Health and Medicine
Will ginger enhance your immunity?
25/10/2023

Will ginger enhance your immunity?

Summary:

  • Ginger is the root of a plant called Zingiber officinale.
  • It was widely used in folk medicine in Asia, India, Europe and the Middle East.
  • Ginger has some potential health benefits, which are so far only evident in in vitro and animal studies.

It is October and flu season is already upon us. Every year, around this time media outlets [1] as well as our close ones start telling us what we should eat or drink to boost our immune system, with the belief that it will be effective in keeping us safe throughout the fall/winter season. One of these popular remedies is ginger, which can take many forms, from a supplement ingredient to the root itself. One example is a popular drink or “ginger shot” which is a small-volume, high-concentration form of ginger juice. This article is a continuation of our series about home remedies and aims to explore what is currently known about ginger and its medicinal use.

Ginger, from Latin Zingiber officinale, is a very popular spice and it has been used in cooking since at least the 13th century. The word “ginger” is commonly associated with its underground stem, or simply the root. Ginger originates from Asia but is now cultivated in warm climate areas around the world. It has been used in folk medicine for centuries, as a remedy for asthma, upset stomach or arthritis, among others [2]. Ginger’s popularity as a versatile medication does not seem to be fading away.

Given these traditional applications, ginger became the target of scientific scrutiny. Indeed, ginger was quickly shown to have a plethora of properties that could be beneficial for our health. For instance, compounds found in ginger, like 6-gingerol have been shown, to have strong antioxidative (anti-oxidant) capabilities [3-5]. However, this effect was supposedly observed in in vitro settings or in vivo in animals. Interestingly, while studies performed on healthy individuals are inconclusive, there was a small study performed on 43 patients receiving chemotherapy. In this specific setup – patients with a high level of oxidative stress due to chemotherapy – it was demonstrated that supplementation with ginger could potentially help to reduce that stress and alleviate the side effects of chemotherapy [6]. However, the study did not have enough participants to draw strong conclusions. Additionally, it was supposed to be just the pilot study, but so far it has not been followed up.

The comforting properties of ginger have been also tested regarding suppressing nausea in specific situations. An analysis of 5 clinical trials with a total of 363 participants suggested that the use of 1g of dried ginger could reduce nausea and vomiting after surgeries [7]. A similar effect was presented for the prevention of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. In a group of 65 patients, 32 were receiving 250 mg of ginger in capsule preparations 4 times a day. Patients reported through a questionnaire a decrease of moderate to severe nausea when compared to the control group [8].

Similarly, ginger was tested for its immune system-enhancing capabilities. The effect could come either through its antimicrobial activity [9, 10] or its support of the immune system [11-15]. While promising, these results seem to translate poorly into the human model. There have been a few clinical trials registered to test these properties. The studies aimed to test ginger’s capabilities of fighting the symptoms of COVID-19, general respiratory tract infections, colds and inflammation [16-19]. Unfortunately, none of the authors published their findings. As a publication of the results is a prerequisite towards applying products for medical use, it opens doors for speculation whether the results were at all satisfactory.

Ginger-based juices can be delicious. As a spice, it can also greatly elevate the flavour of many dishes. Additionally, it can even be comforting in certain situations and alleviate specific symptoms, like nausea. However, there is no strong evidence for ginger to have a significant influence on our immune system, prevention of flu-like diseases, or our health in general in accordance with the current scientific literature.

References:

