Evaluating Ginkgo Research and Products

Ginkgo is one of the most talked about herbs in alternative medicine. Consumers are confused by the articles and information given them. Does it really do any good to take Ginkgo? There is much information that contradicts itself. So what is the truth? How can I tell what product to buy?

The problem is that there are published research studies to support both sides of the controversy over its value in dementia and mental alertness. So why does there exist such a difference in the results of these published research studies. Here are some factors to consider:

The integrity of the research laboratory and the research itself:

The following questions and their answers determine if the research is even valid. For example, how valid is the research to determine if smoking causes lung cancer when the research is being funded by the makers of cigarettes. If you were a research company getting $400,000 to prove smoking is not dangerous and you find the results that it does, might your research funding end? It has been proven that some research is outright fraud.

What lab did the research? What kind of reputation do they have? Who funded the research? Was the intent of the research to find the truth or to validate an idea such as smoking does not cause lung cancer? How was the study conducted? How many patients were in the research project and what were their ages, health history, and lifestyle. How long was the research monitored, how was it monitored, what tests were given both in the beginning and end to support the results? What factors might be missing or not discovered that are impacting these results? When you are satisfied with the answers to the questions above then you need to research further.

Quality of the product utilized in the research:

Since the testing of Ginkgo products began some years ago, the testing has brought to light the problems in the quality of the Ginkgo products for sale. When tested some of the products contained less Ginkgo than was specified on the label, some contained toxins such as lead or mercury, and some of the products did not contain the part of the Ginkgo plant that was medicinal. Adulteration of Ginko products has been an ongoing problem for years and it still a problem today.

ConsumerLabs is a well respected independent testing laboratory. "ConsumerLab's 1999 review of ginkgo products found nearly 24% of the thirty brands tested did not have the expected levels of chemical marker compounds, despite the manufacturer's claims their product was 'standardized'." When these products were retested again in 2005, six of these same brands failed once more because they contained less than stated amount of adequate marker compounds.

What does the term "Standardized" mean on a Ginkgo label? Standardized is a term that states that the herbal product was tested to contain certain chemical markers at a certain level. This term tells you that the product will give you a constant quality of herb in each tablet or capsule.

What are the markers that assure a quality Ginkgo product? Markers are the chemical composition footprint of the herb. There are many herbs that look alike and not all species of a plant are medicinal. So testing has to be performed to assure that you have the correct plant, and that the plant material possesses these markers. An herb may contain several of these chemical markers that give the herb its medicinal qualities. These medicinal qualities may be present in the root, the leaf, the flower, or throughout the whole plant. These chemical markers are the proof of the herb's medicinal quality. These chemical markers can only be performed by special microscopes, special equipment, and tests.

Europe sets some of the highest standards in the marketplace for all its herbal products. Many herbs in Europe are only available by prescription. Many herbs cannot be found on store shelves and are significantly more expensive. Vitamins are also highly regulated there as well. Here is the United States, the standards are far below that of Europe. Herbs are considered a food, not a drug. With that classification, it makes them more available and less expensive. The problem is that the company is not allowed to give any information on dosage other than a general dosage, or give advice on how to use it, or what it should be used for. This would then make it a drug. The European standard for Ginkgo is 24/6. This means for the Ginkgo product to use the term 'Standardized' it must contain 24% of ginko flavones glycosides and 6 % terpene lactones.

The German European standard also limits the amount of Ginkgolic acid present in products to less than 5 parts per million. The Ginkgolic acid can cause allergic reactions in some patients such as skin rashes. The US standards do not require Ginkgolic acid content to be specified on the label. It takes certain manufacturing steps to remove the Ginkgolic acid and this costs more money and raises the price of the product. Because the standards for Ginko are lower here, many companies do not take that additional step to remove it.

Ginkgo dosage and patient health status:

One of the factors to consider in research studies on Ginkgo is the dosage given to the patients. There are a lot of published clinical studies on Ginkgo. These research projects differ on the dosages that were given to the patients. These dosages of Ginkgo given to the patients vary from a low dosage of 120 mg up to 480 mg per day. The dosage needed to achieve maximum results may vary with the patient. I have dyslexia and I need three caps to see a difference. My partner does well on less. The general directions are three tablets a day but that would depend on the dosage and the patient. If the patient has severe memory or dementia problems, it may take a greater dosage to achieve effects or not work at all. If the herb is not given for a long enough time period in the proper dosage, the results often will be disappointing.

Some years ago, I was power of Attorney for a couple whose wife had severe dementia. She was driving the nursing staff crazy by asking the same questions over and over. I asked her doctor for permission to have the nursing staff administer her Ginkgo as an experiment. I tried the less expensive brands first and after a month saw no positive results. I then tried a product from a company that had a reputation for the quality of their products. Their product was significantly more expensive which is why I tried this product last. Within 4 weeks of using that particular Ginkgo product, the nursing staff reported that her constant and annoying repetition of the same questions decreased. This product consistently worked for a year until her husband died suddenly and the grief caused her to refuse to eat and she died a short time later. This story is only to point out the significance of using a quality product versus a poor quality product. This was not a scientific double blind study but there was an amazing difference in the results with this woman when I changed products. Each product was given several weeks to work. This was given with the blessing of her doctor whose view was that it did not hurt to try it, since she was driving the staff crazy. The nursing staff gave it to her very willingly once they realized it made their job easier.

Research clinical articles are only worth reading if the research was performed with integrity using a quality product and proper dosages customized to the person's individual health factors. Use due diligence to investigate the article or the company manufacturing the product. Find out what tests and steps are utilized in the process of the product and where the product comes from. The label on your Ginkgo bottle should state the percentage of ginkgo flavones glycosides and terpene lactones it contains. Listen to your body as well. Don't buy on price only but on quality.