Ginger is a very popular Ayurveda herb used for centuries to treat
many common ailments.
However, this medicinal herb has some adverse effects too. It may interact with certain medications and supplements.
Excessive intake of ginger may cause diarrhoea and heart issues and increase the risk of miscarriage. The herb may also lower blood pressure way too much. Ginger has been revered as a culinary and medicinal spice in many traditional cultures.
It is also a very powerful remedy with numerous purported health benefits — from reducing nausea and PMS symptoms to fighting inflammation and boosting testosterone.
Ginger is a spice originated from the rhizomes of the plant Zingiber officinale.
It is commonly used in many Asian, Ayurvedic, and middle eastern dishes. Ginger use dates back to 3,000 years ago in India. In fact, ginger is one of the most commonly consumed dietary condiments in the world.
What is Ginger used for? It’s been used for thousands of years as a remedy for diverse health issues, such as colds, nausea, pain, arthritis, migraines, and high blood pressure. Ginger is also an antioxidant that might fight microbes and reduce inflammation.
This spice is a relative of curcumin and cardamon, which all belong to the same plant family.
What are the Active Components of Ginger? Over 100 active compounds have been identified in ginger, fresh or dried! Gingerols are the major compounds in fresh ginger and less so in dry ginger.
Shogaols are produced from gingerols during the drying process and are present in higher amounts in dried ginger.
Ginger also contains zingerone, serum bone, pungent oleoresins, some terpenoids and flavonoids.
As far as ginger root supplements go, a recent analysis of 10 supplements randomly purchased in health stores showed that their active compounds greatly vary.
One supplement was high in one active component and low in another, while for the next supplement it was the opposite.
Plus, ginger supplements still aren’t standardized a specified amount of one of the active ingredients. Ginger contains a complex mix of hundreds of active compounds, which may greatly vary in supplements.
Health Benefits of GingerAs with a lot of herbal medicine, more research is needed to better understand and prove uses for ginger and ginger water.
There are many anecdotes about uses for ginger water that can’t be guaranteed healthy or effective. However, there are several potential benefits backed by limited research.
HEALTH BENEFITS OF GINGER
1 Ginger Reduces Nausea from HIV MedicationHIV medications also cause nausea. Ginger (1 g/day) given before the medications improved both mild and severe nausea in a study of 105 HIV positive people after 2 weeks.
2 Ginger helps in Pain ReliefGinger shows some promise for relieving pain naturally, according to a review of 7 studies that focused on athletes.
However, the evidence has been inconclusive. Ginger worked as well as the popular painkiller diclofenac (an NSAID also known as Voltaren) in a study of 43 people. In the study, participants took a ginger extract(340 mg) for 4 weeks. Unlike diclofenac, ginger didn’t damage the stomach lining or cause digestive discomfort.
However, this study had a small sample size and tested the effects of ginger over a short period of time. Large-scale, long-term studies are needed.
3 Ginger helps in reducing Eczema. 6-Shogaol, a ginger compound, reduced eczema in mice. TNF-alpha plays a role in eczema symptoms, such as redness and skin eruptions.
Interestingly, eczema is a mixed Th2/Th1 condition, and ginger managed to keep all inflammatory immune substances and pathways under control. For example, TNF-alpha, which is typically a Th1 substance, is high in people with eczema.
Eczema is an example of a Th2 condition with some Th1 characteristics. Ginger can reduce TNF-alpha levels, along with other Th2 products. So eczema is still more Th2 dominant, which helps to explain these potentially beneficial effects of ginger on eczema overall.
However, clinical studies are lacking to backup this purported benefit. More research is needed to determine the effects of ginger on eczema.
4 Ginger helps in Weight loss ginger water may help promote weight loss when combined with a healthy diet and exercise.
One study showed that ginger suppressed obesity in rats on high-fat diets. And another study found that men who drank a hot ginger beverage after eating felt more full for longer.
Balanced blood sugar can also prevent you from overeating.
5 Ginger helps in HydrationThis benefit is mostly because you’re taking your ginger in water. Staying hydrated is very important for supporting every aspect of your health.
Many of us simply don’t drink enough water each day. Starting your day with a glass of ginger water, or finding another regular time to drink one each day, will help you hydrate.
6 Ginger helps in Anti-inflammation. Inflammation is one of your body’s natural self-preservation functions. Germs, chemicals, and poor diet can cause too much inflammation and harm your body.
Inflammation has become a very common experience for a lot of people. Diet and lifestyle changes may be necessary to fight chronic inflammation. Consuming ginger may help prevent and heal inflammation.
One study found that ginger could reduce allergic reactions, in which inflammation can play a role. A small study also showed that people who took daily ginger supplements had less muscle pain after working out.
Muscle pain can be caused by inflammation.
7 Ginger Acts as an Antioxidant. The antioxidant properties of ginger may help to prevent: • heart disease. • neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and Huntington’s • cancer. • symptoms of ageing.
Antioxidants fight reactive oxygen species(ROS), which cause oxidative stress and damage your cells. Your body naturally makes ROS, but some lifestyle choices, like drinking large quantities of alcohol, smoking, or experiencing chronic stress can make you produce too much ROS.
Consuming foods and drinks with antioxidants, like ginger water, can help prevent and fight the negative side effects of ROS.
