Ginkgo Biloba (Ginko) FAQ (frequently asked questions) by ActiveHerb

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GINKGO BILOBA

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Ginkgo Biloba Frequently Asked Questions
Answered by X. Li, Ph. D. (credential)

Is it better to take ginkgo extract in capsules or in tablets?
What dose size of ginkgo extract would you recommend?
I am breastfeeding. Is it OK to take ginkgo?
Ginkgo is available on the market in small and big package sizes. What size do you prefer?
Is it safe to take ginko if you are also taking iron tablets for your blood?
I am pregnant. Can I still take gingko?
Does ginkgo have any effect on sleeping? Is there any caffeine in ginkgo?
I am now taking Vitamin C with Rose Hips & Bioflavonoids, Cayenne, Olive Leaf Extract, Co Q-10, Garlic, St. John's Wort, and Bee Pollen. I drink Green Tea (Decaf) in the morning and Pau D'Arco Tea (Decaf) in the evening. I am not on any meds. I want to add ginkgo to enhance my concentration and alertness. Is it still safe?
Is ginkgo good for teenagers and how long should you be taking it?
Is ginkgo's memory enhancing effect lasting?
How do I know if a ginkgo adverse reaction is caused by ginkgo or by a developing disease?
I have glaucoma. My eye doctor says that research seems to suggest a positive effect of ginkgo on the optic nerve. I am also taking paxil. Is it alright to take Ginkgo at the same time?
what do you say about ginko in the liquid form or freeze dried?
My mother who takes blood thinner Plavix is having memory problems and I would like to introduce her to Ginkgo. I heard you were not supposed to mix these two. What do you think?
My husband has high blood pressure and takes meds for it. I wanted him to start taking your ginkgo product. He does not take any blood thinners. Is there any problem with him taking ginkgo?
Is it ok to take ginko biloba with my medicines klonopin, evista, lipitor, synthroid, msm & glucaosmine, ester c?
I frequently take ibuprofen, can this be mixed with ginko?
Is it possible that ginkgo could have caused an attack of severe diarrhea?
I have been taking Ginkgo Biloba for about 2 weeks. I noticed my skin becoming dryer, and itching. This is the only new thing I have introduced. Do you think Ginkgo Biloba may be the cause?
I am trying to get out of a constant depressed state. I am currently on Lexapro, for depression, Hydrocodone, for constant back pain, and Temazapam (with Tylanol PM) for sleep. I also take Super B Complex, and Centrum.I would like to start trying Ginkoba, and St. Johns Wort, What is your opinion on the combination of what I have mentioned.
I have heard that Ginkgo Biloba can affect the effectiveness of birth control. Is this true?
Could Gigko bilboa be helpful for migran headaches on teenagers 18-25 years of age?
I have glaucoma and wonder if ginkgo helps my eyes. I take Cosopt drops for my eyes and wonder also if it would be safe.
Is Ginko Biloba safe to drink?
Does ginkgo increase sexual enhancement?
Can I take ginkgo biloba if I am on insulin?
I have access to Ginko Biloba leaves. Could you please let me know how to prepare the leaves for consumption?
i took ginko biloba over a year. My circulation improved and also memory. I stopped it as I was admitted to hospital for rapid heart beat and had to take sotal and other drugs. I was told my heart was healthy. I would like to start taking biloba again. Can you advise?
I like to do high altitude hiking. I take 'Excedrin for migraines' when at high altitude since I manifest my migraines in the most severe form as 'blackouts.' I read gingko helps with high altitude adjustment. Is taking gingko and the OTC drugs a threat at short periods of high altitude, e.g., 5-7 days?

Q: Is it better to take ginkgo extract in capsules or in tablets?
A: There is no side by side comparison study to determine whether ginkgo extract in capsules or in tablets works better to realize ginkgo's health benefits. However, most clinical studies (if not all) which reported positive ginkgo benefits used ginkgo extract in tablets. In fact, there is a new study that compared the absorption of ginkgo active ingredients in the blood after uptake of ginkgo capsules or ginkgo tablets. It was found that significantly more ginkgo active ingredients were detected in the blood after uptake of ginkgo tablets. Therefore, it appears that ginkgo ingredients in tablets are better absorbed. So we definitely recommend ginkgo in tablets instead of in capsules.
