In the first ever randomized controlled trial of gingko biloba and memory using only participants age 85 and older, improved memory is questionable but another finding is even more surprising.In the study of 118 participants, all of whom had no history of memory problems, half took gingo biloba extract three times a day and half took a placebo.

During the course of the study, 21 participants developed questionable dementia, described as mild memory problems. Of these 21 participants, 14 of them were in the control group taking the placebo and seven of them were taking gingko biloba. The difference here is considered statistically insignificant for research values.

One interesting observation is that the study participants taking the extract who reliably followed directions were found to have a lowered risk of mild memory problems over the control group by about 68%.

Another somewhat surprising discovery is that seven of the participants taking the gingo biloba extract suffered a stroke or a mini stroke, known as a transient ischemic attack, while none of the control group taking the placebo did. None of these episodes was considered severe.

Further study revealed the strokes were all caused by blood clots but gingko biloba is suspected of causing complications that lead to bleeding. None of the strokes suffered by study participants was caused by excessive bleeding.

The author of the study, Hiroko Dodge, PhD, of Oregon State University’s Department of Public Health and Center for Healthy Aging Research, would like the study results to be clarified in larger studies. He cites the rapidly growing number of elderly people in our society, at higher risk of developing dementia than the rest of the population, as a major public health concern.

Since gingo biloba is already being widely used, easily accessible, and inexpensive, it would be valuable to know for certain that it is safe and effective in the prevention of age-related cognitive decline.

Full details of the study can be found in the February 27 issue of Neurology, the online journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

Source: American Academy of Neurology

• Based on your own experiences, do you think Ginkgo Biloba helps improve memory?