Ginkgo Biloba's effects on the heart?

Factual Questions
1

Hi everyone,
I just spoke to my cousin (well, my cousin’s daughter, literally. Maybe somebody can shed some light on that one? First-cousin once-removed, maybe?), and I just happened to mention that I started taking Ginkgo. She immediately informed me that “It is a heart stimulant.” Admittedly, I didn’t really know what she meant, but she went on talking like it’s someting that you do not want inside of you. She went on too tell me that her sister was shadowing a doctor for a while (she wants too go into medicine), and one of this guy’s patients was taking Ginkgo, and the doctor told this patient to get rid of it.
So what’s the deal? Should I be taking it? I know that millions of people are taking it, but I also know that millions of people are eating at McDonald’s.
I’d appreciate any help.
Thanks!

2

I don’t know about how it affects the heart, but I did try it two years ago [perimenopausal… thinking it would help my memory lapses] but, I got humongous headaches instead. So, whatever IS in it, may constrict blood vessels, which would affect both the brain and the heart.

3

Well, on the bottle that I have, it claims to help “Brain function”, and “circulation”. The way I’ve heard it put is that it helps your brain BY increasing circulation. I really don’t know about the truth of this, so it might be just as possible that it does constrict vessels. My question (and point of concern) is mainly about that whole “heart stimulant” thing.
In any case, the reason why I’m taking it is to help with memory. I had a friend a while ago who took it for that reason and said it worked miracles for him. Anybody else?

Thanks!

4

Ginkgo has no effect on the heart and is not a heart stimulant.

Here, edited to respect copyright, is part of a very recent review of ginkgo and other herbal remedies:

Bottom line is that ginkgo is of, perhaps, some mild benefit in Alzheimer’s Disease and is, usually, quite safe. Note also, that by definition, people with Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia will be older and thus more likely to have underlying heart disease. Nevertheless, no increased incidence of heart problems has ever been apparent when such people use ginkgo.

5

“heart stimulant” is redundant.

6

The Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center has a feature called About Herbs. The page on Ginkgo includes the rather alarming statement, “Frequently reported adverse events include diarrhea, flatulence, headache, dizziness, and palpitations. There are case reports of spontaneous bleeding and seizures following administration of GBE”, as well as “Seizures have occurred in patients predisposed to seizures or on medications that lower the seizure threshold”. All of the clinical trials cited end on a more reassuring note, such as, “Regarding safety, no differences between ginkgo and placebo were observed.”

Under “Mechanism of Action” it says, in part, “Ginkgo can increase blood flow to the brain through arterial vasodilatation by stimulating prostaglandin biosynthesis or indirectly stimulating norepinephrine release.”

See also the clinical summary and the section on drug interactions on the same page.

7

Oh yes, and you were right–your cousin’s daughter is your first cousin once removed. Here’s a cite to back me up:
Ayrshire Roots

8

Hi everyone,
Thanks for the replies (that redundant remark was especially helpful). Thanks Gauss for the article, and peregrine for your contibution and sorting out the whole cousin thing.
But, as with most of medical reading, I still have no definite answer as to whether the supposed benefits are more that my risk of breaking out into seizures…
Any further input would be appreciated!

Thanks!

9

cite?

If I am not mistaken, stimulants can have differing effects on the heart vis a vis the brain.

For instance, theophylline (such as found in coffee and tea) is said to have more of a direct stimulating effect on the heart with some caffiene-like effects on the brain as well. As opposed to caffiene (also found in coffea and tea but also in sodas), which definitely stimulates the heart but also stimulates (or would the correct term be under-relaxes) the brain to a larger degree.

This is corroborated by my personal experience. As a long-time mountain dew drinker, when I have a small cup of tea rather than the Dew it affects me differently than the Dew does, but perhaps thats more due to the sugar difference.

10

Ginkgo Biloba Baggins was Bilbo’s younger sister. She remembered everything, and right up to her untimely death, she never forgave any of it.