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Evidence-Based Supplement Research
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Ginger and Reduced Pain Intensity

Research synthesisLow evidenceMixed effect size3 studies · 1 beneficial · 2 neutral · 0 harmful

Across 3 studies, 1 reported a large beneficial effect of ginger on reducing pain intensity in women with primary dysmenorrhea, while 2 found no significant benefit (neutral). The overall effect direction is mixed, with effect sizes ranging from small to large. The evidence base is small and inconsistent, and median study duration was 14 days (reported in only 1 study).

  • Studied populations: women with primary dysmenorrhea

Caveats: Evidence base is small (only 3 studies) — conclusions should be considered preliminary. Findings are mixed: a 2020 meta-analysis of 647 patients with primary dysmenorrhea found a large beneficial effect, but a 2016 meta-analysis including 3101 women with dysmenorrhea found no net benefit for ginger (effect neutral), and a 2025 RCT in chemotherapy patients found no difference. Doses were not reported in these studies, so dose-response cannot be assessed.

Generated Jul 10, 2026
Time to effect
Median: 2 weeks · IQR 2 weeks–2 weeks · Range 2 weeks–2 weeks — Reported in 1 of 3 studies
Safety in these studies
  • Overall tolerabilityReported

    Only four of the 27 included studies reported adverse effects in both treatment groups. There was no evidence of a difference between the groups but data were too scanty to reach any conclusions about safety.

    from: Dietary supplements for dysmenorrhoea.
3 of 3 papers
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