By David Blyweiss, Advanced Natural Wellness

I’ve been recommending ginkgo biloba to my patients for years. It’s a marvelous, well-researched way to protect cognition. So imagine my surprise when a recent study landed on my desk claiming that the herb with the funny name doesn’t improve memory nor does it prevent cognitive decline in older people. Excuse me?

As a practicing medical doctor, I have had the benefit of working with patients and have seen first-hand how ginkgo biloba can be effective in improving cognitive function. In an area where there are few other safe, affordable options, I would hate to see this study send the wrong message.

Ginkgo biloba has been taken as a memory enhancer for more than 30 years and, during that time, a multitude of studies show that it is effective in improving cognition and memory.  One such study—reported in the very same journal as this new trial—found that ginkgo can stabilize and improve mental functioning in people taking at least 100 to 200 mg. three times per day.  A study performed 20 years later confirmed that.

Another review of 29 double blind, placebo controlled clinical trials involving more than 2,400 aging men and women found that the long-term use of ginkgo improves selective attention, some executive processes and long-term verbal and non-verbal memory. That said, ginkgo isn’t a magic bullet. As with most chronic degenerative conditions like cognitive decline and Azheimer’s disease, multiple factors—from nutritional deficiencies to environmental toxins—contribute to its development. That means that it’s unlikely that one herb can correct it.

Of course, I’ll continue to recommend ginkgo biloba to my middle age and elderly patients. It’s a safe, effective option for supporting cognitive health. It also enhances circulation and blood flow to the brain—which is critical to a sharp mind. But it isn’t the only step I advise. Along with taking 120 mg. of ginkgo (standardized to contain 6 percent terpene lactones and 24 percent flavone glycosides) twice a day, I tell my patients to get plenty of essential fatty acids by eating fish and taking 2,000 to 3,000 mg. of supplemental fish oil daily.

There is also strong evidence that taking a comprehensive vitamin B complex helps guard against age-related memory loss and dementia. Vitamin B12 helps to make and preserve myelin, the protective sheath that surrounds axons (a long fiber of a nerve cell that acts like a fiber-optic cable carrying outgoing messages). Folic acid, with the aid of B6 and B12, also supports memory by moderating homocysteine—an amino acid found naturally in the body that, in high amounts, is considered a significant risk factor for both heart disease and dementia.

But maintaining your brain power goes beyond popping a handful of pills. It’s also important to eat a clean, whole foods diet, like that eaten in Mediterranean regions. Research suggests that eating this type of diet can protect against mental decline. In fact, new evidence from Columbia University Medical Center shows that people who most closely follow a Mediterranean diet are 45 percent less likely to suffer from cognitive impairment than people who eat the standard American diet. They also significantly lower their risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

Moving your body is also key to better cognition. A growing body of evidence suggests that regular exercise—especially aerobic exercise—can have a positive impact on certain mental functions like memory and recall, concentration, decision-making and complex problem solving.

So don’t buy into the media reports suggesting that you should toss your ginkgo supplements. When used in conjunction with the above nutrients and lifestyle changes, ginkgo can be very helpful in preserving—and even improving—how well your mind works.

References:

Féart C. Adherence to a Mediterranean diet, cognitive decline, and risk of dementia. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2009;302:638-648.

Le Bars PL. A placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized trial of an extract of Ginkgo biloba for dementia. North American EGb Study Group. Journal of the American Medical Association. 1997;278:1327-1332.

Siuda J. From mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer’s disease – influence of homocysteine, vitamin B12 and folate on cognition over time: results from one-year follow-up. Neurologic i Neurochirurgia Polska. 2009;43:321-329.

Snitz BE, O’Meara ES, Carlson MC, et al. Ginkgo biloba for preventing cognitive decline in older adults: a randomized trial. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2009;302:2663-2670