What is Ginger and what does it do in the body?

Ginger, Zingiber officinale, is a root used as a medicinal food for thousands of years, mainly used in Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine. Ginger contains the constituents: gingerols, shogaols, zingerone, and paradol, which have been shown to have gastrointestinal, antioxidant, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory effects in the body. 

 

 

Ginger’s pharmacological properties include: antioxidant, inhibition of prostaglandin, thromboxane, and leukotriene synthesis, inhibition of platelet aggregation, cholesterol support, choleretic, cardio tonic, gastrointestinal, thermogenic, and antibiotic. 

Ginger has antibiotic effects that make it useful for intestinal disorders. Ginger also exerts anti-inflammatory effects in the body; it has a long history of use in Ayurveda as an anti-inflammatory. It may lessen inflammation by lowering the levels of molecules that trigger inflammation such as thromboxanes and leukotrienes. 

Ginger stimulates blood flow, energy, and supports digestion. It can help tone the intestinal muscles, improve bile flow, help in fat digestion, and lessen inflammation along the intestinal lining. It also may be useful as an antioxidant, as a support for cholesterol, and for the prevention of cardiovascular disease. It can inhibit platelet aggregation, which makes it useful for atherosclerosis and other clotting issues. 

 

What is ginger used for?

Ginger has been used medicinally for thousands of years; Chinese records from 4th century BC dictate its use for stomachache, diarrhea, nausea, cholera, hemorrhage, rheumatism, and toothache. Eclectic physicians used ginger in the late 1800s as a carminative, diaphoretic, appetite stimulant, and local counterirritant. 

Ginger is used in intestinal disorders due to its antibiotic effects. Some infections that respond well to ginger are those caused by Protozoa including amoebic dysentery caused by Entamoeba histolytica or giardiasis caused by Giardia lambia. It has demonstrated antifungal activity against pathogenic yeast as well as antibiotic activity against Salmonella typhi, Vibrio cholerae, and Trichophyton violaceum. 

Ginger can be useful in Irritable Bowel Syndrome because of its ability to increase gastric motility. To read more on ginger and IBS, check out our blog post: Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Also check out our post on digestion that includes a segment on ginger and digestive pathology: Digestion 101-Physio and Pathophysiology-Part III. 

Ginger’s ability to inhibit platelet aggregation has been shown more potent than aspirin. In a study on gingerol compounds and their derivatives, these compounds showed to be more potent anti platelet agents than aspirin. It has also been shown to promote fibrinolysis. 

Ginger can be useful for cholesterol support because it increases bile secretion, which can help with the excretion of cholesterol. It also was shown to impair cholesterol absorption which can support cholesterol levels as well. 

Ginger can be helpful in type 2 diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome. Ginger has been shown to ameliorate hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, oxidative stress, and inflammation, which make it supportive for the raised blood sugar, decreased insulin sensitivity, obesity, dyslipidemia, and hypertension that are common in diabetes and metabolic syndrome. 

Ginger is used for inflammatory problems such as osteoarthritis and rheumatism; it has been shown to reduce inflammation, swelling, and joint pain in these disorders. It has also been shown to reduce pain associated with osteoarthritis. 

Ginger can be helpful for nausea and morning sickness. Its antiemetic properties are due to its ability to increase tone and motility in the gut through anticholinenergic, meaning it blocks the action of acetylcholine in junctions that can cause involuntary movements, and anti-serotonergic actions. It has been shown to reduce the severity of nausea in pregnancy. It may also be helpful in reduces severity of nausea during chemotherapy; however, it has not shown to improve nausea in all chemotherapy patients. 

Ginger can be helpful in stimulating sluggish digestion. It improves bile flow, acts as a digestive tonic for the muscles in the GI tract, and helps with fat digestion. For this purpose, you can make a cup of tea with a few slices of ginger root to drink 30 minutes before meals. 

Ginger can be helpful for dysmenorrhea, which is pain during menstruation. In a study comparing ginger to NSAIDs, it was shown to be just as effective in reducing severity of cramping and colicky pain. It is proposed that Ginger’s ability to inhibit COX-2 and other inflammatory mediators is partly responsible for its ability to reduce dysmenorrhea since increased production of COX-2 and other inflammatory mediators is associated with uterine contractions and thus pain and cramping. 

Ginger root tea can also be used as a compress for sore muscles and for congested areas of the body. 

 

What are the available forms of ginger?

Ginger root powder: this form of ginger is taken in capsule form. Our recommendation for ginger is Ultimate Ginger Complex Arcana.

Essential oil form: Ginger is also available in an essential oil form. It is very potent and should not be taken internally. It can be diluted and applied topically or diffused in an aromatherapy diffuser. Some things ginger essential oil is helpful for are memory, the chills, poor circulation, nausea, loss of appetite, colds, exhaustion, and headaches. Do not use ginger essential oil for morning sickness. It can also be applied topically to help with sprains and swelling. For ginger essential oil we recommend Ginger Pranarom. 

For headaches and migraines, we recommend Migra-QWell Wellkasa, which includes ginger as one of its anti-inflammatory ingredients. For joint pain, we recommend Zyflamend New Chapter, an herbal supplement for pain relief. For gastric motility and IBS support, we recommend Motility Activator Integrative Therapeutics, which features ginger and artichoke. 

 

What are contraindications of Ginger?

Ginger may potentiate anti- platelet therapy. Thus if you are taking any drugs or supplements that may have a blood thinning effect such as aspirin, Coumadin, fish oil, garlic, turmeric, and gingko, make sure to check with your healthcare provider before taking ginger. If you have a bleeding disorder, it can be harmful to take ginger as well. Ginger also should not be taken in conjunction with blood pressure lowering medications because it may lower blood pressure. Ginger may further irritate the gut in those with GI disorders such as GERD and stomach ulcers. If you have diabetes, ask your doctor before taking ginger because of its ability to lower blood sugar levels. In late pregnancy, Ginger may be harmful to the baby. It is always good to check with your doctor before using ginger for morning sickness during pregnancy. 

 

What are the side effects of taking ginger?

 If consumed in large amounts and/or on an empty stomach, ginger may cause some gastrointestinal discomfort. It may also cause heartburn, gas, and diarrhea if taken in large amounts. 

 

 

 

References 

Haas, E.M. (2006). Staying Healthy with Nutrition: The Complete Guide to Diet and Nutritional Medicine: 21st Edition.Ten Speed Press. 

Hechtman, Leah. (2019). Clinical Naturopathic Medicine: Second Edition. Elsevier. 

Hikal, Hanan. (2025, April 30). Ginger Side Effects and Who Should Never Use It. Medicare Gate. https://medicaregate.com/ginger-side-effects-and-who-should-never-use-it/#Contraindications_for_Certain_Medical_Conditions 

Murray, M.T. & Pizzorno, J. (2021). Textbook of Natural Medicine: Fifth Edition. Elsevier.