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Ginkgo does not quiet ringing in the ears
15/01/2001 12:35 - (SA)
New York - Although the herbal supplement
Ginkgo biloba has been touted as a remedy for ringing in the
ears, researchers in the UK have found the claim does not ring
true.
A health-food store staple, ginkgo is marketed as a remedy
for dizziness, memory loss and other problems that can be related
to poor blood circulation to the brain - including ringing in the
ears, or tinnitus.
A number of European studies have suggested ginkgo
supplements do indeed improve circulation, and extracts from the
Ginkgo biloba tree have been used in Chinese medicine for
thousands of years.
However, the herb's effects on tinnitus have been difficult
to weed out. Tinnitus is a common problem with a variety of
causes, from exposure to loud noises to the side effects of
certain medications. So ginkgo's usefulness for tinnitus may be
limited only to people who have it as a result of circulation
problems, Dr Shelley Drew of the University of Birmingham, UK,
told Reuters Health.
And her team's study of nearly 1 000 people with tinnitus
would seem to confirm that idea. Drew and colleagues found that a
12-week regimen of ginkgo supplements had no effect on the
patients' conditions. The results are published in the January
13th issue of the British Medical Journal.
The researchers had half of the patients take gingko three
times a day, while the other half received an inactive placebo.
After 12 weeks of treatment, the gingko group was no more likely
to have found relief than the placebo group.
According to Drew, ginkgo's effectiveness on tinnitus likely
varies by the cause of the problem. She noted that although the
study participants were questioned about symptoms of poor blood
circulation - such as headaches and tiredness - they may not have
actually had poor circulation.
And Drew is not ready to dismiss ginkgo. "If I had tinnitus
and was particularly suffering with it,'' she said, "with the lack of other treatments at the moment I would probably try Ginkgo biloba just in case.''
Drew added, however, that due to ginkgo's effects on
circulation, people - especially those with known cardiovascular
problems - should consult their doctor before taking the
supplement.
- Reuters
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