Of Ginkgo, Memory, and Media Madness

Poor Ginkgo Bilboa. This rather innocent tree first came to my attention when I was still a child and the media “rediscovered” this living fossil growing in the living rooms of some monks in China. It doesn’t appear to have been very lost (both the monks and a slew of scientists knew where to find it ) but, whatever. I’m sure the tree recovered, once the paparazzi cleared out. (The monks were thankful, too)

Lost or not, the tree is quite remarkable.

It comes in two sexes; the male trees produce mobile sperm, making it both a rarity in the plant world, and the target of the media baby bump watch. Ginkgo trees were around long before the Jurassic period, where no doubt dinosaur cousins of Geraldo fed on its leaves. Very long lived (A Chinese example is said to be 3,500 years old), they’ve not only survived Geraldo, but the atomic blast in Hiroshima - and only a kilometer or so away from the blast crater. Off topic for MindTweaks, I know, and yet interesting.

But The Media’s most recent obsession over Ginkgo is, actually, on topic. It has to do with the subject of memory-loss.

Ginkgo is one of the most popular herbal supplements in the US. It’s marketed primarily to those hoping to protect their memory/mental function as they age. A lot of studies are available on the subject, some encouraging, some controversial, some inconclusive. The results suggest that gingko may delay or relieve symptoms of early stage Alzheimer’s and certain types of dementia. It may temporarily increase attention spans even in young and healthy subjects. Please note that “may” also implies “may not”.

Regardless, The Media has loved all of this, happily publishing their take on each study, exploiting an aging population’s fears of failing minds and making the herbal companies very happy.

This week, a new study was released. The winds changed. The Ginkgo’s leaves fluttered in the breeze.

And The Media became The Confused.

For your reading pleasure, I offer this sampling of headlines from various online sources.

Ginkgo Biloba May Help In Memory Protection vs Ginkgo biloba may not benefit memory

Clear as mud, right? Try these next two:

Herbal Supplement May Protect Memory After Age 85 and Ginkgo Biloba Might Not Preserve Memory in Octogenarians

Some decided a clearer statement was needed. No more waffle words like “may” or “might not”!

Study debunks ginkgo as memory enhancer and Ginkgo Bilboa Protects Memory

A choice few decided fear-mongering was the way to go - this one for example. (predictably from the UK’s Chicken Little Publication, The Daily Times) Could Ginkgo Cause A Stroke?

Oh. Scary!

So. What DID the study say?

Overall, it was inconclusive. The results are more about the future studies that need to be done, and less about actual actionable information.

Here’s the reason for the confusion:

118 people, age 84 and over, were given either ginkgo, or a placebo.

• 21 people developed a very mild dementia - 14 from the placebo group, 7 from the ginkgo group. The researchers don’t consider this a statistical difference, so they concluded they saw no significant memory or dementia result from the ginkgo use. (50% seems significant to me, but… I’m not a researcher.)Journalist interpretation: Ginkgo doesn’t work!
• - Some of the subjects did not take the supplements as directed. When the numbers were adjusted to only include those who took Ginkgo as recommended dose, the reasearchers felt the results DID show a protective effect against dementia.Journalist interpretation: Ginkgo works!
  
• - Seven subjects from the ginkgo group suffered small strokes, or “warning strokes” while in the study. The researchers felt this was a significant enough number to indicate a need for further study, but it is also possible it was a statistical quirk. (These were patients over age 84, after all). Additionally, ginkgo has been shown to cause bleeding - the strokes in question were related to blood clots, the opposite effect, so if there is a ginkgo/stroke link, something very unexpected is at work.Journalist interpretation: Gingko Causes Strokes!
• End result? The study was too small to draw clear conclusions about the effectiveness or risk of Gingko. It did what pilot studies are supposed to do — it pointed to areas that need more study, and pointed out potential problems.But even if this study had been conclusive, it was short term, done only on elderly but healthy subjects, and in regards to mild dementia/memory loss. It would have said little or nothing about the long term effects of Gingko on younger subjects, or on those already exhibiting symptoms, or or or…MindTweaks interpretation: Journalists can’t read!

So what should you do?

Ginkgo is not expensive. Taken at recommended doses, it runs $5-$20 a month. Studies generally seem show a very low risk of side effects, unless you’re also on a blood thinning drug like wayfarin, or perhaps consistent use of ibuprofin or the like. So if you’re taking it, your doctor doesn’t object, and you think it helps, feel free to ignore the hype and keep taking it. If you think you want to give it a whirl, check with your doctor, then whirl away.

In another day or so, the Ginkgo hysteria will have worn off. The Health News Paparazzi will be applying their sensationalizing talents to the Next Big Study, most likely something to do with their perpetual stalkee, Weight Loss. (Obesity and Anorexia have both filed for restraining orders).

So our dear and ancient Ginkgo Bilboa tree can rest calmly out of the spotlight of celebrity gossip.

Well, at least for a few months, until the BIG study comes out. (It seems that a branch of the National Institutes of Health is working on the “Ginkgo in Evaluation of Memory (GEM) Study” which includes 3,000 participants in 4 locations.

The results, and the return of Ginkgo hysteria are expected this spring.

____________________________________

MindTweak: “Nothing to do now but go home,” said Turkey Lurkey.
And so they did.

___________________________________