Ginkgo Biloba

[Juan]

@Juan -- I tried it as well, what appeared to be a high quality extract. Made my tinnitus worse--consistently.

I have tried a couple of medications, supplements etc and really nothing helps a lot. My guess is many of us take the drugs just to think we did all that was in our hands in order not to worsen our H, T or our hearing.

The only two meds that did something, although very minor impact were paroxetine (very low dose), and deflazacort after a very loud noise exposure (and this has to be taken when there is still a lot of pressure, tension etc inside the ears, as soon as possible). When the pain, pressure, etc start to subside it is too late for deflazacort.

Prednisone did not work at all, did nothing.

Vitamins and supplements.. most of them did nothing.

A couple of my friends are doctors and they dont really know what to advise. From their viewpoint, anti-inflammatories, anti deppresants, SSRIs and all that.. they either work or dont work. Apparently they work for some people and not for others and it all comes down to a matter of trial and error, as un-scientific as that. Keep trying till you find the right medication.

 

[acute]

What is the recommended dose of Ginkgo Biloba 120mg? One or two pills a day?

 

[AVIYT]

Ginkgo Biloba does nothing for me as well. I'm not even sure it helps with its supposed memory benefits, as my memory is terrible since Pregabalin. I lose my keys and recently my credit card hasn't been found at all. Just gone.

 

[Quiet please]

My tinnitus has been spiking rather high & loud this last month.

Guess what? About a month ago I started taking a supplementation regimen that includes Ginkgo Biloba. In the past, my tinnitus has proven to spike using higher Salicylate foods, personal grooming items & medicines. My embarrassment is that I didn't notice until today that the Ginkgo Biloba leaf has a high Salicylate content & I should have avoided it all together. I've stopped taking it as of today.

I do realize not everyone is aspirin/Salicylate sensitive. This is for the people who are & for the people who don't know they are. Something to consider.

 

[Candy]

Do you avoid food with Salycates?

 

[Michael Leigh]

What is the recommended dose of Ginkgo Biloba 120mg? One or two pills a day?

Instructions should be on the bottle advising how much Ginkgo Biloba to take. It is better to take Ginkgo Biloba in "Tincture" form (liquid) as it enters the bloodstream quicker. Buy a good quality brand, price is a usual indicator of quality. I take Ginkgo Biloba made my Avogel. 15 drops in a little water 3x a day.

Michael

 

[Ken219]

My tinnitus has been spiking rather high & loud this last month.

My tinnitus is spiking too. You have had tinnitus for 11 years, did you ever habituate?

 

[Quiet please]

@Ken219 Yes I did. I accepted it and was able to pretty much ignore the T. Sound therapy helped as well.

Then I was rear ended while stopped in traffic 2 years ago. I suffered a concussion, headaches, whiplash, neck & back trauma. The T came roaring back. After much rest, PT, Cranial sacral & chiropractor therapy, I'm better but the T came back to where it was originally. I had started a new batch of supplements including the ginkgo & it spiked worse. So far today with not taking it, it's back down. I don't know what tomorrow will bring.

 

[Frédéric]

Gingko Benefits for Tinnitus?
Kiefer, David.Integrative Medicine Alert; Atlanta Vol. 22, N° 10, (Oct 2019).
Dr. Kiefer reports no financial relationships relevant to this field of study.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

• For 12 weeks, 200 study participants with chronic tinnitus received either 120 mg of Ginkgo biloba (extract EGB761 ® ) or 600 mg pentoxifylline twice daily. There was no placebo group.

• Daily ratings for tinnitus loudness and annoyance were collected and analyzed.

• Both treatment groups similarly improved during the course of the study in a variety of parameters.

• In the ginkgo group, anxiety and depression scales statistically improved more than in the pentoxifylline group.

SOURCE: Procházková K, Šejna I, Skutil J, et al. Ginkgo biloba extract EGb 761 ® versus pentoxifylline in chronic tinnitus: A randomized, double-blind clinical trial. Int J Clin Pharm 2018;40:1335-1341.

