Gingko Biloba

A feature article by Anthony Kane, May 20, 2004         

Summary: Gingko Biloba is one of the oldest herbal remedies around. Now it is being billed as one of new "smart drugs." It may also have some role in treating ADHD.

 
Ginkgo Biloba is one of the herbal treatments that some people recommend for ADHD. It has been shown to increase blood flow to the brain, and in Alzheimer’s patients has been used with some positive results. It has a reputation as one of the “smart drugs” that are recommended to increase intelligence and intellectual function.

I personally like Ginkgo Biloba. I have been taking it myself for several months in an attempt to improve my intellectual performance. I have noticed some benefit in this area. Also, I seem to need about an hour less sleep a night. With that in mind, if you would like to take it for yourself by all means you should do so.

There is a need for caution, however. Ginkgo Biloba functions by increasing cerebral blood flow. It has been associated with hemorrhagic strokes. I would avoid it if you have high blood pressure, low cholesterol, or a family history of hemorrhagic stroke.

Ginkgo Biloba is not for children. We have no long-term experience with what it does in children and it may not be safe for them. However, for adults, either to improve performance or as a treatment for adult ADHD, particularly with the inattentive subtype, Ginkgo Biloba may be a good choice.

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There is one important point you should know about Ginkgo Biloba. If you want to use it properly, you have to ignore the recommended dosage on the bottle. In clinical studies, Ginkgo Biloba was found to have numerous positive effects on intellectual function. However, these effects were only seen when 120 mg was taken at a time. In studies in which the subjects took 60 mg twice a day, the dose most manufacturer's recommended, there were no positive effects of taking Ginkgo Biloba. Therefore, plan on taking 120 mg at a time once or twice a day. If you don’t do this, don’t bother taking Ginkgo Biloba at all. You are just wasting you money.

Anthony Kane, MD

ADD ADHD Advances

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