Ginger and Its Ability to Treat Nausea

Ginger, a member of the plant family, that has been utilized for a variety of ailments from cooking to medicinal uses, dated back for thousands of years in history. It is available in several different forms, but most commonly for medicinal use, ginger is usually consumed in beverages such as teas or sodas, but can also be added to foods in a powdered form, in capsules, or consumed raw. Some of the more common conditions that ginger can help alleviate are nausea, motion sickness, loss of appetite, inflammation, and pain. Ginger is predominately produced in Jamaica, Fiji, Indonesia, and Australia, with India being the largest producer. Ginger takes place in the Zingiberaceae family along with some other common familiar substances: cardamom and turmeric. This analysis paper will discuss ginger at a deeper level along with its ability to treat nausea.

Pathophysiology of Nausea

Nausea, a condition that comes from a variety of illnesses, is a natural defense mechanism, and can come with or without the act of vomiting. Nausea comes with numerous underlying mechanisms from multiple human systems, this includes the central nervous system, autonomic nervous system, the endocrine system, psychological states of mind, and gastric dysrhythmias. Every individual is known to have a different type of threshold with their nausea that changes frequently based from the interaction of certain inherent factors. To begin, cellularly in the central nervous system (CNS) there are neurons from the nucleus tractus solitarius that are then transcribed into the action or feeling of emesis or vomiting, from here these same neurons travel to other neurons located in the ventral medulla and hypothalamus to obtain higher brain functioning (Kuo, B., Singh, P., & Yoon, S., 2016).

The autonomic nervous system’s role in nausea come from its ability to mediate physiologic changes such as sweating, increased salivation, pallor, increased blood pressure, tachycardia, and a decrease in gastrointestinal motility. Regarding the endocrine system, studies have shown that with an increase or rise in the hormone vasopressin comes with nausea and eventually emesis. Studies have also discovered that with a high vasopressin serum level there is usually a more intense feeling of nausea. Finally, gastric dysrhythmias have been studied to have a relationship with the onset of nausea. When the activity frequency becomes faster or slower than the intrinsic rate, nausea is induced (Kuo, B., Singh, P., & Yoon, S., 2016).

Active Ingredients and Mechanism of Action

Like many other dietary supplements, there is a significant lack of knowledge regarding their activity and safety for consumption, ginger is one of them. In ginger the oleoresin from the rhizomes contains multiple bioactive components; gingerol, paradol, shogaol, dehydro, gingerdione, hexahydrocurcumin, tetrahydrocurcumin, hydroxyl, methoxyphenyl, methoxyhepthan, and methoxy (Bode, A., & Dong, Z., 2011). With a focus being on gingers antiemetic abilities, there is not a clear mechanism of action noted in studies. Although some studies have begun to show that it inhibits serotonin receptors, exerting antiemetic effects in the gastrointestinal system and in the CNS (White, Brett, 2007). Another study has shown that gingers carminative effect also plays a role in its antiemetic effect, this helps break up and expel intestinal gas (Bode, A., & Dong, Z., 2011).

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Instructions for Use

Just like any other medications, herbal or dietary supplements, it is always recommended to consult in a primary physician before use, this is common practice. Take recommended dosage noted on the medication or as suggested by a primary physician. Do not take more than one formulation of this supplement to avoid risk of potential overdosing, and avoid taking with other supplements that are known to affect blood-clotting and lowering blood sugar levels. Clinically the dosage has been trialed at 170 mg to 1 g three to four times daily for general use, for nausea the recommended dosage is 250 mg to 2 g per day with three to four divided doses (Drugs.com, 2019). It is also advised to not consume more than 4 g of ginger a day or 1 g during pregnancy, ginger is categorized as ‘generally recognized as safe’ by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. There is no known antidote for the ginger supplement.

Side Effects, Adverse Effects, Safety, and Contraindications

Common side effects may include heartburn, diarrhea, stomach discomfort, heavier menstrual periods, and skin irritation if used topically. Because ginger consumption may increase the risk of bleeding, may lower blood sugars, and may worsen some heart conditions, its use requires consultation with a doctor. Drug interactions: anticoagulants (warfarin), antiplatelets, antidiabetics, and calcium channel blockers. Adverse effects may include hives, difficulty breathing, swelling of the lips, tongue, or throat, bruising or bleeding, and bleeding that won’t stop.

Special Populations

As previously stated before, it is always recommended to consult in your primary physician first before beginning a supplement, this is extremely important in special populations. In pregnant women it is suggested to speak with their primaries first, there is no known harm done but it is still not scientifically proven to be safe during pregnancy. It would also be beneficial for the geriatric population to consult for appropriate use due to the interactions of some medications such as anticoagulants. Because ginger is a spice, it is considered ‘safe’, this being said there has been no general warnings regarding pediatric use. It is also considered very important to provide your doctor with the complete reason on why the supplement is wanting to be taken, this gives them the opportunity to provide care that is safe and effective for the patient (National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, 2016).

Scientific/Clinical Evidence

Focusing on the treatment of nausea a systematic review was utilized for the positive results of the effectiveness using ginger. This review found that ginger was more effective in relieving nausea and vomiting then the placebo, used along with the common use of vitamin B6 (Bradley, H., Ding, M., & Leach, M., 2013). Another study was done and showed efficiency in smaller studies supporting the use of ginger specifically in post-operative induced nausea, morning sickness in pregnancy, and motion sickness (Kuo, B., Singh, P., & Yoon, S., 2016). Finally, in another randomized, double blind trial healthy individuals reported off that ginger was more effective in gastric emptying creating a relief in their nausea (Bode, A., & Dong, Z., 2011).

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is safe to say that the research seems to be in favor regarding the use of ginger and treatment of nausea. There is also a clear notation for furthering research and studies. There are also clear remarks regarding furthering research to determine safety and true mechanism of action. Ginger is an affordable, readily available supplement that is considered to be relatively safe in all populations. With its ability to treat multiple conditions, ginger should really be considered as a super supplement. There is a reason why ginger has been utilized for thousands of years, it is effective in many ways.