Western medical establishment takes notice. Dosages are standardized, research takes on the “clinical trial” nomenclature, and, while privately trying to figure out how to synthesize the active ingredient, Big Pharma works to find a reason why the herb isn’t any good.

In fact, there is a standardized extract of Ginkgo biloba, EGb 761, that has been tested in clinical trials and even approved as a drug for dementia in some countries. It is currently in clinical trials for many health issues, from tinnitus to cancer. It has not been approved for use in the United States, and won’t be as long as the current medical establishment is in power. However, because it is an herbal extract, it is available in the United States without a prescription. Depending on where you shop, it may be marketed under other names.

The seeds and leaves are used in herbal supplements. In some cultures they eat the nuts. Gingko contains phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and terpenoids. Probably some of the beneficial chemicals in Gingko have not even been identified yet, which is common for natural foods and herbs.

Most of Ginkgo’s health benefits are accepted as fact by the scientific community, and are similar to those of other adaptogens:

• Strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory
• Stimulates cognitive activity in people with Alzheimer’s and dementia, clearing pathways of amyloid plaque
• Improves cognitive skills, memory, focus and creativity
• Improves symptoms of Parkinson’s disease and Raynaud’s disease
• Increases blood flow and heals arteries and veins
• Protects against blood clots and stroke
• Anti-aging qualities─helps alleviate age spots and wrinkling, keeps the entire body oxygenated for stronger muscles and all around good health
• Strengthens nervous system, improving reaction time and preventing nervous system diseases
• Alleviates depression and stabilizes mood
• Improves blood flow to entire body, including sexual organs
• Improves blood flow and reduces pain for people with intermittent claudication
• Prevents macular degeneration and cataracts, and improves vision for people with glaucoma and other sight issues
• Relieves minor pain
• Speeds wound healing

Strong antioxidant

Ginkgo biloba contains many known antioxidants, as well as a few that exist only in this ancient plant. As is true of most herbs, there are many nutrients that have not yet been identified.

The nutrients that are known to be strong antioxidants include the aglycones quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin. Other important constituents include terpene trilactones, such as ginkgolide A, B, C, J and bilobalide, flavonol glycosides, biflavones, proanthocyanidins, alkylphenols, simple phenolic acids, 6-hydroxykynurenic acid, 4-O-methylpyridoxine and polyprenols.

According to a pharmacological analysis of Gingko biloba extracts at Wageningen University in the Netherlands many of these nutrients are not present in some of the common extract products, including the standardized EGb 761 extract.
Many of Ginkgo biloba’s health benefits are attributed to its ability to deal with oxidizing agents in the body, such as reactive oxygen species (ROS) and heavy metals.

Alzheimer’s and Dementia

I found over 200 studies that documented Gingko’s prowess as a treatment for dementia, using both the standardized extract and other extracts of the whole herb. I finally settled on a review by Japanese establishment researchers that evaluated 298 studies and decided only 13 met their strict criteria.
The researchers were from the Division for Evaluation and Analysis of Drug Information, and the Department of Hygienic Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, at Keio University in Tokyo.

These are people who specialize in evaluating research reports and other medicine-related information.
The studies they selected to review lasted from 12 to 52 weeks and used a daily dose of more than 120mg. Altogether, the 13 studies included 2381 patients.

They concluded that for patients taking a daily dose of 240 mg. patient tests showed significantly better results than the control group taking a placebo. In their words:

“Taking a 240-mg daily dose of Gingko biloba extract is effective and safe in the treatment of dementia.”

While this is pretty conclusive evidence that Gingko helps control the symptoms of dementia, it has not been shown to prevent dementia.

Scientists believe the terpenoids and flavonoids in Gingko stimulate neural activity to clear cognitive pathways. Researchers also believe that Ginkgo’s primary action is regulating neurotransmitters and protecting against nerve cell degeneration.

But there is more. In December of 2002 the world’s most respected scientific reviewer of clinical trials in medicine, the Cochrane Collaboration, concluded that the published literature strongly supports the safety and potential benefits of ginkgo in treating memory loss and cognitive disorders associated with age- related dementia.

There are also many studies that show Gingko reduces the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease and Raynaud’s disease.

Cognitive Function

While research proving Gingko prevents dementia is lacking, there are several studies that show it helps maintain or improve cognitive function over long periods.

For example, researchers at the University of Bordeaux in France revisited participants of a study where people had been taking cognitive improvement supplements for 20 years. One group took a gingko biloba supplement, another group took a pharmaceutical company synthesized drug called, piracetam, and a control group took a placebo. Results showed that the gingko group showed better cognitive ability than the control group, but the piracetam group actually showed a decline in cognitive ability compared to the control group.

Increases Blood Flow and Protects Against Blood Clots and Stroke

Researchers as far back as the 1960’s have shown that Gingko biloba increases blood vessel dilation and stimulates blood flow to the entire body, including the extremities. Increased blood flow helps people with circulation problems deal with pain and a lack of mobility.

More recent research has proven that ginkgo actually reduces the oxidation of LDL cholesterol and removes plaque from vein and artery walls.

Ginkgo dilates and rejuvenates not just the large arteries, it also improves the health of the tiny arteries and veins that feed and relieve the cells. This improves oxygen flow to the entire body, strengthening the cells themselves.

In 2011 scientists at Seoul Medical Center in Korea reported the results of an interesting study. The fact that Ginkgo improves blood flow and protects and rejuvenates cells was already known. Also, they understood the thinning role aspirin plays in the blood and its impact on cell viability. They decided to determine the effect Gingko and aspirin, alone and in combination, had on blood flow to the brain and the rejuvenation of brain cells after a stroke.

