(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Ginkgo biloba has long been touted as a memory booster, but a new study revealed it does not affect patients with dementia or Alzheimer's disease.

Dementia, especially Alzheimer's disease (AD), currently affects more than five million people in the United States. Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh set out to see if ginkgo biloba can prevent the disease. In a five-center clinical trial spanning eight years, researchers found the herb has no effect on the rate of dementia progression in patients with mild cognitive impairment. The study involved 3,069 elderly participants; roughly half received twice-daily 120 mg doses of the extract.

The individuals given ginkgo biloba appeared to have no adverse affects separate from the placebo group. "Based on the results of this trial, Ginkgo biloba cannot be recommended for the purpose of preventing dementia," study authors write.

SOURCE: JAMA, 2008;300[19]:2253-2262

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