Indication: Memory

Source: Physiology & Behavior, 2002;75:739-751.

Research: Researchers asked 20 men and women, with an average age of 21 years, to take the following single dosages during separate supplementation periods: 360 mg of ginkgo, 400 mg of ginseng, a combination of both herbs or a placebo. Supplementation was followed by a battery of memory tests from one to six hours after supplementation. Each supplement and testing period was separated by a seven-day “washout” period to minimize any overlapping effects.

Results: Using standard tests for as­sessing cognition, the researchers found that all three supplements led to improvements in memory, including word and picture recognition, immediate word recall and delayed word recall. In addition, subjects reported that ginkgo supplements led to im­provements in mood.