Ginkgo and Blood Thinners: A Plain Guide for MemoMatrix Buyers
Quick answerGinkgo may raise the risk of bleeding when taken with blood thinners such as warfarin. In the large GEM trial it did not lower dementia rates or slow decline. Ginkgo appears only on the MemoMatrix sales page list, with no amount, and not on either Supplement Facts panel. If you take a blood thinner or face surgery, ask first.
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What is ginkgo, and where does it appear?
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Plant | Ginkgo biloba, the maidenhair tree; supplements use leaf extract |
| Full label (REV.11/25) | Not listed |
| Second panel image | Not listed |
| Sales page list | Listed, no amount |
| Main caution | May raise bleeding risk with blood thinners such as warfarin (NCCIH, Ginkgo) |
| Largest memory trial | GEM: no difference in dementia rates or decline (Snitz et al., JAMA 2009) |
An old tree with a well-studied leaf
Ginkgo biloba is a tree with fan-shaped leaves that turn bright yellow in fall. Extracts of its leaves are among the most widely studied herbal products for memory.
Being well studied cuts both ways. We know more about ginkgo than about most herbs, and that includes a clear safety flag and a large trial with a disappointing result. Our ginkgo biloba page covers the plant in more depth.
Photo: yellow ginkgo leaves on a branch. Illustration of the plant, not of a capsule's contents.
Why does ginkgo matter if you take a blood thinner?
The main safety concern with ginkgo is bleeding. NCCIH, part of the National Institutes of Health, says ginkgo may raise the risk of bleeding in people who take blood thinners such as warfarin (NCCIH, Ginkgo).
Blood thinners are prescribed to prevent clots that can cause a stroke or heart attack. The dose is set carefully, because too little allows clots and too much allows bleeding. Anything that nudges bleeding risk can upset that balance.
The worry is not that ginkgo is dangerous for everyone. It is that it may add to a medicine that already works on the same system. That is a question for the person who prescribes the blood thinner.
Warfarin
Named by NCCIH as a blood thinner to raise before taking ginkgo.
Other blood thinners
Newer anticoagulant tablets also prevent clots. Ask about each one by name.
Antiplatelet medicines
Aspirin and similar drugs also affect bleeding. Put them on the list too.
What did the GEM trial find?
GEM stands for the Ginkgo Evaluation of Memory study. It is the largest trial of ginkgo for memory in older adults. Its result was clear: ginkgo did not help.
The trial enrolled 3,069 adults aged 72 to 96 (Snitz et al., JAMA 2009). Half took 120 mg of ginkgo extract twice a day. Half took a placebo. They were followed for a median of 6.1 years.
- 3,069Older adults in the GEM trial
- 6.1 yrsMedian follow-up
- No changeIn cognitive decline vs placebo
Thinking skills declined at the same pace in both groups (Snitz et al., JAMA 2009). NCCIH adds that dementia rates did not differ either (NCCIH, Ginkgo). For a question as big as dementia prevention, a trial this size carries real weight.
Is ginkgo in your MemoMatrix bottle?
Ginkgo appears on only one of the three MemoMatrix ingredient lists. The sales page names “Ginkgo biloba extract” with no amount. The full label and the second Supplement Facts panel do not list it.
So a bottle carrying either printed panel lists no ginkgo. But we cannot be sure which panel a given bottle carries. The only way to know is to read the Supplement Facts on the bottle in your hand.
| List | Ginkgo? | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Full label (REV.11/25) | Not listed | None |
| Second panel image | Not listed | None |
| Sales page | Listed | Not given |
If the word ginkgo is on your panel, everything in this post applies. Our which formula page shows all three lists in one table.
Which other ingredients raise bleeding questions?
Ginkgo is not the only bleeding question on a MemoMatrix list. Two ingredients that do appear on the panels also deserve a mention to anyone on a blood thinner.
| Ingredient | On which MemoMatrix list | Bleeding-related note | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ginkgo biloba | Sales page only | May raise bleeding risk with blood thinners | (NCCIH, Ginkgo) |
| Panax ginseng | Full label, 90 mg | May affect blood clotting | (NCCIH, Asian Ginseng) |
| Rhodiola rosea | All three lists | Blood thinners listed among possible interactions | (MSKCC, Rhodiola) |
Rhodiola is the one that shows up on every list. So even a bottle without ginkgo has something worth raising. Our side effects page has the wider list of cautions.
