Ginkgo Biloba: Proves Ineffective for Alzheimer Patients

The ginkgo tree is one of the oldest living trees in the world. The seeds have been used in Chinese medicine for centuries; the cooked seeds are occasionally eaten.

The ginkgo has been used for many different common ailments including asthma, bronchitis, fatigue, and tinnitus (ringing in the ears).

• Many people have been hopeful that leaf extract will be proven to increase memory and used in patients with Alzheimer's disease. But a recent trial was ineffective in proving usefulness in lowering the incidence of dementia and Alzheimer's disease in the elderly; further studies on ginkgo will have to be done to see its benefits.

• It’s also used in treatment of sexual dysfunction, multiple sclerosis, and other health problems.

• So far studies on ginkgo have proven that it is useful for claudification caused by blocked arteries. There will be further studies comparing traditional medication to ginkgo and its effects and usefulness.

It is usually extracted from the ginkgo leaf and made into tablets, capsules, extracts, or teas; even made into skin lotions too.

Side effects are: headache, nausea, gastrointestinal upset, diarrhea, dizziness, or allergic skin reactions. Some data suggests gink can increase bleeding. So those that take a blood thinner, have a blood disorder, or are having surgery should talk to their doctor if you’ve been taking ginkgo.

Uncooked ginkgo seeds should not be eaten as they have a toxin called ginkgotoxin which can cause seizures. Eating large amounts of ginkgo seeds over time can cause death. Although ginkgo seeds and ginkgo leaf extracts only have a little ginkgo toxins causing side effects.

Be sure you tell your health provider of all alternative medicines or herbal remedies you use, so they will have a total health picture, as to be able to help you better. Some herbal remedies are alright to use and have been proven so under rigorous studies, but there are still a lot of unanswered questions when it comes to herbal remedies, Some herbal remedies have been made into medications we use today, but others still need a lot of study and will prove useful in the future.