The benefits of ginkgo biloba are a direct reflection of the ginkgo biloba tree itself. You see, the ginkgo tree is famous for its longevity — some of them have lived to be over 1,000 years old! The ginkgo tree has a long and amazing history. These monuments of nature are the oldest living species of tree on earth, dating back about 270 million years! The leaves and fruit have been used as a medicinal treatment in China since 2800BC, primarily for its ability to help with brain function and blood circulation.

The ginkgo tree is indigenous to China, Japan, and Korea, but also thrived in North America and Europe prior to the Ice Age. Several of these incredibly hardy trees even survived the atomic bomb blast at Hiroshima.

Primary Health Benefits of Ginkgo Biloba

Ginkgo Improves Circulation. Ginkgo contain phytochemicals that thin blood and help to improve muscle tone in the walls of blood vessels. This enhances blood flow throughout the body, but especially in the smallest blood vessels, the capillaries. This benefit is particularly significant for the eyes, ears and parts of the brain that have many small blood vessels.

Ginkgo also assures the health of the endothelium, the layer of cells that form the lining of the heart and blood vessels. Ginkgo helps keep this surface smooth, which assists in the flow of blood through the blood vessel and prevents dangerous plaque from forming.

Poor circulation is a major cause of a host of problems including poor vision, hearing problems, vertigo, dizziness, ringing in the ears and cardiovascular disease. One of the benefits of ginkgo biloba is providing relief from these conditions, due to a combination of its antioxidant, anti-clotting and anti-inflammatory properties.

Improves Brain Function. Ginkgo is an important supplement for the improvement of brain function. Because it increases circulation and the oxygen supply to the the brain, it is often recommended for increasing mental sharpness, concentration, and memory.

Protection Against Alzheimer's. Numerous studies has shown that treating with ginkgo can slow the deterioration of memory and thinking ability in people with Altzheimer's disease. Some researchers think that this flavonoid complex can actually reverse free radical damage to brain cell membranes. Ginkgo also neutralizes a free radical called nitric oxide, which controls communication among your brain cells.

Benefits of Ginkgo Biloba Include Protection Against Heart Disease and Stroke

Are you taking aspirin to prevent heart attacks? Ginkgo supplements have about the same anti-coagulating effect as aspirin, which is often recommended by doctors as a preventive measure against heart attacks.

Hazards of Aspirin. The use of aspirin on a daily basis may cause stomach irritation that leads to bleeding, and possible kidney problems. Daily aspirin also has been connected to an increase in the number of brain hemorrhages.

Ginkgo, as well as garlic, vitamin E and coenzyme Q-10, offers a safer alternative. All of these natural supplements have been shown to prevent oxidation of LDL cholesterol, the primary cause of atherosclerosis. They also reduce your risk of stroke by making your blood platelets less sticky and therefore less likely to clot. These are what you should be taking for heart health, not aspirin or statin drugs.

Benefits of Ginkgo Biloba: Eye Health

Ginkgo is a key component in maintaining the health of the retinas in your eyes. This herb increases blood flow in the capillary network and repairs oxidative stress damage to the capillary walls and retina. Ginkgo is a valuable part of a preventive program for cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration.

Benefits of Ginkgo Biloba: Cancer Prevention

Ginkgo also has some impressive anticancer effects. Aside from preventing damage to DNA in your cells from oxidation, it also inhibits the growth of blood cells that feed tumors. Ginkgo also appears to have some antioxidant properties that regulate gene behavior that can lead to cancer cell growth.

Other Significant Benefits of Ginkgo Biloba

• stabilizes irregular heartbeat

• improves sexual dysfunction and impotency

• relieves the effects of asthma and allergies

• relief from headaches, sinusitis and vertigo

• treatment of leg ulcers and varicose veins