They found that Ginkgo increased blood flow to different sections of the brain by 50 to 100 percent, confirming the fact that it dilates and heals damaged arteries.

But the big news was that when they combined Ginkgo and aspirin and administered them to cells that had been damaged by the loss of blood flow and oxygen, and the rush of blood and over-oxidation when the blood flow returned, damaged brain cells were rejuvenated rather than dying.

Anti-aging qualities

The antioxidants in Gingko also help the skin remain moist, tight and healthy. It slows the appearance of wrinkles, helps prevent age spots, and speeds the healing of wounds.

It also helps prevent baldness. In March of 2016 Ginkgo biloba was added to the S3 guideline for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia, which is a fancy name for baldness. The S3 guideline is a collection of science-based drugs and herbs approved by the International League of Dermatological Societies in cooperation with the European Dermatology Forum.

The terpenoids, flavonoids, and polyphenolic compounds in gingko help to eliminate free radicals and protect DNA, which in turn helps protect against the diseases and bodily degeneration of aging. Gingko’s strong antioxidants help keep the entire body protected from chronic disease like cancer and heart disease.

Ginkgo biloba is currently undergoing clinical trials for use as a cure for tinnitus.

Fights Depression

Initially, studies on Ginkgo’s ability to fight depression targeted elderly people with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia. More recent studies have shown that it is effective for all age groups. Several studies have reported that Gingko increases dopamine expression. Researchers believe this may have an impact not just on mood, but it may also be one of the factors in Ginkgo’s ability to improve cognition.

It also, by inhibiting the release of enzymes that down-regulate serotonin, increases the natural release of serotonin in the brain and helps alleviate anxiety.

In a 1998 study at the University of California, San Francisco, researchers showed that gingko biloba was 84% effective in treating sexual dysfunction predominately caused by pharmaceutical anti-depressants. It worked better for women than men, with 91 percent of women reporting improvement and 76 percent of men, but those numbers are both exceptional. Researchers reported it had a “positive effect on all 4 phases of the sexual response cycle: desire, excitement (erection and lubrication), orgasm, and resolution (afterglow).”

Macular Degeneration and Glaucoma

Several studies have identified the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of Ginkgo as the primary vehicle for protection against macular degeneration in older adults.

Those same properties, along with its ability to soften and repair arteries and veins, makes it a valuable treatment for people with normal tension glaucoma, which is caused by poor circulation in the eye. Researchers at the Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine working with scientists at the YHonsei University and the Seoul National University published the results of a study showing that Ginkgo biloba extract improved the vision of all patients taking it after an average of 24 months.

Relieves Minor and Neuropathic Pain

Ginkgo’s antioxidant properties have also been associated with its ability to relieve minor and neuropathic pain. Researchers at the China Three Gorges University showed that Ginkgo inhibits the production of enzymes involved in the inflammation process. They also found that Ginkgo inhibits reactive oxygen species damage in dorsal root ganglia sensory nerves, reducing neuropathic pain.

Speeds Wound Healing

Wound healing requires three separate but closely dependent stages:
1. Inflammation
2. Formation of tissue
3. Maturation

The inflammation phase triggers the formation of a blood clot and infiltration by enzymes that control the process.

In the formation of tissue stage the wound is infiltrated by macrophage stem cells that form new tissue, new blood capillaries, and the formation of the tissue matrix.

In the final stage, granulation tissue is changed into scar tissue.

 The phenolic compounds in Ginkgo assist in this process by regulating and shortening the inflammation phase, protecting the DNA of cells from oxidation and stimulating faster cell division, protecting the wound from infection.

Cancer and Ginkgo Biloba

Ginkgo biloba was traditionally used to prevent cancer.

This is a very interesting topic because Ginkgo has been shown to fight certain types of breast cancer, but it appears that the same mechanism that is responsible for this action causes liver cancer in mice at high doses. It also causes cancer in human liver cells in the test tube at very high doses.

Three constituents of Ginkgo have been identified that are the primary actors in the inhibition/causation of cancer. They are quercetin, kaempferol, and isorhamnetin. Current research shows that these compounds inhibit one of the enzymes that control how tightly the DNA is wound, allowing it to be compromised and damaged.

There needs to be more research to further determine the mechanics of Ginkgo Biloba and DNA before I can, with a clear conscience, recommend it as a protection against or cure for cancer. This is especially true because research has clearly shown that cancer is a metabolic disease resulting from damage to the mitochondria. Until recently, scientists didn’t look for damage to the mitochondria when looking for cancer causes. It would be very interesting if a study similar to those that found damage to the DNA was done with an eye on the mitochondria.

With that said, it has not been found to cause cancer at recommended dosages.

Dosage

For cognitive enhancement, take 120-240mg, one to four hours before performance.
To alleviate cognitive decline in older adults, take 40-120mg, three times a day.

The supplement form of Gingko biloba is called Bikbo Biloba EGb-761 extract. It should be a 50:1 concentrated extract.

Warnings and Side Effects

People who are on blood thinners shouldn’t take Gingko without discussing it with their doctor.
Also, pregnant ladies, menstruating women, or people who have trouble with their blood coagulating should not take gingko biloba.

At least one instance of painful rash requiring hospitalization was reported by a man taking horny goat weed and Ginkgo biloba together.

Quercetin, a major constituent of Ginkgo is a known mutagen. It has been shown to cause cancer in a small percentage of people after long-term use.

Gingko has fatty acids similar to those in cashews. It sometimes causes an allergic reaction. People who are allergic to cashews or often have food allergies should be careful when taking gingko for the first time.