Updated August 2026Evidence-Based

Ginkgo Biloba for Memory: Dosage, Benefits and Side Effects

Also known as: Ginkgo, EGb 761, Maidenhair tree extract

Illustration representing Ginkgo Biloba, the ingredient this guide covers

Ginkgo is unusual among herbal ingredients in that one specific standardised extract, EGb 761, has been through large randomised trials at a consistent dose. That evidence supports use in existing cognitive impairment rather than enhancement in healthy people, a distinction most supplement labelling ignores.

Ginkgo Biloba: products that state their dose

Research on ginkgo biloba generally uses 120 mg/day of standardised extract. These are the products we found that put an amount on the label, so you can check them against it. Sorted by whether they reach that figure, then by how many people have rated them.

Prices and ratings were recorded when this page was last updated and change often; the figure on Amazon is the one that counts. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this list is paid placement: it is ordered on stated dose and rating volume, and we earn the same on all of it.

How Ginkgo Biloba Works

Flavone glycosides and terpene lactones acting on cerebral microcirculation, platelet-activating factor antagonism, and mitochondrial protection against oxidative stress. The platelet effect is also the origin of its main safety concern.

Benefits

  • Cognitive impairment and dementia: 240 mg/day of EGb 761 was superior to placebo for cognition, activities of daily living and global assessment over 22-26 weeks, with medium to large effect sizes.
  • Neuropsychiatric symptoms of dementia: the subgroup where effects are most consistent.
  • Healthy cognition: not established. Trials in healthy adults do not reproduce the dementia findings, which is the gap between the research and the marketing.
  • Tolerability: adverse event and withdrawal rates in the meta-analyses did not differ from placebo.

Research Summary

Tan 2015 systematic review and meta-analysis of EGb 761 in dementia, Yang 2016 for behavioural and psychological symptoms, and a 2014 systematic review of efficacy and adverse effects in cognitive impairment. The consistent finding across them is efficacy at 240 mg/day in impaired populations, with tolerability comparable to placebo.

Recommended Dosage

Min effective dose

120 mg/day of standardised extract

Max safe dose

240 mg/day

240 mg/day of EGb 761 or an equivalent standardised extract (24% flavone glycosides, 6% terpene lactones), usually split into two doses. Trials ran 22-26 weeks. Lower doses of 120 mg/day appear in older trials with less consistent results.

Side Effects

Mild and infrequent in trials: headache, GI upset, dizziness. The important one is bleeding. Ginkgo inhibits platelet-activating factor and there are case reports of spontaneous bleeding, so it should be stopped at least two weeks before surgery. Raw ginkgo seeds are a separate matter and are toxic.

Interactions

Antiplatelet and anticoagulant drugs including warfarin, aspirin and clopidogrel, where the bleeding risk is additive. May lower the seizure threshold, so caution with epilepsy and with drugs that do the same. Induces CYP2C19, which can reduce levels of some medications including certain anticonvulsants and proton pump inhibitors.

Best Supplements Containing Ginkgo Biloba

Frequently Asked Questions

Medical Disclaimer

The content on this page is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or qualified healthcare provider before starting any new supplement regimen. Individual results may vary.

Sources & References

  1. Tan MS et al. 2015. Efficacy and adverse effects of ginkgo biloba for cognitive impairment and dementia: systematic review and meta-analysis. J Alzheimers Dis.
  2. Gauthier S, Schlaefke S 2014. Efficacy and tolerability of EGb 761 in dementia: meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials. Clin Interv Aging.
  3. von Gunten A et al. 2015. EGb 761 in dementia with behavioural and psychological symptoms: a systematic review.