Ginkgo Biloba for Antioxidant Protection
Ginkgo flavonoids demonstrate antioxidant activity in laboratory and marker studies, but the clinical relevance is unclear.
Overview
Verdict
How It Works
Dosing & Protocol
Typical dose
- Recommended dose
- 120-240 mg/day of standardised ginkgo biloba extract (EGb 761 type, 24% flavone glycosides, 6% terpene lactones) in divided doses with food
- Expected timeframe
- 8-12 weeks for biomarker change
Protocol
- form
- Standardised extract only - EGb 761 or an equivalent standardised to 24% flavone glycosides and 6% terpene lactones, with ginkgolic acid below 5 ppm. Crude leaf preparations and teas are not equivalent and may contain allergenic ginkgolic acids
- duration
- 8-12 weeks
- co factor
- Take with food in divided doses to reduce stomach upset. Evidence is mixed. Ginkgo flavonoids are potent free-radical scavengers in vitro, and some human trials report increased superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activity and reduced malondialdehyde with 120-240 mg/day. But results are inconsistent, the studies are small and heterogeneous, and antioxidant biomarkers are a poor guide to health outcomes - large trials of antioxidant supplementation have repeatedly failed to deliver clinical benefit, and some have shown harm. Treat improved oxidative markers as a laboratory observation, not a health gain.
- titration
- Increase to 240 mg/day after two weeks if tolerated
- starting dose
- 120 mg/day of standardised extract, split as 60 mg twice daily with meals
Evidence
What the studies say
No studies are yet linked to both Ginkgo Biloba and Antioxidant Protection.
Safety
Caveats
Safety ceiling and interactions matter more here than the benefit. Ginkgo inhibits platelet-activating factor and has been associated with bleeding, including intracranial and post-surgical haemorrhage in case reports - do not combine with warfarin, DOACs, aspirin, clopidogrel or NSAIDs, and stop at least two weeks before any surgery or dental extraction. It may lower the seizure threshold, so avoid in epilepsy and with any medication that does the same; seeds and crude preparations contain ginkgotoxin and are more concerning than standardised extracts. Ginkgo induces CYP2C19 and can reduce levels of omeprazole, some antiepileptics and other substrates, and interacts with efavirenz. Do not use in pregnancy or breastfeeding, where safety is not established, or in children. Avoid crude leaf products with high ginkgolic acid content, which are allergenic and cytotoxic. Common effects: headache, dizziness, gastrointestinal upset.
Less likely to help if
Medical Disclaimer
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Individual results may vary. The statements on this website have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Products and information are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.