Long COVID and Ginkgo biloba

Functional Medicine Research with Dr. Nikolas Hedberg, DC

5 case reports were reported in an excellent paper on ginkgo biloba and Long COVID symptoms.

Patients with Long COVID were given 80 mg of ginkgo biloba extract (EGb 761) twice a day.

Patient 1 took ginkgo biloba for 11 weeks, and he had a substantial improvement in cognitive concerns, decreased perception of fatigue and an improvement in olfaction. He completely regained his sense of smell.

Patient 2 took ginkgo biloba for 13 weeks and reported improvement in concentration and fatigue.

Patient 3 took ginkgo biloba for 4 months and reported significant improvement in cognitive deficits.

Patient 4 took ginkgo biloba for 7 weeks and reported improved concentration and fatigue.

Patient 5 took ginkgo biloba for 6 weeks and reported improvement in depression, fatigue, irritability, and hyposmia.

Two of these patients reported complete remission of their cognitive symptoms.

None of the patients had any adverse effects.

SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has been shown to damage the microcirculation blood vessels resulting in decreased blood flow to vital tissues such as the heart, kidney, muscle tissue, ear, eyes, liver, brain and nervous system.

Ginkgo biloba has been shown to protect and repair large and small blood vessels, as well as a host of other body tissues. Ginkgo biloba has antioxidant properties, improves circulation, repairs and protects the brain, nervous system, eye, ear, kidney, intestine, heart, and cardiovascular system.

This makes ginkgo biloba a perfect herbal medicine for Long COVID, and the results of these case reports are not surprising.

How best to take ginkgo biloba?

Ginkgo biloba is usually dosed 120-240 mg a day in one or two doses with or without food. It can disrupt sleep, so some people may need to take it in the morning and no later than the early afternoon.

The dose used in this study was 80 mg twice a day totaling 160 mg a day. But the author’s point out that a higher dose may have yielded even better results.

I normally use 120 mg twice a day with my patients. Ginkgo biloba side effects such as headache only occur in 2% of people who take it.

It can take up to six weeks to notice the full effects of ginkgo biloba so give it some time to work.

My formula VascuSelect from Moss Nutrition contains 120 mg of ginkgo biloba per capsule with added grape seed extract and mango fruit powder. Grape seed extract and mango also support and repair microcirculation for a synergistic effect with the ginkgo biloba.

Ginkgo biloba should be standardized to 24% flavonol glycosides and 6% terpenes for maximum effectiveness.

Please be sure to consult with your licensed healthcare professional before supplementing with ginkgo biloba due to potential risks of bleeding disorders. Certain medications can increase the risk of bleeding when combined with ginkgo biloba.

Long COVID is having devastating consequences on society and new natural treatments are constantly emerging to help.

Ginkgo biloba is now part of my evidence-based core Long COVID protocol.

To learn more about grapeseed extract and Long COVID, click here to read my article. And to learn how mango fruit powder can help Long COVID, click here.

Hedberg Institute Members can log in and download my latest Long COVID protocol.

To learn more about the Hedberg Institute Membership, click here.