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Botanicals & Herbs

Ginkgo Biloba

Also known as: Ginkgo, Maidenhair tree, EGb 761

The 200-million-year-old 'memory tree' — studied for decades, with modest vascular and cognitive benefits at best.

  • By IngredientWiki Editorial Team
  • Fact-checked by IngredientWiki Editorial Team
  • Updated 2026-09-26
  • 2 min read

In short

Ginkgo biloba extract comes from the leaves of the oldest surviving tree species, and it is one of the most-studied botanicals in the world — standardized as EGb 761. Its flavonoids and terpenoids improve blood flow and act as antioxidants. The evidence, however, is sobering: ginkgo does not prevent dementia or memory decline in healthy people, though it may modestly help some people with dementia symptoms and peripheral circulation problems like intermittent claudication.

  • Leaf extract of the oldest living tree species
  • Standardized extracts: EGb 761 (24% flavonoids, 6% terpenoids)
  • Does NOT prevent dementia or memory loss in healthy adults
  • Can increase bleeding risk with anticoagulants

What is Ginkgo Biloba?

Ginkgo biloba is a botanical time traveler — its lineage predates the dinosaurs — and a supplement whose popularity outruns its evidence. Standardized leaf extract (EGb 761) improves microcirculation and scavenges free radicals, and European physicians prescribe it for vascular symptoms. But when the landmark GEM study tested ginkgo for dementia prevention in over 3,000 older adults, it found no benefit — the kind of large, independent negative trial that separates ginkgo from its marketing.

Where it comes from

Natural sources

  • Leaves of the Ginkgo biloba tree, native to China
  • Cultivated worldwide; the tree is famously pollution-tolerant
  • Seeds used in some Asian cuisines (not in supplements)

How it's made

Supplements standardize leaf extracts to 24% flavone glycosides and 6% terpene lactones (EGb 761 standard).

What it does in products

  • Improves blood flow and reduces platelet stickiness
  • Antioxidant activity in brain tissue
  • Possible neurotransmitter modulation
  • Mild anti-inflammatory effects

Benefits

Dementia symptoms (established disease)

moderate evidence

In people who already have dementia, EGb 761 may modestly stabilize cognition and daily function, though effect sizes are small and vary across trials.

Memory in healthy adults

strong evidence

Large trials, including the NIH-funded GEM study, found no improvement in memory or prevention of decline in healthy older adults.

Intermittent claudication (leg pain while walking)

moderate evidence

Ginkgo modestly increases pain-free walking distance in peripheral artery disease — a niche but real circulatory benefit.

Tinnitus and vertigo

emerging evidence

Despite traditional use, well-conducted trials show no meaningful benefit for tinnitus; vertigo evidence is mixed and mostly older.

Side effects & safety

Headache, dizziness, and stomach upset (uncommon)Usually mild and transient.
Increased bleeding tendency (rare)Relevant with anticoagulants, aspirin, or before surgery — stop 1–2 weeks prior.

Safety considerations

  • Insufficient safety data in pregnancy; avoid use.
  • Adds to the effect of warfarin, aspirin, and antiplatelet drugs — bleeding risk.
  • May lower the seizure threshold when combined with certain medications.
  • Not for: Bleeding disorders
  • Not for: Planned surgery (stop 1–2 weeks before)
  • Not for: Epilepsy (caution)

How it's used

In supplements

Standard studied dose: 120–240 mg of EGb 761 extract daily, often split into two doses. Effects, when they occur, build over 4–6 months.

Regulatory status

  • Dietary supplement under DSHEA; in Germany, EGb 761 is a licensed medicine for dementia and circulation — a regulatory contrast worth noting.

Popular products containing Ginkgo Biloba

  • Ginkgo Biloba 120 mgNature's Bounty · Supplement
  • Ginkgo Biloba ExtractNOW Foods · Supplement
  • Ginkgo Biloba (EGb 761)Doctor's Best · Supplement

Product names and brands are shown for reference and belong to their respective owners.

What the GEM study changed

Before 2008, ginkgo's cognitive claims rested on small European trials. Then came the Ginkgo Evaluation of Memory (GEM) study: over 3,000 healthy adults aged 75+, randomized to 120 mg of EGb 761 twice daily or placebo for 6 years. Result: no difference in dementia incidence or cognitive decline. Ginkgo remains a plausible aid in established dementia and circulation — but the prevention dream died in that trial.

Frequently asked questions

Does ginkgo really improve memory?

Not in healthy people — the largest trial found no benefit for memory or dementia prevention. The modest evidence is limited to people with existing dementia or circulatory problems, and even there, effects are small.

How long does ginkgo take to work?

For circulation and dementia-related symptoms, trials measure outcomes over 3–6 months. If no benefit appears by then, it is unlikely to appear later.

Who should avoid ginkgo?

Anyone on blood thinners or aspirin, people with bleeding disorders, those scheduled for surgery, and pregnant women. Ginkgo's bleeding risk is its most clinically relevant property.

The bottom line

Ginkgo is a well-studied supplement with modest roles in established dementia and leg circulation — and no role in preventing memory loss in healthy people. If you take it, use standardized EGb 761 and mind the bleeding interactions.

References

  1. Ginkgo. NCCIH (National Institutes of Health). https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/ginkgo
  2. Ginkgo biloba for prevention of dementia (GEM study). JAMA (PubMed). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19017911/
  3. Ginkgo biloba compound records. PubChem (National Library of Medicine). https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/#query=ginkgo%20biloba
  4. Ginkgo for cognitive impairment and dementia (Cochrane review). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19160216/