Ginkgo biloba is one of the oldest tree species known to man kind and its leaves are the most extensively studied herbs that are used today. In the United States alone, ginkgo supplements are among the best-selling herbal medications. It is also consistently ranks as one of the top medicines prescribed in France and Germany. It is most commonly used to treat blood disorders and to enhance your memory.
The leaves of this plant contain two types of chemicals: flavonoids and terpenoids. They are believed to have potent antioxidant properties. Antioxidants are substances that are used to scavenge compounds in the body that damage your cell membranes, mess with your DNA, or even cause cell death. Flavonoids are plant-based antioxidants while terpenoids improve blood flow and reduce the stickiness of platelets.
Ginkgo biloba is one of the oldest living tree species. One tree can live as long as 1,000 years and grow up to 120 feet! It has short branches with fan-shaped leaves. It also produces inedible fruits that release a strong odor. The fruit is inedible because it contains an inner seed that has been reported to cause human poisoning. You can normally find these trees planted along many urban streets in the United States.
This tree is widely used in Europe and the United States for the treatment of dementia. It was first used because it increased blood flow to the brain, and now studies suggest that it may protect nerve cells that are damaged from dementia or Alzheimer’s. It has been found that ginkgo has a positive effect on your memory and thinking in people suffering with the above diseases.
Gingko is known as a “brain herb”. It has been shown to help those suffering from dementia and Alzheimer’s, but it is not known if it helps healthy people who have age-related memory problems. Some studies have shown that it has slight effects, while others have shown no effect whatsoever. Ginkgo is commonly added to nutrition bars, soft drinks, and fruit smoothies to boost memory and enhance your mental performance in daily activities. However, it is questionable whether or not the small amount of ginkgo actually works.
Due to the effects ginkgo has on blood flow, it has been linked with treatments for intermittent claudication (pain caused by reduced blood flow to the legs). People with this disease usually have a hard time walking without feeling extreme pain. A study showed that people who took ginkgo with this disease walked an average 34 meters farther than those taking a placebo. It has also shown to be as effective as prescription medication in improving pain-free walking distances due to intermittent claudication.
Another disease it helps is glaucoma. A small study showed that people who have glaucoma and took ginkgo daily for 8 weeks had shown improvements in their vision.
Macular degeneration is another disease that has positive effects from ginkgo biloba. The flavonoids that are found in the ginkgo may help to stop or lessen retinal problems. This disease affects the retina (located at the back of the eye) and it progressively gets worse over time. This is the number one disease in the world that causes blindness in older adults. Ginkgo has been shown to have helped to preserve vision in those with this disease.
Ginkgo has also been shown to help those suffering from tinnitus (a ringing, hissing, or other sound that can be hear in your ears or head). Since gingko has been shown to improve circulation, it has been studied to see if it could treat this disease. A few studies found that it might reduce the loudness of the sound. However, one showed that it had the same effect as the placebo when it was used to relieve the symptoms of tinnitus.
Gingko can be taken in standardized extracts, capsules, tablets, liquid extracts, and dried leaves that are used in teas.