  1. https://globalnews.ca/the-curator/9954948/ginger-cold-remedy-hacks/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CBecause%20ginger%20is%20anti%2Dmicrobial,Nutritionist%20and%20Culinary%20Nutrition%20Expert.
  2. K. Singletary, “Ginger,” Nutr Today, vol. 45, no. 4, pp. 171–183, Jul. 2010, doi: 10.1097/NT.0b013e3181ed3543.
  3. H. S. El-Abhar, L. N. A. Hammad, and H. S. A. Gawad, “Modulating effect of ginger extract on rats with ulcerative colitis,” J Ethnopharmacol, vol. 118, no. 3, pp. 367–372, Aug. 2008, doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2008.04.026.
  4. V. Asnani and R. J. Verma, “Antioxidative effect of rhizome of Zinziber officinale on paraben induced lipid peroxidation: an in vitro study.,” Acta Pol Pharm, vol. 64, no. 1, pp. 35–7, 2007.
  5. R. Aeschbach et al., “Antioxidant actions of thymol, carvacrol, 6-gingerol, zingerone and hydroxytyrosol,” Food and Chemical Toxicology, vol. 32, no. 1, pp. 31–36, Jan. 1994, doi: 10.1016/0278-6915(84)90033-4.
  6. K. Danwilai, J. Konmun, B. Sripanidkulchai, and S. Subongkot, “Antioxidant activity of ginger extract as a daily supplement in cancer patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy: a pilot study,” Cancer Manag Res, vol. Volume 9, pp. 11–18, Jan. 2017, doi: 10.2147/CMAR.S124016.
  7. Chaiyakunapruk, N., Kitikannakorn, N., Nathisuwan, S., Leeprakobboon, K., & Leelasettagool, C. (2006). The efficacy of ginger for the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting: A meta-analysis. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 194(1), 95–99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2005.06.046
  8. Ozgoli, G., Goli, M., & Simbar, M. (2009). Effects of Ginger Capsules on Pregnancy, Nausea, and Vomiting. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 15(3), 243–246. https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2008.0406
  9. S. Gupta and S. Ravishankar, “A Comparison of the Antimicrobial Activity of Garlic, Ginger, Carrot, and Turmeric Pastes Against Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Laboratory Buffer and Ground Beef,” Foodborne Pathog Dis, vol. 2, no. 4, pp. 330–340, Dec. 2005, doi: 10.1089/fpd.2005.2.330.
  10. J. S. Chang, K. C. Wang, C. F. Yeh, D. E. Shieh, and L. C. Chiang, “Fresh ginger (Zingiber officinale) has anti-viral activity against human respiratory syncytial virus in human respiratory tract cell lines,” J Ethnopharmacol, vol. 145, no. 1, pp. 146–151, Jan. 2013, doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2012.10.043.
  11. F. Aimbire, S. C. Penna, M. Rodrigues, K. C. Rodrigues, R. A. B. Lopes-Martins, and J. A. A. Sertié, “Effect of hydroalcoholic extract of Zingiber officinalis rhizomes on LPS-induced rat airway hyperreactivity and lung inflammation,” Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids, vol. 77, no. 3–4, pp. 129–138, Oct. 2007, doi: 10.1016/j.plefa.2007.08.008.
  12. E. M. Abdel-Maksoud et al., “Effects of ginger extract and/or propolis extract on immune system parameters of vaccinated broilers,” Poult Sci, vol. 102, no. 10, p. 102903, Oct. 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.psj.2023.102903.
  13. S. Tripathi, D. Bruch, and D. S. Kittur, “Ginger extract inhibits LPS induced macrophage activation and function,” BMC Complement Altern Med, vol. 8, no. 1, p. 1, Dec. 2008, doi: 10.1186/1472-6882-8-1.
  14. J. Kim, H. Lee, and S. You, “Dried Ginger Extract Restores the T Helper Type 1/T Helper Type 2 Balance and Antibody Production in Cyclophosphamide-Induced Immunocompromised Mice after Flu Vaccination,” Nutrients, vol. 14, no. 9, p. 1984, May 2022, doi: 10.3390/nu14091984.
  15. M. L. B. Ahui et al., “Ginger prevents Th2-mediated immune responses in a mouse model of airway inflammation,” Int Immunopharmacol, vol. 8, no. 12, pp. 1626–1632, Dec. 2008, doi: 10.1016/j.intimp.2008.07.009.
  16. Aarogyam UK, “Ayurveda Self-Management for Flu Like Symptoms During the Covid-19 Outbreak,” NCT04345549. Accessed: Oct. 08, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04345549?intr=ginger&aggFilters=phase:NA,status:com%20ter&limit=100&page=1&rank=58
  17. Appalachian State University, “Echinacea and Acute Respiratory Illness,” NCT02003651. Accessed: Oct. 08, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT02003651?intr=ginger&aggFilters=phase:NA,status:com%20ter&limit=100&page=1&rank=55
  18. Hawthorne Effect Inc., “Impact of HLNatural Immune Supplement on Colds,” NCT04103099. Accessed: Oct. 08, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04103099?intr=ginger&aggFilters=phase:NA,status:com%20ter&limit=100&page=1&rank=52
  19. Loma Linda University, “The Effects of Ginger Supplementation on Inflammation in Exercising Individuals,” NCT03219463. Accessed: Oct. 08, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03219463?intr=ginger&aggFilters=phase:NA,status:com%a20ter&rank=1
Kamil Wolanin
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