Q: What dose size of ginkgo extract would you recommend?
A: Ginkgo tablets or capsules are mostly sold at the size of 40 mg, 60 mg, or 120 mg. As suggested daily dose is 120 mg based on clinical trials (learn more in ginkgo dose) you will need to take 40 mg for 3 times, 60 mg for 2 times, or 120 mg once with meals. Most trials used the 40 mg three times regimen. Its advantage is that it allows more continuous delivery of active ingredients. But it is less convenient. The 120 mg once regimen is most convenient but the active ingredients unlikely remain stable whole day long. Actually there are experiments suggesting ginkgo ingredients have half-lives in human blood at 3 to 6 h. The 60 mg twice regimen is a good balance of keeping steady level of active ingredients and convenience.
Q: I am breastfeeding. Is it OK to take ginkgo?
A: There is no study that directly addresses this question. The obvious concern here is whether a mother may pass the ginkgo ingredients she takes to her baby via breastfeeding, something definitely to be avoided. Based on the physiology of lactation, it is highly unlikely that any ingredients of ginkgo a mother takes will end up in the milk.
Q: Ginkgo is available on the market in small and big package sizes. What size do you prefer?
A: Large package sizes should offer some savings over smaller sizes. However, a size of 250 counts in 60 mg each is a regular supply over 4 months. After you open the seal, the rest will be exposed to the air for that long time. Just like any food or drug, it is probably not desirable to open the package for a long time before you can finish it. So if you are not desperately sensitive to the amount of saving you may get, go to get smaller sizes (e. g., for 1 month) to reserve the freshness.
Q: Is it safe to take ginko if you are also taking iron tablets for your blood?
A: So far no clinical study has addressed the issue of taking ginkgo and iron combined. No interaction of ginkgo and iron has been established. Any answer to whether they can be taken together safely will be speculative. Some dietary supplements contain both ginkgo and iron. However, iron is not a normally recommended mineral supplement unless someone has anemia caused by iron deficiency as confirmed by the laboratory test. Excess iron may cause oxidative damage to cells. Ginkgo has an anti-oxidation activity and may protect cells from such a damage in test tubes. In case iron has to be supplemented, ginkgo uptake is unlikely to have a negative impact on iron's role in red cell formation of the blood.
Q: I am pregnant. Can I still take gingko?
A: None of many clinical studies on ginkgo have included pregnant women. There are good reasons for it. First, the fetus (embryo) and the mom share the same circulation system. Anything a pregnant woman takes and gets into the blood will end up in the fetus. It is not known whether ginkgo has any negative impact on the fetus development. Second, ginkgo has an anti-blood clotting activity which is not desirable in labor when bleeding is unavoidable and needs to be controlled. Therefore, we would not recommend pregnant women to take ginkgo normally.
Q: Does ginkgo have any effect on sleeping? Is there any caffeine in ginkgo?
A: Ginkgo has not been found to cause sleeping problems in clinical studies and case reports. No caffeine is found in ginkgo leaves which are used to prepare the standardized gingko biloba extract.
Q: I am now taking Vitamin C with Rose Hips & Bioflavonoids, Cayenne, Olive Leaf Extract, Co Q-10, Garlic, St. John's Wort, and Bee Pollen. I drink Green Tea (Decaf) in the morning and Pau D'Arco Tea (Decaf) in the evening. I am not on any meds. I want to add ginkgo to enhance my concentration and alertness. Is it still safe?
A: Little research has been done to examine interactions among herbs and dietary supplements although they are commonly taken together. No interaction between ginkgo and the dietary supplements you are taking is reported. Ginkgo itself has a good safety profile, so do some supplements in your portfolio. Chance is small that adding ginkgo will cause herb interaction. However, as always, keep your eyes open. If you feel any adverse reaction occurs, stop taking your supplement. We also appreciate reports of adverse herb reactions.
Q: Is ginkgo good for teenagers and how long should you be taking it?
