In many places we can find
advertising supplement made with ginkgo balboa, who say it improves memory or
conditions linked to decrease in blood flow in the brain. It is very common
that people use it and recommend it, but as in everything, must be well
informed, to make a better decision.
The ginkgo balboa tree is unique
in the world, no longer has living relatives, and classified it as a
"living fossil" (which means that it is a species that is very
similar to other species that have been identified only through fossils)
Originates from China but is
known and is cultivated in many parts of Asia, in fact, the list of uses is
very long perhaps for being so old. They are also very long-lived trees because
it is known that they can live to be a thousand years and from does about 2600
BC, had already described its healing uses for respiratory ailments.
To prepare supplements or
extracts leaves, are used even though the seeds are also used for feeding both
medicinal uses (in countries such as China or Japan toasts eat them and consider
them a valuable dish) but for eating the seeds is needed to be very careful,
remove the pulp and do so at very low doses because they can also cause serious
problems such as seizures and loss of consciousness. Not recommended for eating
the seeds whole.
The evidence regarding the
positive effects in patients with Alzheimer's disease and dementia in the
scientific studies conducted to date is mixed, most tend to suggest that they
seem to help, especially by its effect on the circulation of blood in the brain;
however, more studies are still required.
That is, as in the vast majority
of integral or complementary treatments, still need much research that is
really conclusive, and provide certainty about the use of this substance to
improve the health. For example, a study in France in 2012 found that there is
no significant difference in preventing the development of Alzheimer's disease
with ginkgo or using a placebo and ginkgo also protects seniors from disorders
such as senile dementia or other cognitive problems.
What does the science say?
Let's start with what reported us
comprehensive based on data of natural medicines, which classifies the efficacy
of substances with grades of A, B, C, D according to the scientific evidence
and the strength to use. As for Alzheimer's and dementia, the rating is B,
which means that it is good, i.e. not solid, more studies are still needed to
make it definitive. The same applies for generalized anxiety disorder and
schizophrenia. But give it a C rating, which means that it is not clear for use
in cases of ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), autism,
hypertension, prevention of cancer, to reduce the symptoms of cancer, asthma,
for problems caused by poor circulation in the legs, for erectile dysfunction, to
depression, to diabetic nephropathy, for fibromyalgia, heart problems, to
improve the memory, migraine, for rehabilitation after a stroke; for vertigo;
for vitiligo and has a D rating, which means that the scientific evidence
suggests that it probably does not work in cases where you have loss of memory
caused by age.
Another study called GEM (very
extensive one conducted by the National Center for Complementary and
Integrative and Integrative Health of the institutes national's health (NIH for
its acronym in English) that assessed the effects of ginkgo balboa in patients
with dementia) studied 3,069 elder who took 120 milligrams, twice a day for an
average of 5.8 years of this supplement and not noticed big difference among
those who did not take ginkgo and which in terms of a the prevention of
Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia caused by age. Patients were
selected randomly. And the dose of 240 mg. daily was selected based on previous
studies that had proven to be the most effective dose.
The researchers have also called
into question its uses to relieve high blood pressure in older adults, as well
as reducing the risk of suffering from any heart condition or cancer. A study
enhanced by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH)
noted that you as part of one of the studies, of 35 patients with peripheral
arterial disease (i.e., decline in the circulation of blood to the legs) 23
received placebo and 12 received ginkgo. Those who received ginkgo reported
improvement in their symptoms. However, due to the fact that the number was so
small in this study, researchers say that it is necessary to conduct more
studies before conclusions.
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