journal of Nutrition. 2022; 61(1):413-428.
6. Ossoukhova, A. et al. Improved working memory performance following administration of a single dose of American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.) to healthy middle-age adults. Human Psychopharmacology, Clinical and Experimental. 2015; 30(2):108-122.
7. Shin, K. Cereboost™, an American Ginseng extract, improves cognitive function via up-regulation of choline acetyltransferase expression and neuroprotection. Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology. 2016; 78:53-8.
8. Health Canada Natural Product Number 80041222. Claim wording: a daily dose of 200 mg helps support attention in healthy individuals, helps reduce mental fatigue, helps support cognitive function/performance, helps support working memory. 11 February 2022.
9. White, DJ ; et al. Effects of Panax quinquefolius (American ginseng) on the steady state visually evoked potential during cognitive performance. Hum Psychopharmacol. 2020;35(6):1-6.
10. Scholey, A.; et al. Effects of American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) on neurocognitive function: an acute, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2010;212(3):345-56.
11. Bell, L. ; et al. A randomized, placebo-controlled trial investigating the acute and chronic benefits of American Ginseng (Cereboost®) on mood and cognition in healthy young adults, including in vitro investigation of gut microbiota changes as a possible mechanism of action. Eur J Nutr. 2022;61(1):413-28.
12. Ferguson, DP.; et al. The influence of cereboost on mood, cognitive function, and simulated driving in professional race car drivers. Front Sports Act Living. 2025;7:1658468.