|  | Diet Nutrition | Nutritional Supplements

The Effects of Ginkgo Biloba

Ginkgo biloba is a wild plant native to China. It grows large stems and fan-shaped leaves. Its medicinal uses can be traced back to ancient China and Japan, where it was also used in bonsai-style artwork and cooking. Today, many manufacturers process the herb into a capsule and market it. The research on its effects is wide, varied and conflicted, but it appears to have four uses in medicine: it thins blood, relieves glaucoma, reduces Alzheimer's symptoms and prevents brain damage after a stroke.

  1. Thins blood

    • Ginkgo biloba is an antioxidant and as such thins blood and acts as an anti-inflammatory. People prone to seizures and stroke or suffering from blood-clotting disorders are advised against taking it. Additionally, a person entering surgery is advised to stop taking it at least 36 hours in advance.

    Relieves Glaucoma

    • The herb can boost blood flow to the eye, reducing the painfulness of glaucoma. It boosts blood flow without raising blood pressure or heart rate. The elderly suffer most from glaucoma, and a medicine that raises blood pressure or heart rate could complicate any other conditions.

    Reduces Alzheimer's

    • Ginkgo increases blood flow to the brain, making a person more aware and more focused. In a 1999 study, Alzheimer's patients were given ginkgo over 27 weeks. They were given a cognitive test before and after the experiment, and the majority raised their test scores by at least four points.

    Reduce Brain Damage After a Stroke

    • When a person suffers a stroke, the brain is deprived of oxygen. Toxic oxygen elements, free radicals, can cause additional damage after oxygen flow is restored. But ginkgo may increase production of a certain enzyme that fights the free radicals.

Nutritional Supplements - Related Articles