Ginkgo Works For Me

[wasabi]

I have taken ginkgo for almost ten years now. I have a very good memory. Ginkgo also has some Viagra like effects for me. I read many studies claiming ginkgo does not work at all. So I did a test. I stopped taking ginkgo for just over a month. Within a week I noticed my memory decline. I tested this by using Thai vocabulary lists from my class and seeing how many words I could remember after 1 pass. Towards the end of the month I found it took more and more passes to remember and in some cases I just could not remember. I also found myself forgetting other things like. I wanted more information about the movie 'State of Play' but I could only remember that there was some movie out there with Russell Crowe and had to use Google. I also have been studying C programming. I found myself getting listless and distracted very easy. Also my sex drive went down.

I have now resumed taking Ginkgo for one week. I again did the vocabulary test today and I can remember all the words after 1 pass, it's like this laser turns on and I just pop the words in my head where they stick. I also have been much more attentive in my programming studies and something else has perked up as well which I noticed riding the BTS and seeing some University girls today.

I think some of these studies are total BS. I read one study that tested if Ginkgo prevented Alzheimer's which it didn't and thus they claimed it didn't help with memory. Well who knows at what stage these people started taking Ginkgo and furthermore even if it doesn't stop Alzheimer's that doesn't mean it doesn't help memory in healthy people. While I know research and verifiable science is critical towards medicine. These studies can be titled towards one's bias or just plain shoddy statistical gathering.

Ok I think I'm gonna go ride from On Nut to Mo Chit a few times now.

[popmybubble]

How much ginkgo do you take?

Edited April 24, 2009 by popmybubble

[wasabi]

How much ginkgo do you take?

60 MG twice a day. I also take fish oil.

[zzdocxx]

There's a new combination drug, it combines ginkgo and viagra, it is so you can remember what the <deleted> it was that you were trying to think of.

OK sorry, old joke.

[wasabi]

There's a new combination drug, it combines ginkgo and viagra, it is so you can remember what the <deleted> it was that you were trying to think of.

OK sorry, old joke.

I once suggested my mother take Ginkgo but she said she kept forgetting to take it.

[myauq]

i took gingko a few years ago and i remember mixed results, but i think due to two different batches.

where can you get it from in thailand? or do you order from os over the internet?

[fiddlehead]

Same with echinacea. I swear it works.

Studies say it doesn't

Also same with some healing clay i got in WY many years ago to put on cuts and infections.

Mangosteen is another one. (cancer preventative) but the FDA has made it illegal for some strange reason.

I've read Kevin Trudeau and believe what he says is true.

That the drug companies lobby and get the FDA to do these studies and play with the outcomes.

They don't want us to take herb and natural remedies.

They want us to take their manufactured drugs and pay the big bucks instead.

I'll have to go out and try some gingko.

I don't listen to the govt agencies on this stuff anymore.

I google things and try to read what different users actually say. Not drug companies either.

[dille]

Is there any difference between Gingko and Ginko Biloba? I hear Ginko improve blood circulation.I have always cold foots even here in Thai:)

[bunnaag]

Is there any difference between Gingko and Ginko Biloba? I hear Ginko improve blood circulation.I have always cold foots even here in Thai:)

The correct spelling is as written by the OP GINKGO.The tree is also called Ginkgo Biloba.If you google you will see that some studies claim the medicin made from this tree is useful some say it might even be harmful.It probably depends on the amount you take as always.

[mahtin]

I google things and try to read what different users actually say. Not drug companies either.

Thank you for thinking.

I have also found alternatives

[wasabi]

Is there any difference between Gingko and Ginko Biloba? I hear Ginko improve blood circulation.I have always cold foots even here in Thai:)

It's called Ginkgo. For me personally I am certain it works so the double blind studies funded by Merck can kiss my a$$. I buy it in Boots here and Whole Foods in the USA. Not all brands are created equal so you might have to try a few different ones to find one with true efficacy. It is also a potent blood thinner so don't take it with a few weeks of any surgery.

[SaenYim]

I have taken gingko for years and had the same experience of mental "slowing down" when I ran out. I am 62 and recently did an IQ test which indicated that I have lost no mental acuity since I was in high school. So I would recommend it to anyone who isn't looking forward to wearing diapers and drooling on themselves.

[Sheryl]

Is there any difference between Gingko and Ginko Biloba? I hear Ginko improve blood circulation.I have always cold foots even here in Thai:)

It's called Ginkgo. For me personally I am certain it works so the double blind studies funded by Merck can kiss my a$$.

The study you refer to did not examine ginkgo's effectiveness in aiding memory in normal individuals or slowing down the normal forgetfulness that comes with aging.

It examined whether or not ginkgo would prevent/reduce the incidence of Alzheimer's Disease and other dementias. These are very specific medical conditions associated with pathological physical changes in the brain, not to be confused with the normal reduction in short-term memory that occurs as we age or under when we are under stress, tired etc.

That it does not prevent AD or dementia doesn't in any way mean gingko would not help boost memory or alertness in people not suffering from those conditions. Different problems, different physical mechanisms at work.

My understanding is that as far as its effect in simply boosting memory/mental acuity, studies have shown "ïnconsistent" results, possibly due to variations among them in both the dosages used and the outcome variable measured. In other words, not considered proven or disproven.

Naturally there is a lot more money for and interest in finding ways to treat or prevent AD and dementia than there is in establishing whether or not gingko helps enhance memory in otherwise normal healthy individuals, since these are, from a public health standpoint, much more serious problems.

So we are left pretty much with anecdotal reports and personal experience such as the OP and other posters have offered.

BTW another poster's comment re studies on echinacea is not quite accurate. Past studies have given varying results and the most recent (mainstream) literature suggests effectiveness. See "Evaluation of echinacea for the prevention and treatment of the common cold: a meta-analysis"by Sachin et al in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, Vol. 7 No. 7 pp 473-480.

[desktop]

Started taking Ginkgo years ago for tinnitus. Noticed an increase in mental ability after a couple weeks, did not previously know of this effect.

It also cured my tinnitus. Initial dosage was double the recommended amount, then when tinnitus disappeared, normal dose as written on the bottle.

Still take it occasionally when tinnitus acts up.

[Tolley]

I am not sure about Ginko but fish oil is definitely good for the brain.

In fact i would say that everyone should be taking fish oil at least 3 caps a day.

It is good for many inflammatory conditions.

[Ijustwannateach]

I have had good results with allergies using echinacea, and am inclined to start gingko again if I can get a supply from the states (it's ludicrously expensive here).

[mokwit]

For those of you claiming memory enhncement I would be interesteed in how long you have to take it (and dosage) to get this effect. Is it same day or o you have to take it for a while?

Manufacturers opinion seems to be 3 months but then again the cynic in me suspects that might just be a way to sell you 3 bottles rather than 1 bottle. I tried it for I think around a month and could not feel any effect but am interested again following some of the posts above claiming it is effective - especially for those exasperating loss of flashes of inspiration - drives me nuts.

[mokwit]

Bump.