The 5+ Benefits of Suma (Pfaffia paniculata or Brazilian Ginseng)

Suma is nicknamed "para todo" which means "for all" in Spanish. R

Suma (pfaffia paniculata) is a common root in South America, especially in Brazil, known as Brazilian ginseng (Hebanthe eriantha). R 

It is an adaptogen, which means it contains molecules that help the body deal with stress. R

1. Improves Vascular Function

Suma can improves the shape of red blood cells and helps with Sickle Cell Anemia. R

Suma also reduces the dark circles around eyes by increasing the blood flow to them and reducing inflammation around the skin. R

2. Improves Sexual Health

Suma is a sexual stimulant and can help with erectile dysfunction and pre-mature ejaculation. R

Suma contains saponins, which normalize the secretion of hormones and can help with sexual dysfunction. R 

Suma significantly increases sex hormones (estrogen, testosterone, and progesterone). R

3. Has Antioxidant And Anti-Inflammatory Properties

Suma can help the body maintain its natural antioxidant levels of glutathione when stressed. R

It can also reduce pro-inflammatory cytokines, thus decreasing inflammation. R

Suma can reduce inflammation-based pain as well. R R

4. Is Antimicrobial 

Suma can break down biofilms in bacteria. R

It also has shown to have antibiotic and anti-fungal properties to:

• E. Coli R

• K. Pneumoniae R

It may even help against antibiotic resistant pathogenic bacteria. R R

5. Fights Cancer

Suma has both anti-cancer and anti-tumor properties. R R R

This is because suma enhances the immune system. R

It has shown to fight liver and breast cancers without causing communication problems between the cells. R R

Also, in the liver, suma is able to reduce the amount of scarring during cancer. R

It can also help against lymphoma. R

Suma may worsen eyesight (decreases newly formed blood vessels and angiogenesis in the eyes). R

It may also raise cholesterol levels. R

It most likely doesn't interfere with blood pressure and antiarrhythmic drugs. R

Cadmium, mercury and lead may be present in some suma extracts so getting it from a good source (see below) is paramount. R

Some suma supplements have dust in them, which can trigger asthma (again, get from a good source). R

When I take Suma, my focus gets better (especially when I combine it with Super Coffee).

It seems to have anti-depressant effects for me, but only when I focus on positive things.

So it really just seems to enhance what I'm thinking about, so it's partly a nootropic.

I actually become a better dancer (may just be my perception?).

I also notice after a few days if I combine it with progesterone, my sexual energy increases. 

Here are others:

• Full Spectrum Suma Root

• Liquid Extract

• Suma (I'll use up to 2g/day)

Simple:

• Suma alters sex hormones in a favorable way (stronger for men).

• It protects cells in the gut and skin from excessive inflammation.

• It does this simultaneously while keeping the body's natural antioxidants at normal levels.

Advanced:

• Pfaffia has Allantoin, β-ecdysterone, β-sitosterol, daucosterol, germanium, nortriterpenoids, pantothenia acid, pfaffic acids, pfaffosides A-F, polypodine B, saponins, stigmasterol and stigmasterol-3-o-b-d-glucoside. R R R R

• Beta-sitosterol inhibits the absorption of cholesterol and increases estradiol-17beta. R

• Beta-ecdysterone increases acetylcholinesterase and glutamic decarboxylase. R R

• Pfaffia increases testosterone more than it does estrogen and progesterone. R

• Saponins in pfaffia are also found in panax/red/korean ginseng. R

• Pfaffia helps the cells maintain levels of glutathione. R

• It reduces myeloperoxidase, IL-1β, TH1 cytokines (INF-γ and TNF-α) and TH2 cytokines (IL-6). R

• In the gut, it reduces oxidative stress and CRP colonic levels (reducing IL-1β, INF-γ, TNF-α and IL-6). R

• It increases macrophage numbers. R

• It stops the cell cycle in the S phase and induces apoptosis via caspase-3 activation. R

• In the skin, pfaffia reduces PGE2, LTB4, and histamine and increases SOD. R

• It also appears to reduce melanin under the eyes. R

• Suma goes by many names such as Hebanthe paniculata, Gomphrena paniculata, G. eriantha, Iresine erianthos, I. paniculata, I. tenuis, Pfaffia eriantha, Xeraea paniculata, Brazilian ginseng, pfaffia, para toda, and corango-acu. R