Ginkgo and high blood pressure association

The relationship between ginkgo and high blood pressure remains of ongoing interest to researchers and blood pressure sufferers alike. Some credible studies indicate that ginkgo biloba has some cardioprotective powers. Ginkgo which is also sometimes spelled as gingko is native to China. The Ginkgo tree from which ginkgo comes from has a history of no less than 250 million years. It's considered a prehistoric tree not to mention it's been always a part of Chinese traditional medicine. However, today the tree is grown all around the world.

The cardioprotective powers that the tree has is attributable to its antioxidant, antiplatelet, antithrombotic, and vasodilatory properties. In particular, ginkgo holds some promise of preventing and treating ischemic cardiac syndrome. Apparently, treating hypertension is an important part of preventing cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Researchers have theorized that there could be some antihypertensive benefits to be realized in using ginkgo by patients suffering from high blood pressure. To that end, in a study involving rats, ginkgo biloba was administered to hypertensive rats. The result was that both systolic and diastolic blood pressure numbers significantly reduced. Systolic blood pressure was 11–21% lower whilst diastolic blood pressure was 7–10% lower.

Perhaps the most astonishing observation from the study was that rats which had normal blood pressure, which is also refereed to as being normotensive, did not have their blood pressure altered in any way.  In addition, the reduction in high blood pressure using ginkgo appeared to occur early in the development of high blood pressure.

Ginkgo and High Blood Pressure in Humans

If ginkgo biloba produced these promising results in rats, the natural question for many would be what's in store for humans. Our findings are that the word "out there" about the said benefits of ginkgo in humans is largely unscientific, at this point, and could be a product of traditional medicine folklore.

Ginkgo and high blood pressure benefits in humans is not that conclusive at least according to conclusions of studies we have had sight of. This may also be a result of a limited number of studies that have investigated the effect of ginkgo biloba on blood pressure when administered to humans.

A study carried out over a period of six weeks and involving a group of young people with normal blood pressure did not indicate any change in blood pressure. This appears to be consistent with the lab study using rats. Another ginkgo study involving slightly older individuals at pre-hypertensive stage carried out over a period of 3 months showed a decrease in both systolic (6%) and diastolic (21%) blood pressure numbers.

Even with these results, researchers would not conclusively say ginkgo has a beneficial effect on high blood pressure in humans. They worry that the treatment period and study groups involved in the forgoing studies need to be increased. They say the studies need to be larger and randomized.

The belief that points to an association between ginkgo and high blood pressure in humans may also be out of a theoretical understanding that terpenoids such as ginkgolides found in ginkgo have a positive impact on blood flow by way of blood vessel dilation and their ability to reduce the stickiness of platelets. This is according to information published by the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Other effective plant based blood pressure remedies such as celery produce a similar vessel dilation effect.

Does Ginkgo Cause High or Low Blood Pressure?

Contrary to some held views, the studies highlighted here conducted in both rats and humans do not report ginkgo causing high blood pressure or lowering normal blood pressure.

We have however come across information warning about the possibility of ginkgo having negative effects on blood pressure. In virtually all cases we have examined, we have not been able to find any credible scientific backup as to why ginkgo would cause high blood pressure or low blood pressure.

We therefore presently consider insinuations that ginkgo causes high blood pressure or low blood pressure as mere statements which are yet to be supported by some published scientific research.

Ginkgo and High Blood Pressure Medication Interaction

While there maybe lacking a conclusive scientific position on the effect of ginkgo on blood pressure in humans, scientific research can confirm that ginkgo does interact not only with high blood pressure medications but with just about any drugs. This is also the case with a variety of herbs used to treat all kinds of ailments including high blood pressure.

For example, Mayo Clinic states that ginkgo can lower blood sugar. This has implications on individuals taking diabetic medication or those taking medication seeking to lower blood sugar level. This same applies to individuals taking drugs that increase the risk of bleeding such as aspirin. 

In a nutshell, ginkgo treats a wide variety of ailments and therefore possibly interacts with almost an unlimited number of medications. We recommend close guidance from a medical professional when on certain drugs and intending to use ginkgo.

Some Known Ginkgo Side Effects

1. Bleeding (most worrying side effect)
2. Drowsiness and sedation
3. Low blood sugar levels
4. Pregnant women or those trying to conceive to use with caution
5. Allergy
6. Forceful heart beat
7. Constipation
8. Risk of liver and thyroid cancers (at least in animals)
9. Might cause seizures
10. Infertility

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