Ginkgo Biloba

Ginkgo biloba, or maidenhair, is a tree native to China that has been grown for
thousands of years for a variety of uses.

Because it’s the only surviving member of an ancient order of plants, it’s sometimes
referred to as a living fossil.

Family: Ginkgoaceae

1. Contains Powerful Antioxidants

 Ginkgo’s antioxidant content may be the reason behind many of its health
claims .
 Ginkgo contains high levels of flavonoids and terpenoids, which are
compounds known for their strong antioxidant effects .
 Antioxidants combat or neutralize the damaging effects of free radicals.
 Free radicals are highly reactive particles that are produced in the body during
normal metabolic functions, such as converting food to energy or
detoxification.
 Yet, they also have the potential to damage healthy tissues, contributing to
accelerated aging and disease development.
 Research on ginkgo’s antioxidant effects is promising. However, it remains
unclear exactly how it works and how effective it may be at treating specific
diseases.

2. Can Help Fight Inflammation

  Inflammation is part of the body’s natural response to injury or invasion by a
foreign substance.
 In the inflammatory response, various components of the immune system are
recruited to fight against the foreign invader or heal the injured area.
 Some chronic diseases trigger an inflammatory response even when there is no
illness or injury present. Over time, this excessive inflammation can cause
permanent damage to the body’s tissues and DNA.
 Years of animal and test-tube research shows that ginkgo extract can reduce
markers of inflammation in both human and animal cells in a variety of disease
states .
 Some specific conditions in which ginkgo extract has shown to reduce
inflammation include:

 Arthritis

 Irritable bowel disease (IBD)

 Cancer

 Heart disease

 Stroke

While this data is encouraging, human studies are needed before drawing concrete
conclusions about ginkgo’s role in treating these complex diseases.

3. Improves Circulation and Heart Health

 In traditional Chinese medicine, ginkgo seeds were used to open “channels” of

energy to different organ systems, including the kidneys, liver, brain and lungs.
 Ginkgo’s apparent ability to increase blood flow to various parts of the body
may be the origin of many of its supposed benefits.
 One study in people with heart disease who supplemented with ginkgo
revealed an immediate increase in blood flow to multiple parts of the body.
This was attributed to a 12% increase in levels of circulating nitric oxide, a
compound responsible for dilating blood vessels .
 Similarly, another study showed the same effect in older adults who were
treated with ginkgo extract .
 Additional research also points to ginkgo’s protective effects on heart health,
brain health and stroke prevention. There are multiple potential explanations
for this, one of which may be the anti-inflammatory compounds present in the
plant .
  More research is needed to fully understand how ginkgo affects circulation and
heart and brain health.

4. Reduces Symptoms of Psychiatric Disorders and Dementia

 Ginkgo has been repeatedly evaluated for its ability to reduce anxiety, stress
and other symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive decline
associated with aging.
 Overall, research results are inconsistent in this area.
 Some studies show a marked reduction in the rate of cognitive decline in
people with dementia using ginkgo, but others fail to replicate this result.
 A review of 21 studies revealed that when used in conjunction with
conventional medicine, ginkgo extract may increase functional capabilities in
those with mild Alzheimer’s .
 Another review evaluated four studies and found a significant reduction in a
spectrum of symptoms associated with dementia when ginkgo was used for
22–24 weeks .
 These positive results could be related to the role that ginkgo may play in
improving blood flow to the brain, especially as it relates to vascular types of
dementia.
 Overall, it’s too soon to definitively state or refute ginkgo’s role in treating
dementia, but recent research is beginning to make this piece clearer.

5. Improves Brain Function and Well-Being

 There is some speculation that ginkgo may enhance brain function in healthy

individuals.
 A handful of small studies support the notion that supplementing with ginkgo
may increase mental performance and perceived well-being .
 Results from studies like these have given rise to claims linking ginkgo to
improved memory, focus and attention span.
 However, a large review of research on this relationship concluded that
supplementing with ginkgo did not result in any measurable improvements in
memory, executive function or attention capacity .
 While supplementing with ginkgo may improve mental capability, there are no
guarantees.

6. Can Reduce Anxiety

  Some research indicates that supplementing with ginkgo may reduce
symptoms of anxiety.
 A handful of animal studies have observed reductions in anxiety symptoms that
may be attributed to the antioxidant content of ginkgo
 In one study, 170 people with generalized anxiety were treated with either 240
mg or 480 mg of ginkgo or a placebo. The group treated with the highest dose
of ginkgo reported a 45% greater reduction in symptoms of anxiety, compared
to the placebo group
 While supplementing with ginkgo may reduce anxiety, it’s still too early to
draw any definitive conclusions from the available research.

