Tinnitus can be a cruel condition, causing perceived sounds that have no external source. People usually describe it as a ringing in the ears. But did you know that Ginkgo biloba is a leading herbal treatment for tinnitus symptoms?
You may be asking yourself how Ginkgo biloba helps ringing in the ears. In this article, we will discuss the therapeutic effects of ginkgo for tinnitus.
Ginkgo biloba acts as a vasodilator, a powerful antioxidant, and a glutamate antagonist, all of which work to mitigate the most common causes of tinnitus.
Vasodilator
Vasodilators relax the blood vessel walls so they don’t restrict blood flow. This allows for greater blood flow to your organs and other bodily systems, including the cochlea. Greater blood flow to the nerves in the cochlea ensures they have adequate nutrients, like vitamin B12, which builds the myelin sheath protecting the nerves and provides oxygen so they can function at their best.
While the effect is mild and perfectly safe for the average adult, it’s important to consult your physician if you take blood thinners or other vasodilators when taking Ginkgo biloba for tinnitus.
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Antioxidant
As previously explained, free radicals are unstable molecules that steal electrons from other cells, creating more free radicals. A healthy immune system targets free radicals, but natural bodily processes, environmental stressors, radiation, and other sources can create more free radicals than the body’s immune system can destroy. The resulting damage is called oxidation and is a cause of many maladies, including blood vessel and nerve damage.
On the other hand, antioxidants donate molecules to the unstable cell, preventing it from stealing what it needs from other bodily cells. By using Ginkgo biloba for tinnitus, you are preventing free radicals from doing additional damage to the nerves of the inner ear and the auditory nerve that communicates with the brain. Ginkgo has also been shown to prevent damage from noise in a study done on military personnel who work in noisy environments.
Glutamate Antagonist
Glutamate is a neurotransmitter, a chemical that travels from the end of one cell to the end of the next cell. The chemical can only fit into the proper receptor at the end of the cell, like a key in a lock. By triggering that receptor, it tells that nerve cell what to do. The message lights up the receiving nerve (excites it), so it takes action, like passing messages to the next nerve in the chain.
In terms of your hearing, glutamate helps transmit information from the tiny nerves in the cochlea to the auditory nerve and, from there, to receptors in the brain that interpret the messages as sound.
In proper balance, glutamate is a necessary part of nerve function, helps circadian rhythm, and even acts as food for the brain when glucose levels are low. However, tinnitus is essentially an overexcited nerve. Whether the nerve was damaged by noise, chemicals, aging, or trauma, the nerve is firing incorrectly, sending a constant stream of corrupted data. That’s why you hear sounds that aren’t audible to anyone else. The nerve sends these messages via glutamate.
Excess glutamate has been linked to nerve-related diseases such as:
- Parkinson’s
- Fibromyalgia
- Huntington’s disease
- Stroke
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Lou Gehrig’s disease
- Alzheimer’s
- Tinnitus
Glutamate antagonists are neuroprotectors that neutralize the glutamate and calm the nerve before it gets damaged. Ginkgo biloba, a glutamate antagonist, may function as a natural herbal treatment for tinnitus symtoms.
Is All Ginkgo Biloba the Same?
The Dr. Willmar Schwabe Company of Germany, one of the leading pharmaceutical companies, developed the first Ginkgo biloba extract, EGb 761. German Commission E, Germany’s version of the FDA, regulates all herbal supplements in Germany. To Qualify as Ginkgo biloba extract EGb 761, the product must contain 24% flavonol glycosides and 6% terpene lactones with specific properties, which is why it’s called Ginkgo biloba 24/6.
EGb 761 has been the subject of more than 400 clinical studies, showing properties that aid in the treatment of cerebral insufficiency, Alzheimer’s disease, glaucoma, intermittent claudication (pain while walking), headache, dizziness, depression, tinnitus, and more.
Unfortunately, Ginkgo biloba is expensive because it takes 50 pounds of leaves to get one pound of 24/6 extract. Due to the expense of producing pure extract, many companies cut their product with other plant extracts that mimic Ginkgo biloba in a standard test. Buckwheat extract, for example, is indistinguishable from Ginkgo biloba using simple tests.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest reported that 60% of supplements tested failed to contain enough ginkgo to qualify as a standard extract. Some had no ginkgo at all in their formulas. The Center concluded that supplement companies are deliberately misleading their consumers. People think they’re getting a deal when, in fact, they’re being scammed.
