Turmeric: Helpful for Dyspepsia, Indigestion and Other Types of Digestive Relief

Turmeric is a widely used tropical herb in the ginger family. Its stalk is used both in food and medicine, yielding the familiar yellow ingredient that colors and adds flavor to curry. In the traditional Indian system of herbal medicine known as Ayurveda, turmeric is believed to strengthen the overall energy of the body, relieve gas, dispel worms, improve digestion, regulate menstruation, dissolve gallstones, and relieve arthritis, among other uses.

Modern interest in turmeric began in 1971 when Indian researchers found evidence suggesting that turmeric may possess anti-inflammatory properties. Much of this observed activity appeared to be due to the presence of a constituent called curcumin.¹ Curcumin is also an antioxidant.² Many of the studies mentioned in this article used curcumin rather than turmeric.

What Is Turmeric Used for Today?

Turmeric’s antioxidant abilities make it a good food preservative, provided that the food is already yellow in color, and it is widely used for this purpose.

Turmeric has been proposed as a treatment for dyspepsia. Dyspepsia is a catchall term that includes a variety of digestive problems, such as stomach discomfort, gas, bloating, belching, appetite loss, and nausea. Although many serious medical conditions can cause digestive distress, the term dyspepsia is most often used when no identifiable medical cause can be detected.

In Europe, dyspepsia is commonly attributed to inadequate bile flow from the gallbladder. While this has not been proven, turmeric does appear to stimulate the gallbladder.⁸ More importantly, one double-blind, placebo-controlled study suggests that turmeric does reduce dyspepsia symptoms.⁹

Another double-blind, placebo-controlled study suggests that, when taken along with standard medications, curcumin can help maintain remission in people with ulcerative colitis.⁴⁰

Based on test tube studies, animal studies, and some preliminary human trials, curcumin and turmeric are frequently described as anti-inflammatory drugs and recommended for the treatment of such conditions as osteoarthritis (OA) and menstrual pain.^3,17,18 In a 2011 study, researchers investigated the efficacy and safety of turmeric for treating knee OA.⁴⁵ One hundred and seven people were randomized to receive ibuprofen (800 mg daily) or turmeric (2 grams daily) for 6 weeks. Both groups experienced a similar degree of improvement in their symptoms, and the side effects did not differ between the groups. Although this study is far from conclusively, some advocates suggest that curcumin is superior to standard medications in the ibuprofen family because, at standard doses, there is comparatively little evidence of harm to the stomach.^4,5 Contrary to some reports, turmeric does not appear to be effective for treating ulcers.^6,7

Animal and test tube studies suggest (but definitely do not prove) that turmeric might help prevent cancer.^19-26

Weak evidence hints that curcumin might help prevent the heart and kidney injury potentially caused by the chemotherapy drug doxorubicin.^41-42

Some researchers have reported evidence that curcumin or turmeric might generally help protect the liver from damage.^28-31 However, other researchers have failed to find any liver protective effects, and there are even some indications that turmeric extracts can damage the liver when taken in high doses or for an extended period.^32,33

On the basis of even weaker evidence, curcumin or turmeric have also been recommended for preventing Alzheimer’s disease, cataracts, chronic anterior uveitis (an inflammation of the iris of the eye), fungal infections, multiple sclerosis, and treating high cholesterol.^12,34-39,46

One preliminary study failed to find curcumin helpful for lichen planus, a disease of the skin and mucous membranes.⁴³

A 6-month, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 36 seniors failed to find that consumption of curcumin (at a dose of up to 4 g daily) led to improvements in cholesterol profile.⁴⁴

What Is the Scientific Evidence for Turmeric?

Dyspepsia

A double-blind, placebo controlled study performed in Thailand compared the effects of 500 mg curcumin 4 times daily against placebo, as well as against a locally popular over-the-counter treatment. A total of 116 people were enrolled in the study. After 7 days, 87% percent of the curcumin group experienced full or partial symptom relief from dyspepsia as compared to 53% of the placebo group, and this difference was statistically significant.⁹

Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative colitis is a disease of the lower digestive tract marked by alternating periods of quiescence and flare-up. Curcumin has shown some promise for helping to maintain remission and prevent relapse. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 89 people with quiescent ulcerative colitis were given either placebo or curcumin (1 g twice daily) along with standard treatment.⁴⁰ Over the six-month treatment period, relapse rate was significantly lower in the treatment group as compared to the placebo group.