Tinnitus, or ringing in the ears, is a symptom that can be acute or chronic and have numerous etiologies. 1 It is notoriously difficult to treat, with some of the options including noise masking, pharmaceuticals (tricyclic antidepressants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, pentoxifylline, steroids, etc.), acupuncture, and cognitive behavioral therapy. Integrative modalities (including herbal medicine) step into the void of consistently effective therapies. One of the botanicals most evaluated for tinnitus is ginkgo ( Ginkgo biloba , Family Ginkgoaceae). Procházková et al pitted ginkgo vs. one pharmaceutical option, pentoxifylline, both of which are thought to increase cochlear and cerebral blood flow.

The researchers recruited people with chronic tinnitus from an ear, nose, and throat clinic in the Czech Republic. Inclusion criteria are detailed in Table 1. Exclusion criteria included tinnitus from pharmaceuticals, any current tinnitus treatment, and a variety of severe medical conditions.

Table 1: Inclusion Criteria
* At least 30 years of age •Tinnitus of at least three months' duration •Tinnitus able to be masked by noise •A score of at least a 3 (out of 11) of noise...

Source: https://search.proquest.com/openvie...e40616853f1/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=196259

 

[Frédéric]

Ginkoba Ginseng Combination Therapy versus Methylcobalamine on Quality of Life in Chronic Tinnitus

 

[ThomasC]

Ginkgo Biloba did nothing for me.

 

[bobvann]

Snake Oil... I tried it as well.

 

[ThomasW]

Ginkgo Biloba works by increasing blood flow. It does this by increasing Nitric Oxide production. Nitric Oxide is a vasodilator meaning it causes blood vessels to relax. Many types of Tinnitus are caused by poor circulation to the inner ear or are lessened and even cured by increasing circulation. Thats why Ginkgo Biloba has a proven tract record of helping T. Now unfortunately it doesn't help all types and its not as simple as taking it.

This is the complicated part. Ginkgo Biloba is also very high in salicylates. Salicylate acid which is used in aspirin can coat the hairs of the inner ear causing them to malfunction and shake, which then causes Tinnitus. This and a surge in blood flow can often make T worse for people. Since it's a vasodilator that means its fighting against vasoconstrictors like salt, temperature, high blood pressure, caffeine, sugar. It is all a balancing act.

I read on here about Ginkgo Biloba E761 that is made in Germany under the name Tebonin. I came across a bunch of cases that people reported dramatic reduction and even total elimination of their T. On a post here a guy recommended start small 40-60mg twice a day and see how that works.

My T spikes with any kind of vasoconstriction so salty food so I've had to be super strict with my diet. I've been taking 80mg morning and then again in the evening along with a B-complex and Zinc 22mg and my T is <5% of what it was and I can eat most foods no problem now.

I made a post in the success story section if people want to read further:
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/my-ototoxic-stress-induced-tinnitus-is-nearly-gone.38880/

 

[Chris_P]

Actually, I will answer my own question in part. According to Consumerlab.com, there are many acceptable brands of Ginkgo. Some of the ones they list are Vitamin Shoppe, Solgar, GNC, and Finest Natural. In fact, the only brand they tested that was NOT approved was Gaia Herbs Ginkgo Leaf.

I still need to know about interaction effects.

-G

Wow - I was coming in here to say that Gaia Herbs was the one I tried that I seemed to have positive results with at one point. But I'm also not sure if getting better sleep during that period was also part of it. I'm continuing to take it now but just had the thought that I might not commit to another $30 bottle of it unless I'm sure. At another point I tried the whole foods brand of ginkgo leaf but notice nothing. So much of this is subjective, subtle, placebo, likely based on other factors at any given time. It's hard to tell!

 

[GlennS]

@Juan -- I tried it as well, what appeared to be a high quality extract. Made my tinnitus worse--consistently.

I tried this many years ago when I first got tinnitus. It functioned similar to caffeine. It was a stimulant and kind of made the tinnitus louder.

 

[Juan]

I tried this many years ago when I first got tinnitus. It functioned similar to caffeine. It was a stimulant and kind of made the tinnitus louder.

Green tea did work for me, makes hyperacusis and tinnitus more bearable. I bought it in China. These are tea leaves, not teabags or ground tea.

 

[Pali]

I tried taking it, but every single time bar maybe once I would get tinnitus spikes from minutes to a few hours later.

