GINKGO
Ginkgo comes from one of the oldest tree species on earth, and its leaf extract is one of the most studied herbs for memory and circulation. The research is mixed, so I'm sharing both sides here.
Short on time or energy? A quick-view graphic with the key points is at the bottom of this post.
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WHAT IS GINKGO?
- Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) is one of the oldest living tree species. Supplements are made from an extract of the leaves.
- Many leaf extracts are standardized, which means each batch has a set amount of ginkgo's natural compounds, such as ginkgo flavone glycosides (flavonoids) and terpene lactones (including ginkgolides).
- Ginkgo is best known for supporting circulation and memory.
GINKGO OPTIONS
One I personally love: Find Relief, formulated by my doctor, Dr. Thoring.
I invested in Vital Harmony Nutritionals to help bring Find Relief to market, because I wanted a formula that saves people money.
Buy here (Pure Encapsulations Ginkgo 50 160mg: standardized leaf extract capsules):
Buy here (Gaia Herbs Ginkgo: Circulation Support: organic whole-leaf liquid-filled capsules):
Buy here (NOW Ginkgo Biloba 120mg: lower-priced standardized capsules, also contains eleuthero):
Buy here (Douglas Labs Ginkgo Biloba Max-V 60mg: standardized leaf extract capsules):
WHAT LYME-LITERATE DOCTORS SAY
- For ringing in the ears (tinnitus) with Lyme, Dr. Marty Ross includes ginkgo among his natural support ideas. He suggests 80 mg twice a day, since ginkgo might help blood flow. In his experience, it takes 4 to 6 months to know if it's helping.
- The research on ginkgo for ear ringing is mixed (see MORE RESEARCH WITH MIXED RESULTS below).
MEMORY AND THINKING
- A 2026 Cochrane review (a very careful type of review) looked at 82 studies with 10,613 people.
- In people with dementia, ginkgo may offer small to moderate benefits for thinking, daily activities and overall condition after 6 months. The evidence was rated low certainty.
- In people with mild cognitive impairment (12 studies, 1,913 people), ginkgo probably made little or no difference after 6 months.
- For people with memory complaints but no diagnosis, it's still uncertain whether ginkgo helps. One larger 3-month study in this group found side effects may be a bit more common with ginkgo.
- In the mild cognitive impairment and dementia studies, side effects were about the same with ginkgo as with placebo.
BRAIN FOG AFTER AN INFECTION
- Many of us with Lyme know brain fog well, so this newer research on brain fog after COVID is worth watching.
- In a 2022 report of 5 adults with trouble focusing, other thinking problems and/or fatigue 9 to 35 weeks after COVID, 80 mg of ginkgo extract twice a day was followed by big improvements or full recovery in thinking within 6 months. Fatigue and loss of smell also improved in those who had them. There was no comparison group, and one author worked for the extract's maker.
- A 2024 review named ginkgo and rhodiola as the best-studied herbs for brain fog and fatigue after COVID, but said the results are still early.
- A large placebo-controlled trial planned for 400 people with brain fog after COVID is under way (plan published in 2026). The results aren't out yet. The extract's maker is funding it.
BLOOD FLOW AND CIRCULATION
- Older small study (2011): 9 healthy men (average age 61) took 60 mg of ginkgo extract twice a day for 4 weeks. Brain scans showed a small rise in overall blood flow in the brain, about 13 to 15%. There was no comparison group.
- Ginkgo contains ginkgolide B, which blocks the receptor for PAF (platelet-activating factor), a chemical that helps platelets clump together (2024 review). Memorial Sloan Kettering notes that ginkgo's effect on platelets may make bleeding last longer, which is why it needs extra care with blood thinners.
- A 2026 review of 9 trials (2,394 people, mostly with dementia) found ginkgo lowered how bad dizziness and vertigo felt and was well tolerated. The authors said more trials are needed, since most of the people studied had dementia.
INFLAMMATION AND CYTOKINES
- A 2022 review of 17 trials (1,104 people) found ginkgo leaf extract lowered three inflammation markers compared with placebo: CRP, IL-6 and TNF-alpha. The drop in CRP showed up mainly in people whose CRP started at 3 or higher.
- A 2026 review found that in lab and animal research, ginkgo extract calms inflammatory cytokines and the NF-kB pathway and supports antioxidant balance. The authors said bigger studies in people are still needed.
MAST CELLS AND LEUKOTRIENES
- Mast cells make PAF, and PAF can also trigger mast cells to release their contents (2024 review). Since ginkgolide B blocks PAF's receptor, this is a possible link, but it hasn't been studied in people.
- Ginkgo hasn't been shown to calm mast cells in people. It is not an antihistamine or a proven mast cell stabilizer.