Dosage

For medicinal purposes, turmeric is frequently taken in a form standardized to curcumin content, at a dose that provides 400 to 600 mg of curcumin 3 times daily.

Safety Issues

Turmeric is on the FDA’s GRAS (generally recognized as safe) list, and curcumin, too, is believed to be fairly nontoxic.^1,16 Reported side effects are uncommon and are generally limited to mild stomach distress.

However, there is some evidence to suggest that turmeric extracts can be toxic to the liver when taken in high doses or for a prolonged period of time.^32,33 For this reason, turmeric products should probably be avoided by individuals with liver disease and those who take medications that are hard on the liver.

In addition, due to curcumin’s stimulating effects on the gallbladder, individuals with gallbladder disease should use curcumin only on the advice of a physician. However, safety in young children, pregnant or nursing women, and those with severe kidney disease have also not been established.

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Click here to review the References for this article at the iHerb Health Library.

Avoiding Foods That Cause Heartburn

Foods usually do not cause heartburn, but they can aggravate your condition and cause symptoms. Certain foods can cause symptoms by relaxing the lower esophageal sphincter, which allows digestive juices to splash up into the esophagus, thus irritating the esophagus.

Everyone reacts to foods differently, so keep track of the foods you eat and your symptoms. Share this information with your doctor.

The foods that most commonly cause symptoms of heartburn include:

Acidic foods, such as:

• Citrus foods: oranges, grapefruits, and their juices
• Tomatoes and tomato products

Fatty or greasy foods, such as:

• Whole-milk dairy products, including cream
• Chocolates
• Fried foods
• Spicy foods

Nuts

Alcohol

Caffeinated beverages

Some herbal products (eg, peppermint tea)

Be careful not to overeat and do not lie down right after eating. Both of these actions can cause heartburn symptoms. Give your body time to digest. Also, try to avoid late meals.

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RESOURCES:

American Gastroenterological Association

International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders

CANADIAN RESOURCES:

Canadian Institute for Health Information

Health Canada

REFERENCES:

American College of Gastroenterology. The American College of Gastroenterology website. Available at: http://www.gi.org/ . Accessed June 30, 2008.

Duyff RL. The American Dietetic Association’s Complete Food & Nutrition Guide . 3rd ed. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc; 2006.

DynaMed Editors. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: http://www.ebscohost.com/dynamed/what.php. Updated June 14, 2010. Accessed June 16, 2010.

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Proposed Natural Treatments for Nausea

Nausea can be caused by many factors, including stomach flu, viral infections of the inner ear (labyrinthitis), motion sickness, pregnancy, and chemotherapy. If you are continually nauseous, it can be more disabling than chronic pain. Successful treatment can make an enormous difference in your quality of life.

The sensation of nausea can originate in either the nervous system or the digestive tract itself. Most conventional treatments for nausea, such as Dramamine and Compazine, act on the nervous system, but products like Pepto-Bismol soothe the digestive tract directly.

Principal Proposed Natural Treatments

The herb ginger has become a widely accepted treatment for nausea of various types. Vitamin B 6 may be helpful for the nausea of pregnancy.

Ginger

Limited scientific evidence suggests that the herb ginger can be helpful for various forms of nausea.⁶⁵

Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy

• Four double-blind, placebo-controlled studies enrolling at total of 246 women found ginger more effective than placebo for treatment of morning sickness.⁶⁶
• For example, a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 70 pregnant women evaluated the effectiveness of ginger for morning sickness.¹ Participants received either placebo or 250 mg of powdered ginger 3 times daily for a period of 4 days. The results showed that ginger significantly reduced nausea and vomiting. No significant side effects occurred.
• Benefits were also seen in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 27 women,² and in a poorly designed double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 26 women.⁴⁸
• One study of 138 women and another of 291 women found ginger as effective for morning sickness as vitamin B 6.^58,59 Unfortunately, neither of these studies used a placebo group. Since there is only one study indicating that vitamin B 6 is effective (see above), it isn’t quite ready to be used as a “gold standard” treatment. Comparing one unproven treatment to another without using a placebo group leaves much to be desired.

Note: Ginger has not been proven safe for pregnant women.