 

[Pink Noise]

Is it worth giving ginko a try? I'm 5 months in.

 

[Kell]

What I've gathered as advice on the forums AFTER I did it.

1. Don't wear ear plugs as that keeps the sound in your head (since it's coming from your mouth already)
2. Take NAC a few days before and after.
3. Big one: Ask the dentist to drill for only 5 seconds then take 10 seconds to rest. Some people pay them more because it takes longer.
4. Investigate or look for laser drilling option as that might be quieter.

And note I did none of these and did wear ear plugs.

What is NAC?

 

[Drachen]

From what I am gathering from looking into this supplement, Ginkgo Biloba would be best suited for those with a symptom inspired by vascular or circulation issues.

I will assume, then, that this is not the case for any noise-induced or ototoxic symptoms?

I've been taking this for about a month now and have noticed absolutely no benefit. Considering I am having bad days here and there, I'm honestly trying to figure out what I can eliminate. I think this is next on the chopping block.

Can anyone with what they believe to be a noise-induced or ototoxic condition say if they've tried it and if they decided to quit? Further, did you ever perceive this to spike you?

I may just drop it for a few days to see if any improvements come from it. I only regret doing so in case I need to keep taking it in order for it to build up, but I can't tell if that's gambler's fallacy or not.

 

[GBB]

From what I am gathering from looking into this supplement, Ginkgo Biloba would be best suited for those with a symptom inspired by vascular or circulation issues.

I will assume, then, that this is not the case for any noise-induced or ototoxic symptoms?

I've been taking this for about a month now and have noticed absolutely no benefit. Considering I am having bad days here and there, I'm honestly trying to figure out what I can eliminate. I think this is next on the chopping block.

Can anyone with what they believe to be a noise-induced or ototoxic condition say if they've tried it and if they decided to quit? Further, did you ever perceive this to spike you?

I may just drop it for a few days to see if any improvements come from it. I only regret doing so in case I need to keep taking it in order for it to build up, but I can't tell if that's gambler's fallacy or not.

It spikes me and I read it is a GABA antagonist (basically anti benzo), so it actually has an actively deleterious effect for some (though temporary).

Although I do wonder if a GABA antagonist could upregulate GABA and thereby reduce tinnitus long term?

 

[Drachen]

It spikes me and I read it is a GABA antagonist (basically anti benzo), so it actually has an actively deleterious effect for some (though temporary).

Oh, yeah! I had actually read your profile post on this a few days ago, which I think is what planted the seed of my uncertainty. I meant to look into the science behind that. The last thing I need right now is to prevent GABA from doing its thing.

The main thing that keeps me skeptical about it being a potential source of distress is how few people have reported it as a problem. While I would assume ginkgo's benefits may not help everyone, the loss of GABA would almost definitely hurt everyone.

Still, this potentially serves as further evidence to drop it and see what happens. It's just hard to tell if any exacerbation of my symptom around the time of taking it is actually from the it or some other source. Looking back in this thread, I can't find a whole lot of support for maintaining it, but the few who have succeeded and claim you need to take it for a few months just makes me worried to stop it.

I really hate having to deal with these dilemmas.

 

[Quiet please]

@Drachen, I can only speak for myself, but I tried Ginkgo Biloba and it most definitely spiked the tinnitus on the 2 trial periods I tried it. Maybe I gave up too quickly on it but these spikes were horrific.

 

[Lane]

The main thing that keeps me skeptical about it being a potential source of distress is how few people have reported it as a problem. While I would assume ginkgo's benefits may not help everyone, the loss of GABA would almost definitely hurt everyone.

Hi @Drachen -- Dr. Daniel Amen runs some kind of brain clinic which focuses on nutritional support to heal damaged brains. He said on one of his PBS fundraising programs that some of the most astoundingly positive results he's witnessed (from brain scans) was from people adding Ginkgo Biloba to their supplement regimen. It appears that for most people it's going to be good for the brain. And what's good for the brain has potential to improve tinnitus. But it appears sometimes increasing circulation in our ears can actually spike tinnitus instead of improving it, so Ginkgo Biloba would seem to be contraindicated for some people.

 

[Drachen]

@Drachen, I can only speak for myself, but I tried Ginkgo Biloba and it most definitely spiked the tinnitus on the 2 trial periods I tried it. Maybe I gave up too quickly on it but these spikes were horrific.