A: Research in general supports that ginkgo acts to strengthen memory and prevent memory loss after multiple weeks' use (see related pages). Teenagers are not the subject of most studies. However, there are studies showing that young adults (at 20's) achieve enhanced short term memory just several hours after taking acute doses of ginkgo extract (as high as 960 mg versus the regular 120 mg). This seems to fit in situations such as students seeking to enhance memory to face a test within days. How long ginkgo can be taken safely at such high doses is not tested, but we would not recommend to use high dose ginkgo for an extended period.
Q: Is ginkgo's memory enhancing effect lasting?
A: Long term study on ginkgo's role in memory enhancement is still underway. It is not known how long one can maintain the memory benefits after stop taking ginkgo. However, most people who take ginkgo to enhance memory at 120 mg per day keep taking it for years.
Q: How do I know if a ginkgo adverse reaction is caused by ginkgo or by a developing disease?
A: Although ginkgo has an excellent safety profile, adverse reactions sometimes occur. However, be cautious to draw the blame on ginkgo. In studies, it has been found that people taking ginkgo or placebo may develop the same adverse reactions, which means the symptoms might be attributed to other causes like something in your body. If the adverse reaction is due to ginkgo, it should go away after stopping the ginkgo use. Otherwise, it may relate to something else and you may need to see a doctor.
Q: I have glaucoma. My eye doctor says that research seems to suggest a positive effect of ginkgo on the optic nerve. I am also taking paxil. Is it alright to take Ginkgo at the same time?
A: There are indeed new clinical studies that support a positive role of ginkgo on glaucoma. In the trials, it was observed that ginkgo increases ocular blood flow and improves visual field damage in some glaucoma patients. As to whether paxil can be taken together with ginkgo, no study data was available. However, it is not uncommon for people with memory impairment (e. g., Alzheimer's disease) to take antidepressants and ginkgo together.
Q: what do you say about ginko in the liquid form or freeze dried?
A: No scientific evidence suggests these forms of ginkgo offer better health benefits than the standardized ginkgo extract in tablets with which mostly, if not all, ginkgo biloba trials were done.
Q: My mother who takes blood thinner Plavix is having memory problems and I would like to introduce her to Ginkgo. I heard you were not supposed to mix these two. What do you think?
A: There is no specific report on the interaction of Plavix and ginkgo in human. It is true that caution should be taken in taking a blood thinner and ginkgo together because several cases of adverse effects were reported after their combined use. However, it does not mean that they can not be taken together because most people are still fine with the combination and only a few such cases were observed. Please consult your physician to decide the potential benefits and risk of such combination.
Q: My husband has high blood pressure and takes meds for it. I wanted him to start taking your ginkgo product. He does not take any blood thinners. Is there any problem with him taking ginkgo?
A: There are no reports of interaction of ginkgo and drugs controlling high blood pressure. In fact, some preliminary studies suggest a beneficial effect of standardized ginkgo extract on lowering high blood pressure.
Q: Is it ok to take ginko biloba with my medicines klonopin, evista, lipitor, synthroid, msm & glucaosmine, ester c?
A: No report was found on the potential interaction of ginkgo with the medicines you listed.
Q: I frequently take ibuprofen, can this be mixed with ginko?
A: It is normally not recommended to take ginkgo and ibuprofen together. The reason is that ginkgo has the anti-blood clotting activity and ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) may increase bleeding. Potentially they may act on top of each other to increase the chance of bleeding. However, the real evidence is rare, if it exists, to demonstrate this actually is the case. I would suggest to avoid taking them together for a long period. But occasional uptake of ibuprofen in addition to a regular ginkgo supplement should be ok.
Q: Is it possible that ginkgo could have caused an attack of severe diarrhea?
A: Rare stomach and intestine upset has been observed in clinical trials after taking ginkgo. However, it is hard to blame ginkgo itself because people taking dummy developed the same symptom with the same chance as well. The bottom line is, if an adverse reaction occurs, stop taking the supplement, the adverse reaction should be gone. Otherwise, other causes should be sought.
Q: I have been taking Ginkgo Biloba for about 2 weeks. I noticed my skin becoming dryer, and itching. This is the only new thing I have introduced. Do you think Ginkgo Biloba may be the cause?
