Traveling the Road to Wellness

Ginkgo Makes The Grade for Elderly Minds

January 2003

What is one of the top-selling herbs in the United States? Ginkgo. What is one of the most well-researched herbs of modern times? Ginkgo. Now the most important question: Does it work? Yes, according to an independent review by the famed Cochrane Collaboration.

Complimentary and alternative medicine (CAM) is receiving widespread and long-overdue attention in the mainstream medical community today. Suddenly doctors, nurses, scientists and researchers are interested in exploring the benefits of "unconventional" methods of patient care. Evidence of this can be seen in the popular press (Newsweek recently dedicated an entire section of their weekly magazine to the topic) and in the medical literature and research projects being conducted around the world.

A prime example of the new interest in CAM among "conventional" medical professionals is a recent review of Ginkgo biloba sponsored by the Alzheimer's Society of England and Oxford University. The review was conducted by the Cochrane Collaboration, a highly respected international body dedicated to conducting systematic reviews of randomized controlled trials in healthcare.

Different studies, different results

Cochrane researchers selected 33 randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled studies in which ginkgo was investigated for its effects on people with cognitive impairment, including dementia of all kinds. Only those studies following the randomized, double-blind control protocol were selected, as this is the most accurate and legitimate study design accepted by medical communities around the world. Other types of studies often do not successfully screen out bias and are not considered valid medical investigation.

Even within properly designed studies, differences arise in final results. This can be due to participant selection, the type of drug or herbal extract used, duration of the trial, and other variables. Therefore, Cochrane researchers attempt to select only the best, most valid studies for review.

And the survey saysÂ…

"Ginkgo biloba appears to be safe in use with no excess side effects compared with placeboÂ…Overall there is promising evidence of improvement in cognition and function associated with Ginkgo." These words are from the official conclusion, which you can review for yourself by selecting the link below.

More specifically, the researchers determined that ginkgo shows benefits for cognitive functions even when taken for less than 12 weeks and at doses below 200 mg per day (54/63 showed improvement compared with 20/63 for placebo). Higher doses for longer periods also showed benefits. Measures of mood and activities of daily living (ADL) scales also showed improvement across the spectrum.

While these results are certainly encouraging, Cochrane researchers note that three of the more modern trials are inconsistent, and a need exists for a large modern trial to finally confirm the effectiveness and method of action for ginkgo.

Commenting on the results through the Council of Responsible Nutrition, Tieraona LowDog, M.D., said, "While there remains a need for a large, rigorous clinical trial to determine who will be most likely to benefit from ginkgo and at what dose, the Cochrane review demonstrates that ginkgo is a safe dietary supplement for those looking to improve their day-to-day function."

What to do

Ginkgo is certainly a star in the world of herbal supplements, with benefits beyond those reviewed here. As always, you'll want to check with your healthcare provider before you start using ginkgo, especially if you're taking pharmaceuticals. Ginkgo may interact with blood-thinning medications, as well as other prescription drugs. For most people, however, it is safe, affordable, and one of the best documented natural herbal aids on the market today.

Source

The Alzheimer's Foundation, UK: http://www.alzheimers.org.uk

The Council for Responsible Nutrition: http://www.crnusa.org/shellnr121002.html

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