What about surgery and dental work?
Planned surgery and dental work are the other times bleeding risk matters. Before any procedure, your care team will ask what you take. Include every supplement, even ones you think of as food.
They may ask you to pause some products for a time beforehand. Follow their instructions, not a general rule from the internet. If you are not asked, raise it yourself.
- When the procedure is booked
Give the surgeon or dentist a list of every supplement, with a photo of each panel.
- Pre-op call or visit
Ask whether to pause any product, and for how long.
- Day of the procedure
Bring the list again. Mention any blood thinner and any recent supplement.
- After the procedure
Ask when, or if, you can restart each product.
Which bleeding signs should you watch for?
Know the signs of unusual bleeding if you take a blood thinner. Easy bruising, nosebleeds and bleeding gums are common early signs. Blood in urine or stool, or black stools, also need a call.
When to call
Call your doctor the same day for new bruising or bleeding. Call 911 for heavy bleeding that will not stop, or for sudden numbness, confusion, trouble speaking or a severe headache, which can be signs of a stroke.
The CDC lists the sudden signs of stroke and asks people to note the time they started (CDC, Stroke signs). That time helps the hospital choose a treatment.
What should you ask before you start?
A short talk with the prescriber or pharmacist settles most of this. Bring a photo of the panel and your full medicine list.
Questions for the prescriber or pharmacist
- Does anything on this panel affect bleeding or clotting?
- Is it safe with my blood thinner or my daily aspirin?
- Should my clotting tests be checked more often if I start it?
- Do I need to pause it before my next dental or surgical visit?
- Which bleeding signs mean I should stop and call you?
Honest note: a large trial, a clear result
The GEM trial is a strong reason not to expect memory help from ginkgo. No study has tested MemoMatrix, under any of its lists. And no supplement has been shown to prevent dementia (NCCIH, Supplements for cognitive function).
That leaves a simple trade to weigh. If your bottle lists ginkgo, you take on a possible bleeding question for a benefit the largest trial did not find. If it does not, the ginkgo question falls away, but rhodiola and ginseng still deserve a word with the prescriber.
Memory changes that get in the way of daily life deserve a doctor's visit before any supplement (NIA, Memory problems and aging). A checkup may uncover something that responds to treatment, like a drop in B12 or a reaction to another prescription.
Ginkgo and blood thinners: common questions
Can you take ginkgo with blood thinners?
Only with your doctor's okay. NCCIH says ginkgo may raise the risk of bleeding in people who take blood thinners such as warfarin.
Does ginkgo biloba thin the blood?
It may affect bleeding. That is why it is flagged for people on blood thinners and before procedures; ask your doctor what it means for you.
Can ginkgo be taken with aspirin?
Ask your doctor first. Aspirin also affects bleeding, so the pair belongs on the list you review with your prescriber or pharmacist.
Did ginkgo prevent dementia in the GEM study?
No. More than 3,000 older adults took ginkgo or placebo for about six years, and dementia rates did not differ.
Does MemoMatrix contain ginkgo?
Only the sales page lists ginkgo, with no amount. Neither Supplement Facts panel we read names it, so check the panel on your own bottle.
Does ginkgo need a pause before an operation or dental work?
Tell your surgeon and dentist about every supplement, and follow their instructions. They may ask you to pause some products before a procedure.
What are signs of bleeding to watch for?
Easy bruising, nosebleeds, bleeding gums, or blood in urine or stool can be signs. Call your doctor, and call 911 for heavy bleeding or a sudden severe headache.
Do other MemoMatrix ingredients affect bleeding?
Possibly. NCCIH says Panax ginseng may affect blood clotting, and Memorial Sloan Kettering lists blood thinners among rhodiola's possible interactions.
How much ginkgo was used in the GEM trial?
The GEM trial used 120 mg of ginkgo extract twice a day. Even at that dose, cognitive decline did not differ from placebo.
On a blood thinner and still curious about MemoMatrix?
The full MemoMatrix label lists no ginkgo, but it does list rhodiola and Panax ginseng. Show the panel on your bottle to the prescriber of your blood thinner before the first dose.
