What is Ginkgo Biloba?
Ginkgo biloba extract comes from the leaves of one of the world's oldest tree species. Research overwhelmingly uses a standardized extract (EGb 761, 24% flavone glycosides / 6% terpene lactones); products not matching that standard aren't comparable to the studies quoted in marketing.
How it is used in supplements
Marketed for memory, mental sharpness, healthy circulation, tinnitus and hearing support — it appears in most brain-supplement blends and, notably, in many ear-health formulas.
What the research shows
Ginkgo is a rare case where large, well-run trials exist — and they were negative. The GEM study followed over 3,000 older adults for six years and found no reduction in dementia or cognitive decline versus placebo. Memory effects in healthy adults are inconsistent and small at best. For tinnitus, well-designed trials likewise found no benefit over placebo. Small circulation-related findings (such as claudication walking distance) are the extract's most defensible territory, and they are modest.
Typical studied amounts
Trials generally used 120–240 mg per day of the standardized EGb 761 extract, split into two or three doses, for at least several weeks. Blend products rarely disclose whether their ginkgo matches this standardization.
Safety and side effects
Generally well tolerated; headache and GI upset occur. Raw or roasted ginkgo seeds are toxic and are not what supplements contain. Rodent studies at high doses found increased liver and thyroid tumors, a signal regulators judged of uncertain human relevance.
Medication interactions
The one everyone should know: ginkgo has antiplatelet activity and has been associated with bleeding events. It should not be combined with warfarin, other anticoagulants, or regular NSAID/aspirin use without medical advice, and it must be stopped before surgery.
Who should be cautious
Avoid with any bleeding disorder, before scheduled procedures, in pregnancy, and alongside seizure-threshold-lowering medication. Anyone taking ginkgo for genuine memory or hearing changes should have those symptoms medically evaluated first — both have treatable causes a supplement will only delay finding.
References
- Ginkgo: Usefulness and Safety. NCCIH. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/ginkgo Accessed August 7, 2026.
- Understanding Tinnitus. NIDCD. https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/tinnitus Accessed August 7, 2026.
Related ingredients & categories
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