Arches, on the other hand, created an extract so pure that it exceeded all industry standards for concentration and potency. This pure form of ginkgo is unique. Arches was granted US trademark protection for Ginkgo Max 26/7®, a product specifically designed as an herbal remedy to help with tinnitus symptoms.
Is Taking Pure Ginkgo Biloba Extract Safe?
Commission E in Germany is considered the world’s authority for herbal medications. The Commission has been studying Ginkgo biloba extract for 30 years and reports that Ginkgo biloba has not been associated with significant adverse side effects other than increasing circulation and having a mild anticoagulant effect. (It’s recommended that people with bleeding problems, such as hemophilia or even frequent nosebleeds, talk to their medical provider before taking Ginkgo biloba.)
Arches Tinnitus Formula®, which contains pure Ginkgo biloba extract for tinnitus, reflects these findings with its track record. Consumers have not reported significant adverse reactions nor interactions with over-the-counter medications other than anticoagulant medications as described previously.
Does Ginkgo Biloba for Tinnitus Relieve Tinnitus Symptoms Permanently?
The majority of Arches Tinnitus Formula® users report that if they stop taking our ginkgo-based supplement, the positive effects fade, and the volume of tinnitus increases. In limited cases, people have reported starting to take ginkgo shortly after the onset of tinnitus symptoms and maintaining relief after stopping the supplements. For the rest of us, Ginkgo biloba for tinnitus is a maintenance program.
It can take up to three months to experience the full effect as the ginkgo and other nutrients provide an inner environment conducive to healing. Once your body has repaired itself as much as it can, depending on the damage sustained, you’ll feel the full impact of ginkgo on treating your tinnitus.
For some clients, the tinnitus disappears entirely unless they trigger it with a loud noise, poor eating habits, etc. For others, they notice the volume decreases to manageable levels, so the patient can ignore their tinnitus more effectively.
There are no quick fixes for tinnitus. Most Ear, Nose, and Throat doctors (ENTs) recommend you take the extract for 90-100 days before deciding its final effect on your body.
Will Ginkgo Biloba Work for You?
Every patient is different, and many factors play into their tinnitus symptoms, such as how the nerves were damaged, how long they’ve been damaged, whether there are underlying physical conditions, like malnutrition, that contribute to symptoms, etc. It is impossible to say how your body will react to Ginkgo biloba for tinnitus until you try it. It can be helpful to use a journal to record the severity of your symptoms so you can see changes over time. Otherwise, gradual improvement might go unnoticed.
We have many success stories from happy patients who have finally found relief for their tinnitus symptoms thanks to Arches Tinnitus Formula.® Not the least of these is from our founder, Barry Keates, who found lasting relief from tinnitus thanks to the formulations found in Arches products.
Best Practices
For the best results when using Ginkgo biloba extract to address your tinnitus symptoms, make sure you do the following:
- Use a high-quality source of Ginkgo biloba. Substandard products won’t get you the results you desire. In this particular case, you usually get what you pay for.
- Use the ginkgo consistently at the recommended dose to see results. Taking the extract sporadically won’t maintain a healthy environment long enough for your nerves to heal. Taking less than the recommended dose won’t help either. Studies show that a specific amount of ginkgo produces a specific result. Lessening the dose will lessen your results.
- Avoid tinnitus triggers where possible.
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- Fat: Opt for monounsaturated fats like olive oil. Avoid overheated oils (fried foods), hydrogenated oils, and excessive fat from meat or dairy.
- Sugar: You get the same inflammatory response to simple carbs like white flour that you do with table sugar. Choose complex carbohydrates like whole fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
Aspartame: If you’re going sugar-free, try stevia extract instead of aspartame, as it doesn’t cause an excitatory nerve response.
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- Inconsistent Sleep Patterns: Use habits to your advantage, and your body will get used to retiring at the same time each night.
- Stress: You may not always be able to control the stress in your life, but you can manage it through conscious relaxation techniques. Try deep breathing exercises or find a guided meditation on YouTube.
- Excessive Noise: Use ear protection if you know you will be in loud environments.
We hope this guide was informative and helpful. If you suffer from tinnitus, the good news is that people are finding relief through natural supplements. At Arches, we are proud to offer options for relieving the effects of tinnitus through our top-quality, nature-based supplements. If you have any additional questions about tinnitus or our supplements, contact us today.