What Is Ginger? Other Names: Gan Jiang, Gingembre, Kankyo

What is Ginger?

This post was written with Consensus AI Academic Search Engine – please read our Disclaimer at the end of this article. Ginger, scientifically known as Zingiber officinale, is a flowering plant whose rhizome, commonly known as ginger root, is widely used as a spice and a folk medicine. It has a long history of use in various forms of traditional and alternative medicine. Ginger is known for its potential health benefits, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antiemetic properties. Other names include: African Ginger, Amomum Zingiber, Ardraka, Black Ginger, Cochin Ginger, Gan Jiang, Gingembre, Gingembre Africain, Gingembre Cochin, Gingembre Indien, Gingembre Jamaïquain, Gingembre Noir, Ginger Essential Oil, Ginger Root, Huile Essentielle de Gingembre, Imber, Indian Ginger, Jamaica Ginger, Jengibre, Jiang, Kankyo, Kanshokyo, Nagara, Race Ginger, Racine de Gingembre, Rhizoma Zingiberi, Rhizoma Zingiberis, Rhizoma Zingiberis Recens, Shen Jiang, Sheng Jiang, Shoga, Shokyo, Shunthi, Srungavera, Sunth, Sunthi, Vishvabheshaja, Zingiber Officinale, Zingiberis Rhizoma, Zingiberis Siccatum Rhizoma, Zinzeberis, Zinziber Officinale, Zinziber Officinalis.

Health Benefits of Ginger

Growth and Health in Aquatic Animals

Ginger extract has been shown to improve the growth performance and health status of common carp (Cyprinus carpio). A study demonstrated that dietary inclusion of ginger extract significantly enhanced growth parameters, body composition, and immune responses in these fish. Specifically, fish fed with 0.2% ginger extract exhibited higher weight gain, better feed conversion ratios, and improved immune parameters compared to the control group1.

Weight Management and Satiety

Ginger consumption has been linked to enhanced thermogenesis and reduced feelings of hunger, suggesting its potential role in weight management. In a pilot study involving overweight men, the intake of a hot ginger beverage increased the thermic effect of food and promoted feelings of satiety without significantly affecting metabolic and hormonal parameters2. This indicates that ginger could be beneficial for those looking to manage their weight.

Anti-Obesity Effects

Ginger has also been found to attenuate obesity and improve adipose tissue remodeling in high-fat diet-fed mice. Supplementation with ginger powder significantly reduced body weight gain, improved glucose and cholesterol levels, and decreased hepatic steatosis. Additionally, ginger modulated adipocyte metabolism by enhancing fatty acid oxidation and reducing inflammation3.

Pain Relief

Ginger has been shown to reduce muscle pain caused by eccentric exercise. In a study involving human participants, both raw and heat-treated ginger supplementation resulted in moderate-to-large reductions in muscle pain following exercise-induced muscle injury. This suggests that ginger can be an effective natural pain reliever4.

Gastrointestinal Health

Ginger root extract has been found to improve gastrointestinal health in diabetic rats by enhancing intestinal integrity and mitochondrial function. The study showed that ginger supplementation improved glucose tolerance, increased pancreatic insulin content, and enhanced the expression of genes related to tight junctions and antioxidant capacity5.

Breast Milk Production

In a randomized controlled trial, ginger was found to be a promising natural galactagogue, increasing breast milk volume in the early postpartum period. Lactating mothers who received dried ginger capsules showed a significant increase in milk volume compared to those who received a placebo7.

Cardiovascular Health

Ginger extract consumption has been shown to reduce plasma cholesterol levels, inhibit LDL oxidation, and attenuate the development of atherosclerosis in mice. The study indicated that ginger’s antioxidant properties play a crucial role in its cardioprotective effects9.

Antioxidant Properties

Ginger root powder has been found to enhance the growth productivity, digestibility, and antioxidative capacity in rabbits under heat stress conditions. The study demonstrated that ginger supplementation improved growth performance, reduced mortality, and increased antioxidant enzyme activities in rabbits8.

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Adverse Effects of Ginger

No Significant Adverse Events in Clinical Trials

Multiple studies have reported no significant adverse events related to ginger consumption in various clinical settings, including chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) and gastrointestinal complaints2 5 7.

Potential for Gastrointestinal Discomfort

Some studies have noted that while ginger is generally well-tolerated, it can cause mild gastrointestinal discomfort such as nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain in some individuals1 6.

No Significant Impact on Metabolic and Hormonal Parameters

Research indicates that ginger consumption does not significantly affect metabolic and hormonal parameters, suggesting a low risk of adverse metabolic effects6.

No Study-Treatment-Related Adverse Events

In studies involving patients with lung cancer and advanced breast cancer, no study-treatment-related adverse events were observed, indicating that ginger is safe for use as an adjunct therapy in these populations2 5.

Protective Effects Against Drug-Induced Toxicity

Ginger has shown potential protective effects against drug-induced toxicity, such as hepatotoxicity from antituberculosis drugs and cardiotoxicity from cisplatin, without significant adverse effects1 9.

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How has Ginger Improved Patient Outcomes?

