Natural Compound

Ginger

Zingiber officinale

Evidence TierAWADA NOT PROHIBITED

tuneTypical Dose

500-1,000 mg per day (standardized extract)

watchEffect Window

Acute nausea relief within 30-60 minutes. Anti-inflammatory effects require days to weeks.

check_circleCompliance

WADA NOT PROHIBITED

Overview

Clinical Summary

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) contains gingerols and shogaols with antiemetic and anti-inflammatory activity. It is used for nausea relief, digestive comfort, and joint pain support.

Strong evidence supports reduced nausea, including pregnancy-related and postoperative nausea. Trials also show modest reductions in osteoarthritis pain and exercise-induced muscle soreness. Minority studies report small improvements in fasting glucose and lipid biomarkers. Benefits depend on consistent dosing and standardized preparations, and reflux or gastrointestinal irritation can limit tolerance in some people.

5-HT3 antagonism via gingerols/shogaols provides anti-nausea activity. COX-2/LOX modulation and thromboxane inhibition contribute anti-inflammatory and antiplatelet effects.

Outcomes

What This Is Expected To Influence

Primary Outcomes

  • Reduces nausea and vomiting in pregnancy, chemotherapy, and postoperative settings

Secondary Outcomes

  • Anti-inflammatory support for osteoarthritis
  • Pain reduction in primary dysmenorrhea

Safety

Contraindications and Interactions

Contraindications

  • Gallstones
  • Bleeding disorders
  • Pre-surgical (within 2 weeks)

Side effects

  • Heartburn
  • GI irritation
  • Mouth and throat burning

Interactions

  • Anticoagulants (additive bleeding risk)
  • Diabetes medications (mild hypoglycemic effect)
  • Nifedipine (additive antiplatelet)

Avoid if

  • Active bleeding or bleeding disorders
  • Gallstone disease
  • Pre-surgical patients

Evidence

Study-level References

ginger-SRC-001Randomized controlled trial
Sourceopen_in_new

Ozgoli G, 2009, J Altern Complement Med, RCT

Population: Women with primary dysmenorrhea

Dose protocol: Ginger 250 mg QID (1,000 mg/day), first 3 days of menstruation

Key findings: No significant difference versus mefenamic acid or ibuprofen for dysmenorrhea pain reduction in RCT comparisons.

Notes: Supports non-inferiority rather than superiority for pain endpoints.

Paper content

No significant difference versus mefenamic acid or ibuprofen for dysmenorrhea pain reduction in RCT comparisons.

ginger-SRC-002Cochrane systematic review of RCTs
Sourceopen_in_new

Viljoen E, et al., 2014, Cochrane Database Syst Rev, Systematic review

Population: Pregnant women with nausea and vomiting

Dose protocol: Ginger preparations, typically 1,000 mg/day

Key findings: Ginger significantly improved nausea symptoms compared to placebo across pooled RCTs. Evidence quality rated moderate.

Notes: Foundational Cochrane review establishing A-tier confidence for pregnancy nausea.

Paper content

Ginger significantly improved nausea symptoms compared to placebo across pooled RCTs. Evidence quality rated moderate.

ginger-SRC-003Multicenter double-blind RCT
Sourceopen_in_new

Ryan JL, et al., 2012, Support Care Cancer, RCT

Population: Cancer patients receiving emetogenic chemotherapy

Dose protocol: Ginger supplementation as adjunct to standard antiemetics

Key findings: Ginger reduced acute chemotherapy-induced nausea severity when combined with standard antiemetic therapy.

Notes: Supports adjunctive use alongside 5-HT3 antagonists. Less clear benefit for delayed nausea.

Paper content

Ginger reduced acute chemotherapy-induced nausea severity when combined with standard antiemetic therapy.

ginger-SRC-004Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Sourceopen_in_new

Lin CY, et al. Efficacy and safety of ginger on chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Cancer Nurs. 2025;48(6):455-466. doi:10.1097/NCC.0000000000001355. PMID:38625733.

Population: People receiving chemotherapy and evaluated for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting

Dose protocol: Meta-analysis of 35 RCTs covering ginger capsules and ginger-partitioned moxibustion alongside standard antiemetic care.

Key findings: Ginger capsules reduced high-grade acute nausea and overall vomiting when combined with standard antiemetics, especially in highly emetogenic regimens.

Notes: Strengthens adjunctive CINV use, but capsule and moxibustion protocols should not be treated as identical interventions.

Paper content

Ginger capsules used with standard antiemetics reduced severe acute nausea and high-grade overall vomiting in chemotherapy settings. The evidence is strongest for adjunctive use rather than ginger as a standalone antiemetic.

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