Yes, you can take ginseng and ginkgo biloba together. The combination has been studied in multiple clinical trials, and a standardized product combining both extracts (sold under the brand name Gincosan) has been used in research for decades. That said, the pairing does carry some real risks for people on certain medications or facing upcoming surgery.
What the Research Shows for Memory
The most notable evidence for the combination comes from a trial published in the journal Psychopharmacology, where 256 healthy middle-aged adults took a ginkgo-ginseng combination daily. The group taking the supplement showed an average 7.5% improvement on a composite memory score compared to placebo, with gains in both working memory and long-term memory. Those improvements held steady throughout the 12-week study and were still detectable two weeks after participants stopped taking the supplement.
A systematic review of all human trials using the combination found that most studies tested it at a total daily dose of 320 mg of the combined extract, typically split into two doses of 160 mg. Some acute (single-dose) studies tested higher amounts of 640 mg and 960 mg in younger adults to measure short-term effects on attention and mental processing. The 320 mg daily dose is the most commonly studied and is the standard amount in Gincosan capsules, which contain a fixed ratio of ginkgo and ginseng extracts.
How They Work Differently
Ginkgo biloba and ginseng affect the brain through overlapping but distinct pathways, which is part of the rationale for combining them. Ginkgo primarily supports blood flow to the brain and acts as an antioxidant, helping protect nerve cells from damage. Ginseng’s active compounds (ginsenosides) influence neurotransmitter activity and help regulate the body’s stress response. The idea behind the combination is that improving circulation (ginkgo) while simultaneously supporting nerve signaling (ginseng) could produce benefits that neither herb delivers as well on its own.
Bleeding Risk Is the Main Safety Concern
Both ginseng and ginkgo biloba individually affect how your blood clots, and taking them together may amplify that effect. Both herbs have been flagged as supplements associated with increased bleeding risk, particularly around surgery. The American Society of Anesthesiologists and the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists recommend stopping all herbal medications one to two weeks before any elective surgical procedure. If you have surgery scheduled, mention both supplements to your surgical team well in advance.
For everyday use in healthy people not taking blood-thinning medications, the bleeding risk is low. But if you’re on anticoagulants like warfarin, or even daily aspirin, the combination deserves a conversation with your pharmacist or doctor before you start.
Interactions With Antidepressants
If you take an SSRI or SNRI antidepressant, be cautious. A review of adverse interactions between herbal supplements and psychiatric medications found that ginkgo biloba was involved in over 27% of hemorrhagic (bleeding) complications reported alongside these antidepressants. Ginseng was separately linked to cases of serotonin syndrome, a potentially dangerous condition caused by too much serotonin activity. Symptoms of serotonin syndrome include agitation, rapid heartbeat, muscle twitching, and in severe cases, high fever.
Taking both herbs simultaneously while on an antidepressant layers multiple risks: ginkgo increases bleeding potential (which SSRIs already raise slightly), and ginseng may push serotonin levels higher. This doesn’t mean the combination is automatically dangerous with antidepressants, but it does mean the risk profile changes meaningfully.
Effects on Blood Sugar
Both herbs can lower blood sugar, which matters if you take diabetes medication. Ginseng in particular has well-documented blood sugar lowering properties. Its active metabolites work through pathways similar to metformin, and combining ginseng with metformin in experimental settings has produced additive effects, meaning blood sugar dropped more than with either one alone. That’s potentially useful but also potentially risky if your medication dose is already calibrated to keep your glucose in range.
Ginkgo biloba adds another layer of concern because it inhibits several liver enzymes (CYP3A4, CYP2C9, and CYP2C19) that break down common diabetes drugs. When those enzymes are partially blocked, the medication stays active in your body longer and at higher levels than expected. This can effectively make your normal dose stronger than intended, increasing the chance of a blood sugar drop. If you manage diabetes with medication, monitoring your blood sugar more frequently when starting either supplement is a practical step.
Dosages Used in Studies
Clinical trials have tested the ginkgo-ginseng combination across a range of doses. The most consistent dose across longer-term studies (lasting 8 to 12 weeks) is 320 mg per day of the combined extract, usually taken as 160 mg twice daily. Some trials used lower doses of 160 mg daily, while others went as high as 640 mg per day for 90-day periods.
Most of this research used Gincosan, a standardized product containing a fixed ratio of ginkgo and ginseng extracts. If you’re buying the herbs separately rather than as a pre-made combination, matching the exact ratios and extract standardizations from clinical trials is difficult. Standalone ginkgo supplements typically provide 120 to 240 mg of standardized extract per day, while ginseng supplements commonly range from 200 to 400 mg daily. These are reasonable starting points, but they haven’t been tested together in the same controlled way the combined product has.
Who Should Be Most Careful
The combination is generally well tolerated in healthy adults not taking prescription medications. The groups who need to pay closest attention include:
- People on blood thinners, including warfarin, aspirin, and other antiplatelet drugs, due to the additive bleeding risk from both herbs.
- People on antidepressants, particularly SSRIs and SNRIs, because of the combined risk of bleeding complications and serotonin-related side effects.
- People with diabetes on medication, since both herbs can lower blood sugar and ginkgo can alter how quickly your body processes certain diabetes drugs.
- Anyone facing surgery, who should stop both supplements at least one to two weeks beforehand.
Common side effects from the combination tend to be mild: headache, digestive discomfort, and occasionally dizziness. These are more likely at higher doses and typically settle within the first week of use.