Motion Sickness

• A double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 79 Swedish naval cadets found that 1 g of ginger could decrease vomiting and cold sweating without significantly decreasing nausea and vertigo.³ Benefits were also seen in a double-blind study of 36 individuals given ginger, dimenhydrinate, or placebo.⁴
• In addition, a double-blind comparative study that followed 1,489 individuals aboard a ship found ginger to be equally effective as various medications (cinnarizine, cinnarizine with domperidone, cyclizine, dimehydrinate with caffeine, meclizine with caffeine, and scopolamine).⁵ Another double-blind study found equivalent benefit of ginger at a dose of 500 mg every 4 hours and dimenhydrinate (100 mg every 4 hours) in a group of 60 passengers aboard a ship.⁶ Similar results were also seen in a small double-blind study involving children.⁷
• However, a 1984 study funded by NASA found that ginger was not any more effective than placebo at reducing the symptoms of nausea caused by a vigorous nausea-provoking method⁸ Negative results were also seen in another study that used a strong nausea stimulus.⁹
• Put all together, these studies paint a picture of a treatment that is somewhat effective for motion sickness but cannot overcome severe nausea.

Post-Surgical Nausea

• A British double-blind study compared the effects of ginger, placebo, and the drug metoclopramide in the treatment of nausea following gynecological surgery.¹⁰ The results in 60 women showed that both treatments produced similar benefits compared to placebo.
• A similar British study followed 120 women receiving gynecological surgery.¹¹ Whereas nausea and vomiting developed in 41% of participants given placebo, in the groups treated with ginger or metoclopramide (Reglan), these symptoms developed in only 21% and 27%, respectively. Benefits were also seen in a double-blind study of 80 people.⁵¹
• However, 3 other studies enrolling a total of about 400 people failed to find ginger more effective than placebo.^12,13,60
• A 2004 article that reviewed all this evidence concluded that, on balance, evidence suggests that ginger is not effective for post-surgical nausea.⁶¹

Warning: Do not use ginger either before or immediately after surgery or labor and delivery without a physician’s approval. Not only is it important to have an empty stomach before undergoing anesthesia, there are theoretical concerns that ginger may affect bleeding.

For more information, including additional dosage and safety issues, see the full Ginger article.

Acupressure/Acupuncture

A single acupuncture point—P6—has traditionally been thought to be helpful for relief of various forms of nausea and vomiting. This point is located on the inside of the forearm, about 2 inches above the wrist crease. Most studies have investigated the effects of pressure on this point (acupressure) rather than needling. The most common methods involve a wristband with a pearl-sized bead in it situated over P6. The band exerts pressure on the bead while it is worn, and the user can press on the bead for extra stimulation.

Although the research record is mixed, on balance it appears that P6 stimulation offers benefits for various types of nausea. This approach has been studied in anesthesia-induced nausea, the nausea and vomiting of pregnancy, and other forms of nausea.

Anesthesia-induced Nausea

• General anesthetics and other medications used for surgery frequently cause nausea.
• At least 8 controlled studies enrolling a total of more than 750 women undergoing gynecologic surgery found that P6 stimulation reduced post-surgical nausea as compared to placebo.^20-25,52,53
• On the negative side, a double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 410 women undergoing gynecological surgery failed to find P6 acupressure more effective than fake acupressure. (Both were more effective than no treatment).⁵⁴ A small trial of acupuncture in gynecological surgery also failed to find benefit ²⁶, as did three studies of acupressure for women undergoing C-section.^68-70
• Studies of acupuncture or acupressure in other forms of surgery have produced about as many negative results as positive ones.^{27-33,46,55,62,63}

Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy

• Several controlled studies have evaluated the benefits of acupressure or acupuncture for morning sickness. The results for acupressure have generally been more positive than for acupuncture.
• For example, a double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 97 women found evidence that wristband acupressure may work.³⁴ Participants wore either a real wristband or a phony one that appeared identical. Both real and fake acupressure caused noticeable improvement in more than half of the participants. However, women using the real wristband showed better results in terms of the duration of nausea. Intensity of the nausea symptoms was not significantly different between groups.
• These results are consistent with previous studies of acupressure for morning sickness.^36,37,56 However, two studies failed to find benefit failed to find benefit for severe morning sickness.^71-72
• However, one large trial of acupuncture instead of acupressure failed to find benefit. This single-blind, placebo-controlled study of 593 pregnant women with morning sickness compared the effects of traditional acupuncture, acupuncture at P6 only, acupuncture at “wrong” points (sham acupuncture), and no treatment.⁴⁷ Women in all three treatment groups (including the fake acupuncture group) showed significant improvements in nausea and dry retching compared to the no-treatment group. However, neither form of real acupuncture proved markedly more effective than fake acupuncture.

Motion Sickness

Studies are conflicting on whether acupressure is helpful for motion sickness.^39,64

For more information, including safety issues, see the full Acupuncture article.

