Ginkgo May Support the Health of Multiple Sclerosis Patients

VRP Staff

Ginkgo biloba extract may improve functional performance in individuals with multiple sclerosis, a new pilot study suggests.

In the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 11 subjects with MS consumed 240 mg of ginkgo in divided doses per day for four weeks and 11 subjects received a placebo.

The results indicate that in the ginkgo group, there were significantly more subjects who experienced decreased fatigue and symptom severity, and improved functionality. Compared with the placebo group, the ginkgo group also exhibited less fatigue at follow-up.

According to the study authors, “This exploratory pilot study showed that no adverse events or side effects were reported and that ginkgo exerted modest beneficial effects on select functional measures (e.g., fatigue) among some individuals with MS.”

Reference:
Johnson SK, Diamond BJ, Rausch S, Kaufman M, Shiflett SC, Graves L. The Effect of Ginkgo Biloba on Functional Measures in Multiple Sclerosis: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial. Explore: The Journal of Science and Healing. 2006 Jan; 2(1):19-24.