Ginkgo
Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) is a tree, most commonly used to increase blood flow throughout the body, and especially to the brain.
Uses:
- Ginkgo is believed to help memory and dementia, but studies have not shown a clear benefit vs. placebo. One study showed that Ginkgo helped mild Alzheimer's as much as a prescription drug (donepezil) did. It has also been shown to help reduce anxiety related to memory loss.
- A randomized, controlled study of 68 patients in China found that taking Ginkgo leaf extract capsules three times a day significantly improved early signs of kidney damage due to diabetes, compared to a placebo.
- In one study, ginkgo was used to shrink stomach cancer tumors. It is also a powerful antioxidant, which can reduce damage to cells.
- In one small study, 4 weeks of ginkgo three times a day was able to help restore sexual function in people who were taking SSRI antidepressants. Another study found benefits of ginkgo for erectile dysfunction—half the men in the study regained potency after six months.
- Ginkgo was also shown to reduce the number of attacks of Reynaud's disease (a disorder of blood flow to the fingers, toes, and face). It is also used to successfully treat vertigo.
Forms: Capsules
Cautions
- If you take blood-thinning drugs like heparin, warfarin (Coumadin®), or aspirin— if you take acetaminophen (Tylenol®), ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®), or naproxen (Naprosyn®, Aleve®)—you may want to avoid ginkgo. Ginkgo taken with these drugs can raise the risk of bleeding, because it keeps platelets from clumping together.
- There are a few cases of ginkgo causing bleeding in the brain or eyes, or seizures in people with well-controlled epilepsy.
- If you take the antidepressant drug trazodone, don't take ginkgo—in one case, someone who took both drugs fell into a coma.