Vitamin B 6

• A large double-blind study (with almost 350 people) suggests that 30 mg daily of vitamin B 6 can reduce the sensation of nausea in morning sickness.⁴² For more information, including dosage and safety issues, see the full Vitamin B6 article.

Other Proposed Natural Treatments

Preliminary studies suggest peppermint oil may be able to reduce post-operative nausea.43 Multivitamin/mineral tablets have also shown promise, possibly due to their vitamin B 6 content.^49,50

On the basis of studies conducted in the 1950s, a combination of vitamin K (at the enormous dose—for vitamin K—of 5 mg daily) and vitamin C (25 mg daily) is sometimes recommended for morning sickness.⁴⁴

Click here to review the References for this article at the iHerb Health Library

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Artichoke Leaf for High Cholesterol Support and Indigestion Relief

The artichoke is one of the oldest cultivated plants.  It was first grown in Ethiopia and then made its way to southern Europe via Egypt. Its image is found on ancient Egyptian tablets and sacrificial altars. The ancient Greeks and Romans considered it a valuable digestive aid and reserved what was then a rare plant for consumption in elite circles. In sixteenth-century Europe, the artichoke was also considered a “noble” vegetable meant for consumption by the royal and the rich.

In traditional European medicine, the leaves of the artichoke (not the flower buds, which are the parts commonly cooked and eaten as a vegetable) were used as a diuretic to stimulate the kidneys and as a “choleretic” to stimulate the flow of bile from the liver and gallbladder. (Bile is a yellowish-brown fluid manufactured in the liver and stored in the gallbladder; it consists of numerous substances, including several that play a significant role in digestion.)

In the first half of the twentieth century, French scientists began modern research into these traditional medicinal uses of the artichoke plant. Their work suggested that the plant does indeed stimulate the kidney and gallbladder. Mid-century, Italian scientists isolated a compound from artichoke leaf called cynarin, which appeared to duplicate many of the effects of whole artichoke. Synthetic cynarin preparations were used as a drug to stimulate the liver and gallbladder and to treat elevated cholesterol from the 1950s to the 1980s; competition from newer pharmaceuticals has since eclipsed the use of cynarin.

What is Artichoke Used for Today?

• Artichoke leaf (as opposed to cynarin) continues to be used in many countries.
• Germany’s Commission E has authorized its use for “dyspeptic problems.” Dyspepsia is a rather vague term that corresponds to the common word “indigestion,” indicating a variety of digestive problems including discomfort in the stomach, bloating, lack of appetite, nausea, and mild diarrhea or constipation. At least one substantial double-blind study indicates that artichoke leaf is indeed helpful for this condition.
• Another fairly substantial study indicates that artichoke leaf may help lower cholesterol.
• Based on a general notion that artichoke leaf is good for the liver, it has become a popular treatment for alcohol-induced hangovers. However, a small double-blind, placebo-controlled study failed to find it more effective than placebo.
• A number of animal studies suggest that artichoke protects the liver from damage by chemical toxins.1 Artichoke’s liver-protective effects, however, have never been proven in controlled clinical trials.

What is the Scientific Evidence for Artichoke?

High Cholesterol

• In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 143 people with high cholesterol, artichoke leaf extract significantly improved cholesterol readings. Total cholesterol fell by 18.5% as compared to 8.6% in the placebo group; LDL cholesterol by 23% vs. 6%; and LDL-to-HDL ratios by 20% vs. 7%. In a subsequent study of 75 otherwise healthy people with high cholesterol, artichoke leaf extract significantly reduced total cholesterol compared to placebo, but it did not affect LDL, HDL, or triglycerides levels.
• Another placebo-controlled study of 44 healthy people failed to find any improvement in cholesterol levels attributable to artichoke leaf.2 The researchers note, however, that study participants, on average, started the trial with lower-than-normal cholesterol levels (due to a statistical accident); improvement, therefore, couldn’t be expected!
• Artichoke leaf may work by interfering with cholesterol synthesis.2 Besides cynarin, a compound in artichoke called luteolin may play a role in reducing cholesterol.3

Dyspepsia

• In Europe, vague digestive symptoms are commonly attributed to inadequate flow of bile from the gallbladder. Evidence tells us that artichoke leaf does indeed stimulate the gallbladder.4,5,6 This by itself does not prove artichoke helpful for dyspepsia. In 2003, however, a large (247 participant) double-blind study evaluated artichoke leaf as a treatment for dyspepsia. In this carefully conducted study, artichoke leaf extract proved significantly more effective than placebo for alleviating digestive symptoms.
• A previous study of an herbal combination containing artichoke leaf also found benefits.7

Dosage

Germany’s Commission E recommends 6 g of the dried herb or its equivalent per day, usually divided into 3 doses. Artichoke leaf extracts should be taken according to label instructions.

