What Are the Properties of Ginkgo Biloba?

What Are the Properties of Ginkgo Biloba?

Ginkgo Biloba is one of the best known medicinal plants. This long-lived tree which is originally from China has become an important pillar in the traditional medicine of that country and in the various branches of healthcare that use nature in their favor. But what does it do and how does it pose a benefit for our health? In oneHOWTO we explain what the properties of Ginkgo Biloba are and their effect on our body.

Steps to follow:
1

Gingko biloba for blood circulation

One of the main benefits of ginkgo biloba is that it improves blood circulation due to its flavonoid content. It also helps fight ischemia attacks and other cardiovascular chronic diseases.This in turn helps keep your brain in good condition, favoring concentration and reducing fatigue. Because of this it is highly recommended for elderly people and those suffering from degenerative diseases like Alzheimer's or dementia[1].

2

Boosts energy

Ginkgo biloba is a highly recommended plant to increase energy and improve memory, plus it is a great ally to combat depression, vertigo and and chronic fatigue. It is commonly taken in tea for this reason, though there are other ways to take Gingko biloba.

3

Ginkgo biloba's antioxidant effects

It has a large amount of antioxidants that promote blood circulation, which also helps prevent clots. Ginkgo biloba is a great ally for people who are convalescing after thrombosis, heart problems or strokes. It also reduces lipid levels and protects the heart.

Moreover, it has also been proven to have beneficial effects for neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, riinitus and others[2], although careful medical control is in need if you are taking ginkgo biloba for this purpose.

The active principles of ginkgo biloba have been proven to fight free radicals and also inderectly prevent the creation of their apperanace.

4

Boosts sexual libido

Thanks to its effects on circulation intimate aspects are also favored: ginkgo biloba is one of the recommended herbs to increase sexual desire and improve erections and clitoral sensitivity.

5

Anti-inflammatory properties

Thanks to its anti-inflammatory and circulatory properties, it is highly recommended for patients suffering from diabetes, rheumatic diseases like arthritis and muscle aches.

6

Improves mood

If you have a stressful day to day life, Ginkgo biloba is perfect to combat fatigue, depression, stress and is also good for people with insomnia or sleep difficulties. Ally of anxiety syndromes can be diminished thanks to the alleviating effect of this plant's leaf thanks to the decreasing of corticosteroid levels which leads to an improvement in glucocorticoid circulation.

7

Ginkgo biloba for hair

One of the biggest benefits of ginkgo biloba for hair is that it helps to prevent hair loss. This disorder is very common and, usually, it is due to lack of a correct blood supply. Thanks to the properties of this plant and its contribution in flavonoids and amino acids like arginine, methionine and cystine, which help improve circulation, ginkgo biloba can increase blood flow in the hair follicle.

For this reason, it is highly recommended for people who are losing their hair take it on a regular basis. However, if hair loss is high and there are even alopecia patches, it is best to consult a specialist, since it could be some pathology or deficiency of certain nutrients.

Another of the properties of ginkgo biloba for hair is that it promotes its growth, mainly due to its composition by cysteine and quercetin, that they take part in the formation and nutrition of the hair follicles and the hair. That is why taking ginkgo biloba is highly beneficial for people with different disorders, such as men with alopecia problems or prone to it.

This plant native to China not only helps hair growth, but gives it strength as it reduces the thinness of hair. On the other hand, consuming ginkgo biloba on a daily basis, makes the hair grow bright and healthy, in addition to maintaining it this way continuously.

8

Ginkgo biloba for allergies

Certain components in ginkgo biloba inhibit the factor responsible for triggering some diseases of the immune system, such as allergies and asthma. In the case of asthma, it can also decrease inflammation, diminish bronchospasms and reduce hyperresponiveness in your airways.

9

How to take ginkgo biloba

There are several ways to take ginkgo biloba, if you take it in liquid extract, add between 10 and 30 drops in a glass of water and drink up to three times a day. Capsules or tablets are taken 30 minutes before each meal or 2 hours later. Infusions made with a handful of dry leaves of ginkgo biloba should be consumed up to twice a day.

You should not consume more than 120 mg a day and no more than three doses under any circumstances, as it can cause intestinal problems, the use of untreated parts of the plant should be avoided because they may have a high content of chemicals and produce serious allergies.

10

Contraindications of Ginkgo biloba

Despite having many health benefits, it is always advisable to consult your doctor before you start taking ginkgo biloba. It is also worth remembering that this medicinal plant is contraindicated in several situations, which at oneHOWTO we'd like to highlight:

  • It can cause premature births and it has not been proven safe to ingest it during breastfeeding.
  • If your menstruation is usually very abundant avoid consuming this plant, since it will increase bleeding.
  • As a vasodilator, ginkgo biloba is not recommended for people who have to take anticoagulants, have ulcers, wounds or are going to undergo surgery.
  • It may interact with medications such as aspirin, antidiabetics, anticonvulsants, and ibuprofen.

This article is merely informative, oneHOWTO does not have the authority to prescribe any medical treatments or create a diagnosis. We invite you to visit your doctor if you have any type of condition or pain.

If you want to read similar articles to What Are the Properties of Ginkgo Biloba?, we recommend you visit our Healthy living category.

References
  1. https://bmcgeriatr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2318-10-14
  2. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1750-3841.2007.00597.x/full