One study found that that ginger could prevent or slow down kidney failure. Ginger may also slow the growth of tumours, and one study found evidence that ginger may help control some types of cancer.
8 Ginger helps in Balancing your blood sugar. One study found that ginger improved fasting blood sugar in people with diabetes.
These and other findings show promise that ginger can help treat health concerns caused by chronic diabetes.
SIDE EFFECTS OF GINGER
Side Effects Of Ginger Though the side effects of ginger largely occur due to its overconsumption, it is important to be aware of them.
Ginger May Cause Heartburn. Ginger, when taken in higher doses (more than4 grams per day), may cause mild heartburn. As per anecdotal evidence, other likely side effects include an upset stomach and belching.
In case you are using ginger as an alternative remedy and are experiencing heartburn as a side effect, you may want to try ginger in capsule form.
This might not result in side effects. An American study reports heartburn in subjects who were given ginger. Most often, consuming more than 5 grams of ginger per day can lead to these side effects, including heartburn.
Ginger May Cause Bleeding. Ginger may aggravate bleeding issues. This applies not only to the herb but also to any ingredient present in the herb.
Certain experts believe that ginger could cause bleeding due to its antiplatelet (blood-thinning) properties. Some believe ginger can further increase the risk of bleeding when taken along with other herbs like clove, garlic, ginseng, and red clover.
However, more research is warranted in this aspect.
Ginger May Lead To Diarrhea. If taken in large quantities, ginger can cause diarrhoea.
Gingerols, the active ingredients in ginger, speed up the passage of food through the intestines and may cause diarrhoea. While this was confirmed in animal studies, more studies in humans are warranted.
Diarrhoea can occur when the stool moves too rapidly through the gastrointestinal tract. Abnormal gastrointestinal motility and excessive fluid secretion of the gastrointestinal tract cause diarrhoea.
Ginger May Upset Stomach. There is less research in this regard. Ginger stimulates the secretion of bile, which benefits digestion.
But if your stomach is empty, this may lead to excess gastric stimulation, causing digestive distress and an upset stomach.
The gingerol in ginger (which is similar to capsaicin, the active ingredient in many spices and chilli peppers) is thought to irritate the stomach, making it produce more acid.
This may leave you feeling unsettled. However, some evidence states that ginger could actually help treat an upset stomach.
Hence, more studies are needed to understand how ginger may cause stomach upset.
Ginger Might Not Be Safe During Pregnancy. Though ginger can reduce nausea in pregnant women, it is important to note the herb’s dark side as well.
According to certain experts, consuming ginger can increase the risk of miscarriage. It may not be dangerous if the dosage is below1500 mg per day.
Anything beyond this could be unsafe for pregnant women. Taking ginger supplements in large doses can also cause miscarriage and other complications.
Though ginger is safe when used in amounts found in food, it can cause problems during pregnancy. Excess intake of ginger during pregnancy may also lead to acid reflux and heartburn.
Ginger can increase the bleeding risk by decreasing aggregation of platelets Hence, mothers who have lost a significant amount of blood during childbirth must abstain from ginger during the early days following childbirth.
Ginger May Cause Gas And BloatingGinger tea may cause certain mild digestive side effects.
It most often impacts the upper digestive system and causes upper digestive gas. Replacing ginger with supplements could be one solution to this.
But make sure you talk to your doctor before using them. According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, ginger may cause gas. Some believe the same could happen with gingerale, the carbonated drink.
The drink may aggravate bloating in certain individuals.
Ginger May Lower Blood Sugar Way Too MuchGinger is usually known to aid diabetes treatment by lowering blood sugar levels.
However, taking it along with diabetes medication may cause problems.
Ginger may enhance the effects of the medication and cause hypoglycemia or excessive lowering of blood sugar.
Ginger May Cause Mouth IrritationThis is also called Oral Allergy Syndrome.
Certain allergies occur when you consume certain foods. The symptoms are generally specific to the ears, skin, and mouth. One such allergy occurs when you consume ginger(not in all individuals, though), where your mouth starts to itch.
Mouth irritation might also lead to an unpleasant taste. Though switching to a ginger supplement might help, this is not always the case. Other related allergies include tingling and swelling of the mouth.
However, limited research is available in this aspect, and we need further studies to understand why ginger may cause these allergies.
Ginger May Cause Skin And Eye IrritationAccording to an Iranian study, the most common allergic reaction to ginger is a skin rash. Other allergies to ginger include itchy eyes, skin redness, and skin inflammation.
These are the major side effects of ginger. But there are certain other ill-effects of ginger (or of the different forms of ginger) that you need to be aware of.
The recommended way of using GingerDosages of around 1500 mg per day was found to treat nausea. Going beyond this dosage may cause adverse effects, though the information is unclear.
Hence, it is important to consult a doctor. If it is ginger root, the following dosages may be ideal (these are just guidelines; for ideal values, please consult your doctor):•
For children between the ages of 2 and 6 years, not more than 2 mg of ginger root in a day.
For adults, not more than 4 grams of ginger root in a day. • For pregnant women, not more than 1 gram of ginger root in a day.
Ginger has been used for thousands of years for medicinal purposes.
However, excess consumption of ginger may have some serious side effects, such as lowering blood pressure way too much, diarrhoea, and heart problems.
Hence, limit the intake of this root and consult a doctor if you have observed any side effects after consumption.