Ginger is a popular culinary and medicinal herb with a long history of safe use. It is generally considered safe when taken in recommended doses, even during pregnancy. The maximum daily dose should not exceed 1 g for pregnant women and 4 g for the general population. Studies have shown that dividing 1,000 to 1,500 mg of ginger into multiple doses is the best way to use it to treat nausea.
However, theoretical interactions between ginger and drugs have been proposed, and concerns have been raised that it may increase the risk of bleeding during surgery due to its inhibition of platelet activating factor (PAF). Therefore, it is recommended that patients taking ginger stop using it 1 to 2 weeks before surgical procedures. Patients using oral hypoglycemic agents may need a dose adjustment, as ginger may have hypoglycemic effects. Limited evidence suggests that ginger may interfere with antacids, sulcralfate, H2 antagonists, and proton pump inhibitors (PPI) by increasing stomach acid production.
Therefore, patients with gastric and duodenal ulcers are sometimes advised to avoid using ginger for purposes other than culinary purposes; however, animal experiments suggest a protective effect against gastric ulcers. In addition to its potential medicinal benefits, ginger can be incorporated into the diet in various ways. It can be taken as an extract in doses of less than 1500 mg per day, or as tea or hard or chewable candies. Ginger has been found to be effective in reducing pain as effectively as ibuprofen in one study conducted with patients undergoing dental surgery. It has also been found to reduce plasma glucose levels, HbA1c and insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetic patients. Ginger has also been found to be beneficial in treating pregnancy-associated nausea and vomiting.
In a systematic review and meta-analysis of seven studies, five showed that ginger was beneficial while two found no beneficial results. It has also been found to be effective in preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting after major gynecological surgery, as well as increasing movement through the digestive tract which may alleviate or prevent constipation. In addition, ginger has been found to reduce knee pain in older people when used in massage form with orange aromatic essential oil. It has also been found to have antibacterial activity against periodontal bacteria. Furthermore, it has been found to be effective in preventing nausea and vomiting during and after surgery in a caesarean section under spinal anesthesia. Finally, a literature review that analyzed 10 studies using ginger capsules to relieve chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting found that ginger was “significantly effective in controlling acute CINV on the first day after chemotherapy, but not against nausea and vomiting afterward on the first day of chemotherapy.”In conclusion, ginger is generally considered safe when taken in recommended doses.
However, it is important to note that there are potential interactions between ginger and certain drugs which should be taken into consideration before taking it. Additionally, there is evidence that suggests that ginger may be beneficial for treating various conditions such as nausea and vomiting during pregnancy, postoperative nausea and vomiting after major gynecological surgery, knee pain in older people, diabetes, chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.
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