A: Skin drying and itching have been occasionally observed in clinical trials in people taking either ginkgo or dummy at similar rates. So the sympotoms are not considered to be caused by ginkgo itself. A good test here would be to stop taking ginkgo and see if the sympotoms disappear. If yes, the ginkgo preparation you take is to blame. Otherwise, it may be caused by something else and you may need to see a doctor.
Q: I am trying to get out of a constant depressed state. I am currently on Lexapro, for depression, Hydrocodone, for constant back pain, and Temazapam (with Tylanol PM) for sleep. I also take Super B Complex, and Centrum. I would like to start trying Ginkoba, and St. Johns Wort, What is your opinion on the combination of what I have mentioned.
A: Lexapro or other prescription depression drugs are supposedly effective in treating depression. St. Johns Wort only helps mild depression and is unlikely more powerful than Lexapro. It is also not recommended to take several drugs of the same kind together. Ginkgo can help your mental performance but is not established in relieving depression.
Q: I have heard that Ginkgo Biloba can affect the effectiveness of birth control. Is this true?
A: There is no credible research or report suggesting an effect of ginkgo on birth control.
Q: Could Gigko bilboa be helpful for migran headaches on teenagers 18-25 years of age?
A: Although claims are often made to the benefits of ginkgo on migraine headaches, no clinical study or report specifically addresses the issue and any such benefits remain speculative at this time. But it may be worth trying.
Q: I have glaucoma and wonder if ginkgo helps my eyes. I take Cosopt drops for my eyes and wonder also if it would be safe.
A: It was observed that ginkgo can increase blood flow to the eye and improves visual damage in some glaucoma patients. The studies are preliminary and no data relating ginkgo to cosopt is yet available.
Q: Is Ginko Biloba safe to drink?
A: Ginkgo biloba leaves are not recommended for consuming directly because it contains toxic substances. So if a tea is made from ginkgo depleted of the toxics, it should be safe. Similarly, if ginko is added to a drink in the form of standardized extract, it will be safe and effective.
Q: Does ginkgo increase sexual enhancement?
A: There are several clinical trials supporting the role of ginkgo biloba in enhancing sexual performance in multiple aspects of sex in both men and women undergone antidepressant treatment. In fact, NIH of US government is sponsoring a further study on the topic.
Q: Can I take ginkgo biloba if I am on insulin?
A: There have been preliminary studies on the use of ginkgo extracts in diabetic patients. Some studies seem to support ginkgo's role in protecting from complications of diabetes. One study suggested that ginkgo may increase the insulin secretion by pancreatic cells without affecting the blood glucose level. A clinical trial sponsored by NIH is ongoing to get a clearer answer.
Q: I have access to Ginko Biloba leaves. Could you please let me know how to prepare the leaves for consumption?
A: It is not a good idea at all to consume ginkgo leaves. Ginkgo leaves contain toxic substances which are removed during the complex process of preparing the standardized extract.
Q: i took ginko biloba over a year. My circulation improved and also memory. I stopped it as I was admitted to hospital for rapid heart beat and had to take sotal and other drugs. I was told my heart was healthy. I would like to start taking biloba again. Can you advise?
A: If you are not on other medicines and your heart is fine, you may resume taking ginkgo biloba to benefit your circulation and memory. however, you should consult your doctor for it as he knows your condition.
Q: I like to do high altitude hiking. I take 'Excedrin for migraines' when at high altitude since I manifest my migraines in the most severe form as 'blackouts.' I read gingko helps with high altitude adjustment. Is taking gingko and the OTC drugs a threat at short periods of high altitude, e.g., 5-7 days?
A: While ginkgo is reported to alleviate the AMS symptoms, there are rare cases of ginkgo's interaction with aspirin etc. This interaction may increase the chance of internal bleeding. As Excedrin Migraine contains high doses of acetaminophen, aspirin, and caffeine, their combined use with ginkgo may thus pose a health threat even for a short period at high altitude.

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ActiveHerb Ginkgo Biloba Standardized Extract
(ginkgolic acid < 1ppm)
60 mg Tablet, 60 ct

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