I'm really sorry to hear that. Can you clarify how long your trial periods were? I've only been taking it for a month at this point.

Was the spiking instantaneous? I guess for my case it's weird in the sense that I haven't perceived any major spikes after taking it, but it could still potentially be a cause in some form.

 

[Drachen]

Hi @Drachen -- Dr. Daniel Amen runs some kind of brain clinic which focuses on nutritional support to heal damaged brains. He said on one of his PBS fundraising programs that some of the most astoundingly positive results he's witnessed (from brain scans) was from people adding Ginkgo Biloba to their supplement regimen. It appears that for most people it's going to be good for the brain. And what's good for the brain has potential to improve tinnitus. But it appears sometimes increasing circulation in our ears can actually spike tinnitus instead of improving it, so Ginkgo Biloba would seem to be contraindicated for some people.

Interesting. This does provide more credibility to the possibility of it being a worthwhile option. I had always heard of it being good for memory and such even as a youngling. I do think at this point I am inclined to look for solutions that could affect the brain in a positive way, since that feels like the best bet for those with noise-induced or ototoxic causes.

But as you mentioned at the end, it can be a potential contraindication. I have no idea why increasing circulation would be a problem unless you had a specific vascular case, but then again, nobody really has much of an idea either.

I just want to be sure that if there's something I should be taking in these earlier days that I should be taking it. This whole stage feels critical to me. But when I am experiencing spikes and general feelings of poor health, I am worrying if things are being exacerbated by supplements I thought would help instead, like ginkgo.

It's all so tiresome.

 

[Quiet please]

@Drachen, I didn't use up my full 30-day supply. The spikes were quick. Within 24 or so hours. My first trial period was for about 6-7 days. I tried again 2-3 weeks later & when the tinnitus spiked again, I stopped after 2 days. It seems that I'm overly sensitive to spikes these last 4 years of my 11 years with tinnitus. A lot of things trigger them; diet, weather, medications, supplements & stress.

So... Am I 100% sure it was the Ginkgo Biloba? Not really, but confident enough it probably was. I do try not to experiment with more than 1 new thing at a time. I'm trying Kava Kava now. But frankly, I'm tired of it all.

 

[Drachen]

So... Am I 100% sure it was the Ginkgo Biloba? Not really, but confident enough it probably was. I do try not to experiment with more than 1 new thing at a time. I'm trying Kava Kava now. But frankly, I'm tired of it all.

That's really rough, but I'm glad enough you were able to drop it without maintaining any lingering side effects. I've heard many things, both good and bad about Kava Kava, so I'm a bit afraid to try it myself. I seriously hope it provides you some release. I understand how tired you may be, as I am myself and I'm only a month into this. It's so incredibly hard to try and help yourself since any potential source of relief may be a mine armed and waiting.

 

[Quiet please]

@Drachen, trying Kava Kava has been interesting. I'm only on my 4th night, so I'm not ready to give a definitive full report yet.

But... so far no spiking. Also, it's definitely helping me fall asleep, but unfortunately not STAYING asleep. Tonight, I took it at 9pm, fell asleep @ 11pm & here I am at 1am, doing this. Lol.

So... to date, one recommended that a dose takes 2 hours to start working & then works for 2 hours. Now I'm wide awake. Guess the experiment calls for an initial higher dose... or to take another dose right now. The bottle says one dose every 8 hours. Do I dare to double up? Can I cut a liquid capsule up without tasting the bitter vile substance I've heard so much about?

So many questions and challenges. I'll decide soon. I'm enjoying doing my own clinical trial; I really do. Lol.

 

[Lane]

Tonight, I took it at 9pm, fell asleep @ 11pm & here I am at 1am, doing this. Lol.

Hi @Quiet please -- Kava Kava disrupted my sleep, and especially disrupted my dreams. I don't know that I had nightmares, but they were intense and unsettling. I tried it 3-4 different times, and always the same outcome. I have to say however, that it may have taken 2-3 nights before the disrupted sleep set in. Maybe if I'd taken less it would have been different. -- I may just give it a try again at a very minute dose, and and see if it affects my tinnitus.