Ginkgo biloba for prevention of dementia: a randomized controlled trial

The Ginkgo Evaluation of Memory study randomized 3,069 community-dwelling adults aged 75+ with normal cognition or mild cognitive impairment to standardized ginkgo extract EGb 761 at 120 mg twice daily or placebo, median follow-up 6.1 years. Dementia incidence was not reduced: hazard ratio 1.12 (95% CI 0.94-1.33) - a point estimate in the wrong direction. Alzheimer's disease incidence and progression from MCI to dementia were also null. Adverse events, including hemorrhagic events, did not differ between groups. GuidAge (N=2,854, 5 years) independently replicated the null for Alzheimer's progression (HR 0.84, p=0.306). A 2026 Cochrane review concludes ginkgo probably has little or no effect on cognition in MCI, with at most small symptomatic effects in diagnosed dementia. Ginkgo remains one of the best-selling cognition supplements. This page's verdict: high-certainty negative evidence for prevention; do not buy it for memory protection.

In this study, G. biloba at 120 mg twice a day was not effective in reducing either the overall incidence rate of dementia or AD incidence in elderly individuals with normal cognition or those with MCI.