Research synthesisModerate evidenceMixed effect size4 studies · 4 beneficial · 0 neutral · 0 harmful
Across all 4 studies, 4 reported beneficial effects on Activities of Daily Living, with effect sizes ranging from small to moderate. The highest-quality evidence (a large meta-analysis, evidence score 7) found a small but statistically significant benefit (MD -0.19, 95% CI -0.35 to -0.03) in people with cognitive impairment or dementia. The most-studied dose was 240 mg daily of EGb 761 extract, and the median study duration was approximately 132 days, suggesting effects are typically observed after several months.
- Effective dose range: 240 mg daily (EGb 761 extract)
- Studied populations: people with cognitive impairment or dementia (including subjective cognitive complaints, mild cognitive impairment, dementia), patients with mild to moderate dementia and prior cerebral infarction, patients with mild dementia, patients with Parkinson's disease
Caveats: Available evidence is overwhelmingly positive — clinical literature in this area is subject to publication bias (null-result studies are less likely to be published or indexed). Evidence base is small (only 4 studies) — conclusions should be considered preliminary. The two meta-analyses (evidence scores 7 and 6) focused on specific Ginkgo extract EGb 761, and the observational study on Parkinson's disease (evidence score 3) is methodologically weaker.
Generated May 15, 2026