Benefits of Ginkgo Biloba Are for More Than Memory

Last updated June 24, 2024.
Edited and medically reviewed by Patrick Alban, DC. Written by Deane Alban.

Ginkgo biloba benefits memory only in select situations; however, it can be effective for depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions.

Some living specimens are over 2,500 years old.

A handful of ginkgo trees were at the Hiroshima atomic bomb blast epicenter.

Amazingly, they survived and are still alive today. 

For centuries, ginkgo trees were thought to be extinct until pockets were found in China.

It’s believed that these remaining stands of trees were planted by Buddhist monks. 

Parts of the ginkgo tree, including the fruits, seeds, and leaves, have been used for thousands of years in traditional Chinese medicine, but today only the leaves are used to make extracts and supplements.

You’ll see the terms “ginkgo” and “Ginkgo biloba” used interchangeably.

Ginkgo Biloba Uses, Past and Present

Traditionally, the leaves, roots, and seeds of the ginkgo tree have been used in Chinese medicine to treat disorders of the lungs, kidneys, bladder, heart, blood, and brain. 

Members of the royal court were given ginkgo to treat senility.

" A handful of ginkgo trees were at the Hiroshima atomic bomb blast epicenter. Amazingly, they survived and are still alive today. 

Now, ginkgo is used around the world to treat a wide variety of ailments, including memory loss, concentration problems, mental confusion, depression, anxiety, dizziness, dementia, eye problems, tinnitus, leg pain, and headache. 

In the US, ginkgo is sold as a nutritional supplement, usually as a standardized extract made from dried leaves.

In Europe, it’s available by prescription or as an approved over-the-counter medication mainly used to treat circulatory conditions, including dementia resulting from reduced blood flow to the brain. 

Here’s a little background on the use and promotion of ginkgo for memory.

In the 1980s, a German pharmaceutical company launched its first ginkgo product, an extract called EGb 761.

EGb 761 was found to improve mental functioning, but only in elderly adults with dementia, not in healthy adults.

Manufacturers of ginkgo supplements erroneously used this piece of news as “proof” that ginkgo improves memory and other cognitive functions in all adults.

Of course, this is not a scientifically valid extrapolation.

Here’s what two major studies concluded about ginkgo as a memory supplement in cognitively healthy adults, i.e., those not diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer’s.

Ginkgo Evaluation of Memory (GEM) Study

The Ginkgo Evaluation of Memory (GEM) Study is the largest clinical trial performed to date to evaluate ginkgo’s effectiveness on mental decline.

Ginkgo Biloba for Serious Memory Loss

So, it’s widely agreed that ginkgo has not lived up to the hype as a general memory supplement for healthy adults wishing to improve their memory or halt mental decline.

But how does ginkgo benefit those with serious mental decline?

Can it halt or even reverse it?

The evidence here is mixed, but encouraging.

Other Proven Brain Benefits of Ginkgo Biloba

There are some additional proven brain benefits of ginkgo.

One small study found that Ginkgo significantly improved short-term memory in healthy adults. 

Ginkgo seems to work synergistically with the Asian herb ginseng to improve memory in healthy adults. 

Ginkgo reduces ADHD symptoms in children and teens.

It was found to be not as effective as Ritalin, but it does have fewer side effects. 

Ginkgo can help treat depression by increasing the turnover of both serotonin and dopamine, neurotransmitters often low in those with depression. 

Ginkgo extract can reduce symptoms of anxiety and stress by lowering levels of the stress hormone cortisol. 

Ginkgo is a useful adjunct to antipsychotic medications.  

When taken with ginkgo, antipsychotics work better to reduce symptoms of schizophrenia than when taken alone.

How to Read a Ginkgo Biloba Supplement Label

Ginkgo supplements are available as capsules, tablets, and liquid extracts or tinctures.

You’ll find that ginkgo supplements are offered as either standardized extracts or whole herbs.

If you’re considering taking a ginkgo supplement, be forewarned that the labels can be confusing.

Below is a typical ginkgo supplement label.

Let’s decipher what it means.

This product contains two forms of ginkgo — standardized leaf extract (line 1) and whole leaf powder (line 4) — in the list of ingredients.

The leaf extract is standardized to a potency of 24% flavone glycosides and 6% terpene lactones, which is rather typical in a good ginkgo supplement.

The rationale is that by using a full spectrum extract, you benefit from any potential synergistic effects of all naturally occurring compounds.

Most ginkgo supplements contain either a standardized extract or whole-leaf powder.

The manufacturer of this supplement has decided to give their customers the benefits of both.

Since you really have no way to know for sure what is in a whole leaf ginkgo supplement, it’s important that you buy from a reputable company that takes quality control seriously.

According to Consumer Lab, a leading consumer watchdog organization, only 40% of ginkgo supplements that they tested contained the amount of ginkgo listed on the label.

An alarming exposé revealed that Walmart, Target, GNC, and Walgreens store brand ginkgo supplements were either contaminated or contained little-to-no ginkgo. 

Ginkgo Biloba Dosage, Side Effects, and Interactions

There is no recommended daily allowance (RDA) for Ginkgo biloba.

A typical dose is 40 mg, three times a day, for a total of 120 mg.

It’s usually advised to start at a low dose and to take with meals to avoid gastrointestinal distress.

Doses of up to 240 mg per day are often recommended for therapeutic purposes. 

Studies generally use between 120 mg and 600 mg of ginkgo extract daily.

Ginkgo Biloba Side Effects

Ginkgo is an all-natural supplement, but that doesn’t mean it’s without risk or side effects.

Ginkgo leaves contain alkylphenols, a family of compounds which are highly allergenic. 

Ginkgo contains compounds related to urushiol, a highly allergenic oil found in poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac.

While almost everyone reacts badly to these plants, if you have an extreme reaction to them, you might want to skip taking ginkgo.

Note that if you’re considering consuming ginkgo seeds, DON’T!

Ginkgo supplements are made from leaves, not seeds; ginkgo seeds are extremely toxic. 

They contain ginkgotoxin, a neurotoxin that can induce epileptic seizures, convulsions, and even death.

Ginkgo Biloba Interactions

Ginkgo can interact with blood-thinning medications such as Coumadin (warfarin) and aspirin, and medications for high blood pressure, diabetes, seizures, or depression.

Diuretics and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can cause unwanted side effects when mixed with ginkgo.

Ginkgo should not be taken with antipsychotics or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants such as Prozac or Zoloft.

Together, they can cause a very serious condition known as serotonin syndrome.

Drugs.com lists nearly 300 drugs known to adversely react with ginkgo. 

This list includes some very common over-the-counter remedies such as aspirin and ibuprofen. 

Additionally, ginkgo should not be mixed with numerous popular supplements including garlic, ginseng, ginger, turmeric, melatonin, and more.