Q.I am breastfeeding. Is it ok to take ginkgo?
A.There is no study that directly addresses this question. The obvious concern here is whether a mother may pass the ginkgo ingredients she takes to her baby via breastfeeding, something definitely to be avoided. Based on the physiology of lactation, it is highly unlikely that any ingredients of ginkgo a mother takes will end up in the milk.

Q.Is it safe to take ginkgo if you are also taking iron tablets for your blood?
A.So far no clinical study has addressed the issue of taking ginkgo and iron combined. No interaction of ginkgo and iron has been established. Any answer to whether they can be taken together safely will be speculative. Some dietary supplements contain both ginkgo and iron. However, iron is not a normally recommended mineral supplement unless someone has anemia caused by iron deficiency as confirmed by the laboratory test. Excess iron may cause oxidative damage to cells. Ginkgo has an anti-oxidation activity and may protect cells from such a damage in test tubes. In case iron has to be supplemented, ginkgo uptake is unlikely to have a negative impact on iron's role in red cell formation of the blood.

Q.I am pregnant. Can I still take ginkgo?
A.None of many clinical studies on ginkgo have included pregnant women. There are good reasons for it. First, the fetus (embryo) and the mom share the same circulation system. Anything a pregnant woman takes and gets into the blood will end up in the fetus. It is not known whether ginkgo has any negative impact on the fetus development. Second, ginkgo has an anti-blood clotting activity which is not desirable in labor when bleeding is unavoidable and needs to be controlled. Therefore, we would not recommend pregnant women to take ginkgo normally.

Q.Is ginkgo’s memory enhancing effect lasting?
A.Long term study on ginkgo's role in memory enhancement is still underway. It is not known how long one can maintain the memory benefits after stop taking ginkgo. However, most people who take ginkgo to enhance memory at 120 mg per day keep taking it for years.

Q.I have glaucoma. My eye doctor says that research seems to suggest a positive effect of ginkgo on the optic nerve. I am also taking paxil. Is it alright to take ginkgo  at the same time?
A.There are indeed new clinical studies that support a positive role of ginkgo on glaucoma. In the trials, it was observed that ginkgo increases ocular blood flow and improves visual field damage in some glaucoma patients. As to whether paxil can be taken together with ginkgo, no study data was available. However, it is not uncommon for people with memory impairment (e. g., Alzheimer's disease) to take antidepressants and ginkgo together.

Q.My husband has high blood pressure and takes meds for it. I wanted him to start taking your ginkgo product. He does not take any blood thinners. Is there any problem with him taking ginkgo?
A.There are no reports of interaction of ginkgo and drugs controlling high blood pressure. In fact, some preliminary studies suggest a beneficial effect of standardized ginkgo extract on lowering high blood pressure.

Q.Could ginkgo be helpful for migraine headaches on teenagers 18-25 years of age?
A.Although claims are often made to the benefits of ginkgo on migraine headaches, no clinical study or report specifically addresses the issue and any such benefits remain speculative at this time. But it may be worth trying.