COVID-19

Ginger supplementation alongside standard COVID-19 treatment improved recovery rates of clinical symptoms such as fever, dry cough, tiredness, and gastrointestinal symptoms, as well as paraclinical features like thrombocytopenia and lymphocytopenia1.

Hypothyroidism

Ginger significantly alleviated persistent hypothyroid symptoms, including weight gain, cold intolerance, constipation, dry skin, and cognitive disturbances. It also improved body weight, BMI, waist circumference, serum TSH, fasting blood sugar, triglycerides, and total cholesterol levels2.

Multiple Sclerosis

Ginger supplementation reduced disability scores, improved physical and psychological quality of life, and decreased levels of neurofilament light chain, interleukin-17, and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis3.

Type 2 Diabetes

Ginger improved insulin sensitivity, reduced fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, and some lipid profile fractions (e.g., LDL-C, triglycerides). It also decreased inflammatory markers like CRP and PGE24 7 8.

In patients with type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, ginger supplementation improved insulin resistance, HDL-cholesterol levels, and blood pressure, although it did not significantly affect inflammatory markers or liver imaging indices5.

Post-Surgical Recovery

Ginger reduced pain and accelerated wound healing following tonsillectomy. It also decreased the duration of oral intake without increasing postoperative complications9.

Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Ginger extract reduced delayed gastric emptying and the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia in patients with adult respiratory distress syndrome, leading to more ventilator-free and ICU-free days6.

Periodontal Health in Diabetic Patients

Ginger supplementation, combined with non-surgical periodontal therapy, improved inflammatory and antioxidant parameters, as well as periodontal indices in type 2 diabetes patients with chronic periodontitis10.

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Ginger Mechanisms of Action

AMPK Pathway Activation

Ginger extract increases GLUT-4 expression in muscle cells primarily through the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway, rather than the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway1 5.

Prostaglandin Inhibition

Ginger prevents hyperglycemia-evoked gastric dysrhythmias by inhibiting the production of endogenous prostaglandins, rather than blocking their action2.

Anti-Obesity Effects

Ginger supplementation reduces body weight gain, hyperglycemia, hypercholesterolemia, and hepatic steatosis in high-fat diet-fed mice by enhancing fatty acid oxidation and reducing adipocyte inflammation3 5.

Ginger enhances the thermic effect of food and promotes satiety, which may contribute to weight management4.

Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Effects

Ginger reduces inflammation and oxidative stress in various models, including diabetic cardiomyopathy and ethanol-induced kidney injury, by modulating gene expression and enhancing antioxidant enzyme activities6 7 8.

Immune Modulation

Ginger improves immune responses and reduces stress in high-density reared fish by enhancing antioxidant enzyme activities and modulating cytokine expression6 10.

Gastrointestinal Effects

Ginger reduces nausea and gastric dysrhythmias induced by motion sickness by preventing the elevation of plasma vasopressin and stabilizing gastric slow-wave activity9.

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Common Complaints Associated with Ginger Use

Nausea and Vomiting Reduction

Ginger significantly reduces nausea and vomiting in various contexts, including pregnancy, postoperative recovery, and chemotherapy1 3 4 7.

In a study on pregnant women, ginger users showed a higher rate of improvement in nausea and vomiting compared to placebo users (85% vs. 56%)3.

Ginger was more effective than dexmedetomidine in reducing postoperative nausea and vomiting in patients undergoing abdominal hysterectomy4.

Ginger supplementation significantly reduced chemotherapy-related nausea in cancer patients, with the most effective doses being 0.5g and 1.0g7.

Gastrointestinal Complaints

While ginger can prevent antituberculosis drug-induced gastrointestinal adverse reactions, it is also associated with gastrointestinal complaints such as nausea, vomiting, dyspepsia, and abdominal pain1.

In a study on tuberculosis patients, nausea was the most common complaint, with a higher incidence in the placebo group compared to the ginger group (90% vs. 70%)1.

Disgust and Sexual Arousal

Ginger consumption can counteract the inhibiting effect of disgust on sexual arousal, suggesting its potential role in improving sexual function by reducing disgust-induced sexual problems2.

Muscle Pain

Daily consumption of ginger, both raw and heat-treated, resulted in moderate-to-large reductions in muscle pain following exercise-induced muscle injury5.

Dysmenorrhea

Ginger showed a marginally significant reduction in the duration of pain in dysmenorrhea compared to control groups, but it did not significantly decrease the severity of symptoms or the use of analgesics6.

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Disclaimer

The content presented in this blog is generated by Consensus, an AI-powered academic search engine, and is based on publicly available scientific literature. While every effort is made to provide accurate, up-to-date, and well-researched information, the content is intended for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making any decisions regarding medical conditions, treatments, or medications. The AI system’s analysis may not cover all perspectives, emerging research, or individual cases, and it is not a substitute for professional expertise. Neither the blog publisher nor the developers of the AI-powered search engine are responsible for any actions taken based on the information provided in this content. Use of this information is at your own risk. Citations to the original scientific studies are included for reference, but these studies should be reviewed in full and interpreted with the guidance of a healthcare or research professional.

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