Warning: People with gallbladder disease should use artichoke only under medical supervision (see Safety Issues below).

Safety Issues

• Artichoke leaf has not been associated with significant side effects in studies so far, but full safety testing has not been completed. For this reason, it should not be used by pregnant or nursing women. Safety in young children or in people with severe liver or kidney disease has also not been established.
• In addition, because artichoke leaf is believed to stimulate gallbladder contraction, individuals with gallstones or other forms of gallbladder disease could be put at risk by using this herb. Such individuals should use artichoke leaf only under the supervision of a physician. It is possible that increased gallbladder contraction could lead to obstruction of ducts or even rupture of the gallbladder.
• Finally, individuals with known allergies to artichokes or related plants in the Asteraceae family, such as arnica or chrysanthemums, should avoid using artichoke or cynarin preparations.

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References

1. Kraft K. Artichoke leaf extract—recent findings reflecting effects on lipid metabolism, liver and gastrointestinal tracts. Phytomedicine. 1997;4:369-378.

2. Petrowicz O, Gebhardt R, Donner M, et al. Effects of artichoke leaf extract (ALE) on lipoprotein metabolism in vitro and in vivo [abstract]. Atherosclerosis. 1997;129:147.

3. Kraft K. Artichoke leaf extract—recent findings reflecting effects on lipid metabolism, liver and gastrointestinal tracts. Phytomedicine. 1997;4:369-378.

4. Kirchhoff R, Beckers CH, Kirchhoff GM, et al. Increase in choleresis by means of artichoke extract. Phytomedicine. 1994;1:107-115.

5. Kupke D, von Sanden H, Trinczek-Gartner H, et al. An evaluation of the choleretic activity of a plant-based cholagogue [translated from German]. Z Allgemeinmed. 1991;67:1046-1058.

6. Matuschowski P. Testing of Cynara scolymus in the isolated perfused rat liver. 43rd Ann Congr Soc Med Plant Res. 1996:3-7.

7. Kupke D, von Sanden H, Trinczek-Gartner H, et al. An evaluation of the choleretic activity of a plant-based cholagogue [translated from German]. Z Allgemeinmed. 1991;67:1046-1058.

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Ginger aka The Tummy Tamer and Nausea Fighter

Native to southern Asia, ginger is a 2- to 4-foot-long perennial that produces grass-like leaves up to a foot long and almost an inch wide. Although it’s called ginger root in the grocery store, the part of it that is used is actually the rhizome, the underground stem of the plant, with its bark-like outer covering scraped off. Ginger has been used as food and medicine for millennia. Arabian traders carried ginger root from China and India to be used as a food spice in ancient Greece and Rome, and tax records from the second century AD show that ginger was a delightful source of revenue to the Roman treasury. Chinese medical texts from the fourth century BC suggest that ginger is effective in treating nausea, diarrhea and more.

Ginger’s modern use dates back to the early 1980s, when a scientist named D. Mowrey noticed that ginger-filled capsules reduced his nausea during an episode of flu. Inspired by this, he performed the first double-blind study of ginger. Germany’s Commission E subsequently approved ginger as a treatment for indigestion and motion sickness. One of the most prevalent ingredients in fresh ginger is the pungent substance gingerol. However, when ginger is dried and stored, its gingerol rapidly converts to the substances shogaol and zingerone. If any of these substances has medicinal effects, it still remains unknown.  As you can see, ginger has historically been known for soothing the tummy and helping with nausea, so let’s check out the medicinal uses and scientific evidence for ginger below as well as more info.

Medicinal Uses and Scientific Evidence for Ginger

Motion Sickness

• A double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 79 Swedish naval cadets at sea found that 1 g of ginger could decrease vomiting and cold sweating, but without significantly decreasing nausea and vertigo.
• A 2003 study has has also shown that ginger is an effective agent in the prevention and treatment of motion sickness.
• While a 1988 study showed that subjects taking scopolamine, a medication commonly prescribed for motion sickness, experienced fewer symptoms than those who received ginger, ginger may still be preferred over  scopolamine’s unwanted side effects like dry mouth and drowsiness.

Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy

• A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 70 pregnant women evaluated the effectiveness of ginger for morning sickness. Participants received either placebo or 250 mg of powdered ginger three times daily for a period of four days. The results showed that ginger significantly reduced nausea and vomiting. No significant side effects occurred.
• A 2005 study has also indicated that ginger may be effective for the treatment of pregnancy nausea and vomiting, but feels that more testing still needs to be done.
• Studies have compared ginger to vitamin B6, a commonly recommended treatment for morning sickness. One study found them to be equally beneficial while another study found ginger to be somewhat better.

Postsurgical Nausea
When it comes to the effectiveness of ginger for treating postsurgical nausea, results have been mixed.

• A 1990 study recorded that there were less incidents of nausea in the group that receiving ginger root versus a placebo while a 2003 double-blind study in Thailand concluded that ginger is definitely effective in prevention of nausea after surgery.
• A  British study followed 120 women receiving elective laparoscopic gynecological surgery. Whereas nausea and vomiting developed in 41% of the participants given placebo, in the groups treated with ginger or metoclopramide these symptoms developed in only 21% and 27%, respectively.
• However, a double-blind study of 108 people undergoing similar surgery found no benefit with ginger as compared to placebo. Negative results were also seen in a study of 184 women and another of 180 women.
• The bottom line: If ginger is effective for post-surgical nausea at all, the effect must be very slight.

Chemotherapy Nausea
When it comes to the effectiveness of ginger for treating chemotherapy nausea, results are also mixed.

• One 2008 study concluded that ginger did not add to the effectiveness of standard medications to treat chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.
• On the other hand, a 2009 study showed that ginger reduces the severity and duration of nausea (but not vomiting) during chemotherapy.

Osteoarthritis

• A large double-blind study (more than 250 participants) found that a combination of ginger and another Asian spice called galanga (Alpinia galanga) can significantly improve arthritis symptoms.  This study was widely publicized as proving that ginger is effective for osteoarthritis. However, the study design makes it impossible to draw any conclusions on the effectiveness of the ginger component of the mixture.  Ginger alone has only been tested in two very small double-blind studies, and they had contradictory results as shown here and here.

Digestion

• One small study with 22 participants concluded that ginger can improve the digestion for some individuals and may even be beneficial for individuals with Type 2 Diabetes.
• A more recent study in 2008 shows that ginger can stimulate digestion by speeding up the movement of food from the stomach into the upper small intestine.

Dosage

• For most purposes, the standard dosage of powdered ginger is 1 to 4 g daily, divided into 2 to 4 doses per day.
• To prevent motion sickness, it may be best to begin treatment 1 or 2 days before the trip and continue it throughout the period of travel.

Safety Issues

• Ginger is on the FDA’s GRAS (generally recognized as safe) list as a food, and the treatment dosages of ginger are comparable to dietary usages. No significant side effects have been observed.
• Like onions and garlic, extracts of ginger inhibit blood coagulation in test tube experiments.
• European studies with actual oral ginger taken alone in normal quantities have not found any significant effect on blood coagulation, but it is still theoretically possible that a very weak anticoagulant could amplify the effects of drugs that have a similar effect, such as warfarin (Coumadin), heparin, clopidogrel (Plavix), ticlopidine Ticlid, pentoxifylline Trental, and aspirin. One fairly solid case report appears to substantiate these theoretical concerns: Use of a ginger product markedly (and dangerously) increased the effect of an anticoagulant drug closely related to Coumadin. However, a double-blind study failed to find any interaction between ginger and Coumadin, leaving the truth regarding this potential risk unclear.
• The maximum safe doses of ginger for pregnant or nursing women, young children, or individuals with severe liver or kidney disease have not  been definitively established.
• Note:  If you are pregnant or undergoing surgery, do not self-treat with ginger except under physician supervision.

Interactions You Should Know About

If you are taking:

• Strong blood-thinning drugs such as warfarin (Coumadin), heparin, clopidogrel (Plavix), ticlopidine (Ticlid), pentoxifylline (Trental), or even aspirin: Ginger might possibly increase the risk of bleeding problems.

In Conclusion:

When it comes to ginger, there’s still a lot to be discovered, but at least studies are now being done to learn more about its benefits.  Although some of the results have been mixed, it’s good to know that there’s growing evidence to show some of the wonderful benefits that this spice has to offer. However, before you put anything into your body, make sure that it’s not going to do more harm than good.  Do the research, whether it’s doing your own reading or contacting either a medical or naturopathic doctor for more info.   In the end, you’re the author of your own health story and we all want that story to have a happy ending.

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