Have you heard of the herbal supplement with the very odd name of
gingko biloba?

In the last few years, gingko biloba has become one of the most
heavily advertised herbal products in health food stores and
magazines. It seems that gingko is being advertised everywhere, as a
new miracle cure for many common ailments. Gingko is reputed to
improve thinking, stave off Alzheimer's disease, preserve memory, and
reverse memory loss.

Proponents of gingko say that studies show it improves memory and
concentration, and can delay senility.

This herbal supplement is made from an extract of the leaf of the
gingko tree, one of an ancient family of trees. The leaf extract is
filled with many organic compounds that are believed to be
particularly beneficial to the cells of the brain.

Even though gingko, as a memory boosting supplement is relatively new
in North America, it has been a commonly prescribed supplement in
Europe for decades.

In China, the use of gingko goes back even further - over 5,000 years!
So you see, gingko is not really new at all. In fact, it is one of the
most widely prescribed herbal supplements in the world!

Here are some of the beneficial effects that have been attributed to
gingko:

-It increases the supply of blood to the brain
-It neutralizes several kinds of dangerous free radicals that damage
brain cells
-It acts as an anti-inflammatory agent
-It increases neurotransmiter activity
-It increases sugar metabolism in the brain
-It increases alpha brain waves associated with mental alertness
-It works as a anti-oxidant to protect the brain

Gingko contains many organic compounds, including flavonoids and
terpenoids, which are probably the source of its reputed brain
boosting powers.

Millions of people around the world take gingko to boost their memory.
Does it work? Is it safe?

Hundreds of studies of the effects of gingko have been published in
the last two decades. Many of these studies suggest gingko is an
effective and safe remedy for age related confusion and memory loss.

For most people, ginko seems to be very safe. In Europe, it is one of
the most commonly prescribed medications, and there are very few
problems known to be associated with it, even for long term use.

If you do decide to take gingko, don't expect any sudden, dramatic
changes. The effects of gingko biloba can take weeks or even months,
to become noticeable, and not all people experience an improvement. As
many as 50 per cent of the people who take a standardized dose of
gingko do not notice any improvements whatsoever.

People who take gingko may claim to feel somewhat more alert, and
somewhat better able to concentrate. In some cases, the improvements
are often so minor that they are barely noticeable.

The amount of memory improvement claimed for gingko often tends to be
rather small, usually only a few percentage points - about the same
improvement you might get after drinking a cup of coffee!

Unfortunately, despite the fact that gingko has been the subject of
hundreds of scientific studies, many of these studies were not very
well conducted from a scientific point of view.

Many of the studies of gingko were small and rather short term, and
were often conducted by family doctors who were not trained in
rigorous scientific research techniques.

This means that even though many studies have claimed wonderful
positive results for gingko biloba, the scientific proof may not be
very accurate or reliable.

If you decide to take gingko as a supplement, be sure to deal only
with a very high quality brand from a reliable manufacturer. Most
studies have used a dose of 120 milligrams per day, and this should be
sufficient.

If you are younger than fifty years old, there is no proof that taking
gingko will reduce your chances of getting Alzheimer's disease.

As with all herbal remedies, there is a wide variation in the quality
and quality of the actual active ingredients of the herb in question.
Some studies have found that even brands with fairly good reputations
do not always have the levels of active ingredients of gingko that
they claim. And sometimes, bargain brands may have none of the active
ingredients at all.

Get a brand of gingko that you trust to have a standardized level of
active ingredients. Be prepared to take it for several months before
you notice a difference. Keep in mind that some people never notice a
difference at all. And others claim to notice dramatic improvements
right away!

Side effects with gingko are rarely reported. The main precaution you
must take is to check with your doctor if you are already taking blood
thinning medication such as Coumadin, or an anti-depressant such as
Trazadone. It is possible that in some cases Gingko may interact with
certain medications and cause problems.

Before you take gingko, check with your doctor to be sure that you are
not taking any medications that could conflict with the herb.

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