7. Can Treat Depression

 A review of animal studies suggests that supplementing with ginkgo may help
treat symptoms of depression.
 Mice who received ginkgo before an unavoidable stressful situation were less
emotionally affected by the stress than the group that did not receive the
supplement.
 The study indicated that this effect was related to ginkgo’s anti-inflammatory
properties, which improve the body’s ability to cope when stress hormone
levels are high.*
 Nonetheless, depression is a complex condition that may have a variety of root
causes.
 More research is needed to better understand the relationship between ginkgo
and how it may affect depression in humans.

8. Can Support Vision and Eye Health

 Very little research has investigated how ginkgo relates to vision and eye
health. However, early results are promising.
 One review showed that people with glaucoma who supplemented with ginkgo
experienced incresed blood flow to the eye, but this didn’t necessarily translate
to better vision
 Another review of two studies evaluated the effect of ginkgo extract on the
progression of age-related macular degeneration. Some participants reported an
improvement in vision, but this wasn’t statistically significant across the board
 Many of these positive results seem to be related to increased blood flow to the
eye.
 It’s unclear if ginkgo would improve vision in those who don’t already suffer
from vision impairment.
  More research is needed to determine whether ginkgo can increase vision
capacity or slow the progression of degenerative eye disease.

9. Can Treat Headaches and Migraines

 In traditional Chinese medicine, ginkgo is a very popular treatment for

headaches and migraines
 Very little research is available on ginkgo’s ability to treat headaches.
However, depending on the root cause of the headache, it may help.
 For example, it’s well known that ginkgo has anti-inflammatory and
antioxidant effects. If a headache or migraine is caused by excessive stress,
ginkgo may be useful.
 Additionally, if a headache is related to reduced blood flow or constricted
blood vessels, ginkgo’s ability to dilate blood vessels may improve symptoms.
 On the contrary, some migraines are caused by the excessive dilation of blood
vessels. In this situation, ginkgo may have little to no effect.
 But these examples are just inferences and don’t substitute hard evidence.
 If you want to try ginkgo for your migraines, it’s unlikely that it will cause
much harm. Just be aware that it may not necessarily help.

10. Can Improve Asthma and COPD Symptoms

 Some research indicates that ginkgo may improve symptoms of asthma and
other inflammatory respiratory diseases like COPD.
 This is attributed to the anti-inflammatory compounds in ginkgo, which may
allow for reduced inflammation of the airways and increased lung capacity
 One study in 75 people evaluated the use of ginkgo extract alongside
glucocorticosteroid medication therapy for managing asthma symptoms
 The levels of inflammatory compounds in the saliva of those who received
ginkgo were significantly lower than those who received traditional medication
alone.
 Another study in 100 people evaluated the use of a mixture of Chinese herbs,
which included ginkgo, for treating COPD symptoms.
 Those who used the herbal formula reported a considerable reduction in cough
and bronchitis at a three-month follow-up, compared to the control group
 At this point, it cannot be determined if this improvement can be attributed to
ginkgo alone, or if it was a synergistic effect of the other herbs used in the
treatment group formula.
 While these results are encouraging, more research on this specific application
of ginkgo is needed.
11. Reduces PMS Symptoms

 Preliminary research indicates that ginkgo may help treat both the physical and
psychological symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS).
 One study in 85 college students revealed a 23% reduction in reported PMS
symptoms when consuming ginkgo
 Interestingly, the placebo group in this study also experienced a slight
reduction in PMS symptoms, though it was much lower at 8.8%.
 Further research is needed to better understand the cause and effect relationship
between ginkgo and PMS symptoms.

12. Treats Sexual Dysfunction

 Some sources indicate that ginkgo may treat sexual dysfunction, such
as erectile dysfunction or low libido.
 Ginkgo has the ability to improve blood levels of nitric oxide, which improves
circulation via the dilation of blood vessels .
 As a result, ginkgo may also be useful for treating various symptoms of sexual
dysfunction by improving blood flow to those areas of the body.
 Some research has investigated using ginkgo to treat sexual dysfunction caused
by the use of antidepressant drugs (SSRIs). Results indicated that ginkgo
wasn’t any more effective than a placebo in these cases.
 Additionally, there may be an interaction between ginkgo and SSRI
medications, which could render them less effective.
 One study evaluated the use of ginkgo to increase sexual desire and
contentment in women who were concurrently undergoing sexual
psychotherapy .
 The combination of ginkgo and therapy were effective over a longer term
compared to a placebo, but supplementing with ginkgo alone was not.
 The rationale for using ginkgo to treat sexual dysfunction makes sense, but
research does not support it at this time.