Can You Take Ginkgo and Ginseng Together

Both ginkgo biloba and Asian ginseng are widely used herbal supplements, and many people take them at the same time hoping to support memory or mental clarity. Whether that combination is appropriate for you depends on your health history, any medications you take, and what the current evidence actually shows, which is more limited than many product labels suggest.

What Each Supplement Is and What It Contains

Ginkgo Biloba

Ginkgo leaf extract supplies two main groups of plant compounds: flavonoids and terpene lactones. These constituents are the basis for its use as a dietary supplement marketed for memory and thinking. According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), ginkgo has also been used historically in traditional practice for circulation-related complaints, though modern research has not produced conclusive evidence of benefit for those uses.

Asian Ginseng

Asian ginseng root contains compounds called ginsenosides, also known as panaxosides, which are considered the biologically most important constituents. The root has been traditionally used as an adaptogen, meaning it was thought to help the body resist physiological and psychological stress. It has also been historically promoted for cognitive function such as attention and reaction time in middle-aged adults, though that benefit has not been firmly established.

What the Evidence Actually Shows

It is important to read evidence grades carefully before deciding whether either supplement is right for you. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements uses grading language that reflects how much confidence researchers have in the available studies.

Ginkgo Evidence Grades

• Preventing dementia or cognitive decline in older adults: insufficient evidence
• Improving cognitive performance in healthy people: insufficient evidence
• Relieving symptoms of existing dementia: limited evidence only
• Helping heart disease, high blood pressure, tinnitus, or multiple sclerosis: insufficient evidence
• Benefits for anxiety, PMS, schizophrenia, vertigo, or stroke rehabilitation: insufficient evidence

Asian Ginseng Evidence Grades

• Improving cognitive function such as attention and reaction time: limited evidence only
• Reducing general fatigue not related to a specific disease: limited evidence only
• Improving sexual function in men with erectile dysfunction: limited evidence only
• Improving cardiometabolic markers in prediabetes and type 2 diabetes: limited evidence only
• Reducing flu risk, improving athletic performance, or helping with aging, asthma, anxiety, or stress: insufficient evidence

In short, neither supplement has strong evidence behind the cognitive claims most often made for them. A grade of limited means some positive findings exist but the research is not robust enough to draw firm conclusions. A grade of insufficient means available studies do not provide a reliable basis for any conclusion at all.

Safety of Each Supplement on Its Own

Ginkgo Safety

According to NCCIH, ginkgo leaf extract is likely safe for most adults when taken orally in moderate amounts. Studies lasting as long as six years have documented use without serious problems in most participants. Common side effects include dizziness, gastrointestinal symptoms, and headache. Ginkgo may increase bleeding risk, which is relevant for anyone with a clotting disorder or scheduled for surgery. It may be unsafe during pregnancy because it might cause early labor or extra bleeding during delivery, and its safety while breastfeeding has not been established.

Asian Ginseng Safety

Short-term oral use of Asian ginseng in recommended amounts, up to about six months, appears to be safe for most people according to NIH and NCCIH. Questions have been raised about long-term safety beyond that window. Some experts recommend against use in infants, children, and women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. There is not enough reliable information to know whether applying ginseng topically to the skin is safe.

Drug Interactions: The Most Important Consideration

Drug interactions are the central safety concern when combining these two supplements, especially if you already take any prescription or over-the-counter medications.

Shared Bleeding Risk

Both ginkgo and ginseng can affect blood clotting. Ginkgo may increase bleeding risk and can raise that risk further in people taking anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs such as warfarin. Asian ginseng has also been associated with altered clotting, and case reports describe both reduced warfarin effect and increased bleeding risk when ginseng is combined with anticoagulants or antiplatelet agents including aspirin and NSAIDs. Taking both supplements together while also using any blood-thinning medication compounds this concern significantly. NCCIH advises consulting a health care provider before combining ginkgo with any medication.

Blood Sugar Lowering

Asian ginseng may lower blood sugar. If you take insulin or oral antidiabetes drugs, adding ginseng could cause blood sugar to drop too low. This risk is not associated with ginkgo, but it is worth noting if you are considering the combination.

Immunosuppressants

Ginseng can increase immune system activity, which may reduce the effectiveness of immunosuppressant drugs such as those used after an organ transplant. This interaction does not apply to ginkgo but is critical for anyone in that situation.

Liver Enzyme Interactions

Ginseng may change how quickly the liver breaks down certain drugs by affecting cytochrome P450 enzymes including CYP3A4. This can alter the effects of a wide range of medications. Case reports have described liver toxicity when ginseng was combined with imatinib and raltegravir specifically.

Practical Guidance Before You Combine Them

• Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking ginkgo and ginseng together, particularly if you use any prescription medication.
• People taking warfarin, aspirin, NSAIDs, insulin, or immunosuppressants face the most clearly documented risks and should not combine these supplements without medical supervision.
• Neither supplement has an established adult target intake or an established upper limit according to the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, so consult a clinician or pharmacist for personal dosing guidance.
• Pregnant or breastfeeding individuals should avoid both supplements based on current safety data.
• If you experience unusual bruising, bleeding, dizziness, or gastrointestinal symptoms after starting either supplement, stop use and contact a health care provider.

A Note on Regulatory Status

These supplements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, and these statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. Dietary supplements are regulated differently from prescription drugs and do not require proof of efficacy before reaching store shelves. The evidence grades above reflect what peer-reviewed research has found so far, not marketing claims.

Bottom Line

Ginkgo and ginseng are not known to have a direct harmful interaction with each other, but both affect bleeding risk, and their combined use alongside medications raises real safety questions that go beyond what either supplement does on its own. The evidence supporting cognitive benefits for either herb remains limited to insufficient at this time. If you are considering this combination, a conversation with your doctor or pharmacist is the most useful first step.