Ginkgo is in thousands of products, not just energy drinks. But does it really do anything? For this week’s book excerpt, we look at the studies on the benefits of ginkgo. Read more
Tag: ginkgo
What Does Ginkgo Do? Book Excerpt of the Week
Ginkgo is in THOUSANDS of products, not just energy drinks. What does it do?
In Chinese medicine, extracts from the leaves of the ginkgo biloba tree improve memory and concentration, treat anxiety and depression, and alleviate headaches, dizziness, and tinnitus (ringing in the ears).
HOW DOES GINKGO DO all these wonderful feats? TWO STRONG THEORIES:
Theory 1 – Ginkgo increases blood supply by dilating blood vessels, reducing blood viscosity, and decreasing the density of free radicals that wreak havoc on the body.
Theory 2 – The PLACEBO EFFECT! If someone told you “Take this, it will improve your concentration and calm your anxiety” your subconscious is already onboard!
Wait, what?!? GINKGO IS A LIE???
Tune in next week for the answer to that question (spoiler alert: it’s complicated)…
If you enjoy these excerpts, you should DEFINITELY check-out (library joke) my book: “Are You a Monster or a Rock Star: A Guide to Energy Drinks- How They Work, Why They Work, How To Use Them Safely” available on Audible and Amazon and wherever books are sold, in all formats.
To learn more about ginkgo and the other energy drink ingredients, stay tuned for next week’s book excerpt as we continue our page-by-page exploration through the Energy Drink Guide (now on Audible!!!).
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The Wand Chooses the Wizard: Energy Synergy versus Ingredient Quality and Composition – Book Excerpt of the Week
The interaction between two ingredients reminds me of the relationship or “synergy” between a wizard and his wand in the world of Harry Potter. Synergy is when two things are stronger together than they are on their own. In other words, the same wizard might feel less powerful using a different wand: the combination of the two makes the difference.
I’ve been seeing a lot about ingredient interaction in the news lately, but this is only half the story. Behold, our Book Excerpt of the Week:
In the world of Harry Potter, a cracked or damaged wand will not be as powerful, even if used by its rightful owner. The quality overrides the synergy or interaction.
In nature, a plant might have a high concentration of caffeine or some other nutrient, but how much of that nutrient survived when that plant was turned into a powder? Some ingredients are commonly adulterated (like ginseng and gingko), and some ingredients are hard to absorb (like quercetin and polyphenol antioxidants).
If someone is telling you two ingredients are powerful or dangerous when combined, they should also address ingredient quality and composition. Poor quality ingredients, poorly absorbed ingredients, or ingredients that have been adulterated will not have the same synergistic/combined effects on your body as they do in a test tube.
Related Reading:
Learn More: Get your copy of “Are You a Monster or a Rock Star: A Guide to Energy Drinks — How They Work, Why They Work, How to Use Them Safely” from Amazon, here. (Kindle, paperback, hardcover available).
Confessions of a Shady Supplement Supplier
After reading a research review on the adulteration of dietary supplements, I was inspired to write a confession. I work for a supplement company that gets complaints for being “too diligent” with our auditing and micro testing requirements, but I’ve seen enough to make me think twice about buying supplements online. If this confession makes you angry, remember this is a fake confession. The bad news is some supplement suppliers are ACTUALLY this negligent. The good news is you can spot the shady ones by asking the right questions…let me demonstrate.
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