The preparations of ginkgo biloba commonly sold as herbal
supplements are derived from the leaves of the ginkgo
trees, which are probably the longest living in the world
Individual trees are believed to live for up to 1,000 years
and are found most commonly in southern and eastern areas
of the US, southern France, China, and Korea.
Traditional Chinese medicine has made use of the nuts of
the ginkgo tree for around 5,000 years, but the use of the
leaves is a relatively recent European development.
Widespread recognition of the active properties of the
plant have made ginkgo leaf extract products the
best-selling of all herbal medicines and supplements in
Europe, and also placed them in the ten most popular in the
USA, where it's classed as a dietary supplement. In fact
it's estimated that around 2 billion 120 mg doses of
supplement have been sold in the last twenty years alone.
The principal active elements of ginkgo leaf extract are
the flavonoids which, like those derived from other sources
(green tea, for example) are a powerful anti-oxidant; and
terpene lactones.
As an anti-oxidant, ginkgo biloba is particularly effective
in neutralising the most damaging superoxide free radicals
and thereby helping to prevent the atherosclerosis, or
hardening of the arteries, which is a common precursor of
serious cardiovascular disease. And most of the benefits
of ginkgo stem in fact from its effect in improving the
circulation of the blood - as numerous research studies
have demonstrated.
Ginkgo enhanced circulation in the minute capillaries of
the eye has been credited with protecting against
age-related macular degeneration (AMD), cataracts and
diabetic retinopathy. Improved circulation in the ears may
also protect against tinnitus and hearing loss.
Studies using supplementation at 240 mg also demonstrated
improved exercise tolerance and reduced pain in those
suffering from intermittent claudication, or peripheral
vascular disease, – a painful and potentially dangerous
problem with the circulation in the legs.
But as valuable as these effects undoubtedly are, it's as a
stimulant for the brain and a protector against the
dreadful effects of Alzheimer's disease and other causes of
dementia that ginkgo biloba is best known. Although
conventional medicine, as ever, retains its tendency
towards caution when considering the possible effects of
"alternative" remedies, it's generally conceded that ginkgo
biloba has significant therapeutic effects in the treatment
of the early stages of Alzheimer's. The benefits, in fact,
are closely analogous to those of conventional drug
therapies, and although not, of course, offering a cure,
may significantly slow down the progress of this most
devastating disease.
Research studies have also indicated clinically significant
improvements in performance in standard tests of memory and
learning when healthy adults were given supplements at the
level of 180 mg of ginkgo biloba a day for a period of six
weeks. Similar benefits, however, were not shown at lower
levels of supplementation.
The common sense hypothesis is that ginkgo biloba improves
the blood supply and circulation to the brain as it does to
other parts of the body, which can only have a positive
effect on the memory and other cognitive functions of the
organ. Moreover, improved circulation along with ginkgo
biloba's anti-oxidant properties play a major role in
protecting against the circulatory problems which can lead
to stroke, still one of the major causes of premature death
or incapacity in the Western world.
Although the 180 mg daily dose has been shown to be
beneficial, some alternative medical practitioners
recommend higher doses, even as high as 360 mg. The
generally recommended composition of supplements, and that
found in most commercial preparations, is in the
proportions 24% ginkgo flavonoids and 6% terpenes.
Ginkgo biloba is recognised as a safe medication and very
rarely produces any side effects in the otherwise healthy
even in the high doses mentioned above. But it's effect in
improving the circulation by reducing the "stickiness" of
the blood mean it is strongly contra-indicated prior to
surgery and for those already taking blood thinning drugs
such as warfarin.
In summary it may be said that conventional medicine
recognises ginkgo biloba as a potentially effective
treatment for Alzheimer's disease and as an aid to good
circulation with some positive effects in cases of
cerebrovascular disease and peripheral vascular disease in
the legs. Alternative practitioners insist that ginkgo
biloba is also effective in improving memory, learning and
general cognitive function in healthy adults, but orthodox
medicine remains reluctant to endorse these claims.
----------------------------------------------------
Steve Smith is a freelance copywriter specialising in
direct marketing and with a particular interest in health
products. Find out more at
http://www.sisyphuspublicationsonline.com/LiquidNutrition/In
formation.htm
No comments:
Post a Comment