Ginkgo biloba
Here we look at the claims for Ginkgo biloba.
Treatment details
Type
Dietary supplement
Safety
Evidence of harm
Efficacy
Evidence that it is not effective
Recommended?
No
The makers claim
Reduces or eliminates the perception of tinnitus.
What is the treatment?
Ginkgo biloba supplements are generally in the form of small tablets, but can be combined with other vitamins and minerals in tablets or capsules.
What are the downsides of this treatment?
Potential side effects, allergic reactions and drug interactions from constituents[1].
Has there been research into this treatment?
Yes, there are over 50 published papers on the effects of Ginkgo biloba.
What does the research say?
The limited evidence does not demonstrate that Ginkgo biloba is effective for tinnitus when this is the primary complaint.[2]
It does not reduce the intensity of tinnitus or improve quality of life.[3]
Although independent evidence is limited, what there is does not show that Ginkgo biloba is
effective for tinnitus. The potential side effects may cause serious harm. We would suggest you
talk to your GP before taking any new medication or supplement.
“Dietary supplements should not be recommended to treat tinnitus”[4]
Comments
Practice guidelines do not recommend the use of Ginkgo biloba as a treatment for tinnitus.
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Give what you canAll online references accessed 17 October 2022 unless noted.
1. Drugsite Trust. Ginkgo biloba. Available from https://www.drugs.com/cdi/ginkgo-biloba.html
2. Hilton MP, Zimmermann EF, Hunt WT. Ginkgo biloba for tinnitus. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (2013),
Issue 3. Art. No.: CD003852. doi:
10.1002/14651858.CD003852.pub3.
3. Kramer F, Ortigoza Á. Ginkgo biloba for the treatment of tinnitus.
Medwave. (2018) Oct 17;18(6):e7295.
English, Spanish. doi: 10.5867/
medwave.2018.06.7294. Erratum in:
Medwave. (2018) Nov 13;18(7):e7337.
4. Coelho C, Tyler R et al. Survey on the Effectiveness of Dietary Supplements to Treat Tinnitus. American Journal of Audiology. (2016) 25(3): 184-205
5. British Society of Audiology. Practice Guidance – Tinnitus in Adults. (2021) Available from: www.thebsa.org.uk/resources/practice-guidance-tinnitus-in-adults/
6. Tunkel DE, Bauer CA, Sun GH, et al. Clinical Practice Guideline: Tinnitus. Otolaryngology–Head and Neck
Surgery. (2014);151(2_suppl): S1-S40.
doi:10.1177/0194599814545325