- Older lab study (2005): ginkgetin, a compound from ginkgo leaves, blocked 5-LOX (the enzyme that makes leukotrienes) and COX-2 in mouse mast cells, and lowered how much the mast cells released. This was a lab study only.
A note from me: this list doesn't cover everything. Ginkgo may offer more benefits than I've included here. I'm sharing the uses that are best known or most studied as of today, from sources I trust. Research keeps growing, and one post can only cover so much.
BEFORE YOU START
- Read the warning on each bottle.
- Ginkgo may raise the risk of bleeding. Talk with your doctor first if you take blood thinners, aspirin, clopidogrel or pain relievers like ibuprofen.
- If you have surgery planned, let your surgeon know. Anesthesia groups advise stopping herbal supplements 1 to 2 weeks before a planned surgery.
- If you've ever had seizures, talk with your doctor first. Ginkgo has been linked to seizures in people who are prone to them.
- Ginkgo can change how some medicines work, including insulin, so check with your doctor or pharmacist.
- If you're pregnant or nursing, talk with your doctor first. Most of the products above say not to use them while pregnant or nursing.
- Always ask your doctor before adding anything new.
MY EXPERIENCE
I take ginkgo every day as part of Find Relief.
FIND RELIEF HIGHLIGHT
- Ginkgo is in Find Relief, at 30 mg of ginkgo biloba extract (standardized to 22–27% ginkgo flavone glycosides) per 3-capsule serving.
- People in the studies above often took 120 to 240 mg a day. Dr. Thoring included ginkgo in a smaller amount on purpose, because the ingredients in Find Relief are chosen to work together.
- How it works with grape seed extract and green tea extract: ginkgo supports healthy blood flow in the tiny blood vessels and mental clarity, grape seed helps protect the lining of blood vessels, capillaries and collagen, and green tea adds antioxidant protection for blood vessels and nerves. Together they support circulation and clear thinking.
FIND RELIEF - GINKGO BILOBA, GRAPE SEED EXTRACT, AND GREEN TEA EXTRACT: CIRCULATION AND COGNITIVE SUPPORT
- Ginkgo also plays a smaller, supporting part in the formula's leukotriene support:
FIND RELIEF - LEUKOTRIENE-PATHWAY SUPPORT
- See every Find Relief post in one place:
FIND RELIEF DIRECTORY
MORE RESEARCH WITH MIXED RESULTS
- Ear ringing: a 2022 Cochrane review of 12 studies (1,915 people) couldn't say for sure whether ginkgo helps tinnitus compared with placebo. The evidence was low to very low certainty.
- Leg circulation: an older Cochrane review (2013) of 14 trials (739 people) with poor leg circulation (peripheral artery disease) found no meaningful benefit for walking distance.
- Multiple sclerosis: in the 2026 Cochrane review, ginkgo probably made little or no difference for thinking problems in 2 studies (164 people) with MS after 3 months.
- Memorial Sloan Kettering notes that large studies, including the GEM study in older adults, generally found ginkgo did not improve thinking or prevent dementia.
RELATED POSTS
BRAIN FOG - POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
EAR ISSUES (RINGING, HEARING AND PAIN)
VERTIGO AND DIZZINESS
SOURCES
Dr. Marty Ross, natural tinnitus supports in Lyme disease (2026)
Wieland et al., Cochrane review, ginkgo for memory and dementia (2026)
Zifko et al., ginkgo and brain fog after COVID, 5 cases (2022)
Mueller and Müller, ginkgo and rhodiola for post-COVID review (2024)
Matias-Guiu et al., post-COVID ginkgo trial plan (2026)
Mashayekh et al., ginkgo and brain blood flow (2011, older source, still worth reading)
Ye et al., ginkgolide B review (2024)
Jeon et al., ginkgo and dizziness review (2026)
Mousavi et al., ginkgo and inflammation markers review (2022)
Lin et al., ginkgo and chronic inflammation review (2026)
Choi and Ye, PAF and mast cells review (2024)
Son et al., ginkgetin and mast cells, lab study (2005, older source, still worth reading)
Mai et al., ginkgo drug interactions and bleeding (2025)
Elvir Lazo et al., herbal supplements before surgery (2024)
Memorial Sloan Kettering, About Herbs: Ginkgo (2023)
Sereda et al., Cochrane review, ginkgo for tinnitus (2022)
Nicolaï et al., Cochrane review, ginkgo for leg circulation (2013, older source, still worth reading)
Disclaimer: Rise Above Lyme makes no claims about any possible benefit of using any product mentioned within this site. Always consult with your doctor before adding anything. The information shared is based on personal experience, years of accumulated researched resources from Lyme Literate doctors and polls conducted within Lyme groups from actual patient experience using these solution ideas.
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