Ginkgo Biloba Not Effective for Protecting the Brain

Charles Darwin called the ginkgo biloba tree a “living fossil,” as it is part of the Ginkgoaceae family, which has been on earth for over 270 million years. For centuries, formulations from the leaves or fruits of this tree have been a part of Eastern medicines for numerous conditions, including gastrointestinal problems, vascular concerns and cognitive problems. In modern Western medicine, the plant is recognized as an antioxidant, which means it may help counteract day-to-day damage to your cells.

Given the tree’s staying power, perhaps it’s no wonder people look to it to give their brains a little extra staying power as they age. The labels of most ginkgo supplements promise to deliver. The claims include mental clarity, mental alertness, improved brain function and many other brain-based rewards. 

“But, despite numerous studies, significant effects [of ginkgo biloba supplements] have not been shown,” says neurologist Steven DeKosky, a member of the Global Council on Brain Health (GCBH), an independent collective of scientists, health care professionals, scholars and policy experts.

The GCBH reviewed the published research on the potential brain benefits of ginkgo biloba and published the consensus in a report on dietary supplements and brain health. Included in the research that the council reviewed was a large study that followed more than 3,000 older adults for more than six years. It found that daily ginkgo supplements had no impact on a person’s odds of developing dementia,  Alzheimer’s disease or mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

“My view is that if someone takes ginkgo with the expectation that it will prevent or delay the onset of cognitive decline in aging, I would advise them to stop,” says DeKosky, who is also a professor of Alzheimer’s research at the University of Florida College of Medicine in Gainesville and deputy director of the McKnight Brain Institute.

In fact, ginkgo biloba may not fulfill the expectation of any health benefits. According to the National Institutes of Health, there’s no strong evidence that it helps with blood pressure, tinnitus, age-related macular degeneration, the risk of heart attack or stroke, or other conditions for which there is research.

What’s more, says DeKosky, “There are no nutrients in ginkgo extracts that are not provided by a healthy diet.” Still, he adds, if you just can’t give up your ginkgo, there’s little risk of harm unless you’re taking other medications, such as blood thinners, that could interact with it. “It’s relatively low cost and has a benign side-effects profile.”