Herb

Ginger

Also known as Zingiber officinale

Rhizome containing gingerols and shogaols that inhibit prostaglandin synthesis and act on gut serotonin receptors; well evidenced for nausea, including pregnancy- and chemotherapy-related, and mild anti-inflammatory effects.

3linked conditions

20linked studies

On this pageEvidence Availability Outcomes & conditions →

Evidence

What the research actually shows

We link to relevant studies and leave interpretation to you and your healthcare professional.

Evidence analytics

Where the evidence is concentrated

Number of audited published findings for Ginger by condition. Drill into a pair page for the full breakdown.

Putative uses

Where people report using it and what trials suggest

Strong evidenceNausea of pregnancy
Moderate evidenceChemotherapy-induced nausea adjunct
Moderate evidenceMotion sickness
Mixed evidenceOA pain

Where the evidence is negative

Common claims the trials do not support

Dysmenorrhoea trials inconsistent vs NSAIDs.
Does not prevent nausea in all contexts (post-operative results mixed).

Root with consistent anti-nausea evidence across pregnancy, chemotherapy, and motion sickness; pain uses are mixed.

Safety notes: Mild bleeding-platelet effect at high doses; caution before surgery and with anticoagulants.

Evidence grades reflect study quality and consistency, not marketing claims.

20studies referenced

16journals

2012–2026publication range

01Comparative Effectiveness of Pharmacological and Non-Pharmacological Interventions for Nausea and Vomiting in Pregnancy: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-AnalysisFrivaldszky L, et al. · Nutrients · 2026PMID 42075106 ↗02Comparative Effectiveness of Nutritional Supplements in the Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis: A Network Meta-AnalysisZhang Y, et al. · Nutrients · 2025PMID 40806131 ↗03Effects of Ginger Supplementation on Markers of Inflammation and Functional Capacity in Individuals with Mild to Moderate Joint PainBroeckel J, et al. · Nutrients · 2025PMID 40732990 ↗04A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Dose-Response Trial of Muvz(™) for Knee and Low-Back Support in Physically Active AdultsKalman D, et al. · Drug design, development and therapy · 2025PMID 39931217 ↗05Phytotherapy as an adjunct to the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis - a systematic review of clinical trialsPiekarz J, et al. · Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology · 2025PMID 41005054 ↗06Pharmacological properties of ginger (Zingiber officinale): what do meta-analyses say? a systematic review

Search PubMed ↗Find clinical trials ↗

What trials found, in numbers

Summaries of published trial results for this compound, grouped by condition. Numbers are reported exactly as the researchers published them — we never calculate or convert.

How to read this table

Benefit: What the trial saw happen: whether the measured outcome moved in the helpful direction in that one study (the tag on each row: “Benefit seen”, “No clear benefit” or “Unclear”). It is a study result — not advice, and not a promise it will work for you.
Evidence: How strong the research behind that result is. A meta-analysis pools many studies (strongest); a systematic review collates them; an RCT tests against a control (placebo); observational studies only watch — they can suggest, not prove.
Effect size: How large the measured change was, exactly as the researchers published it. “No number reported” means the abstract gave no effect size — we never invent one.

In short: benefit is what was observed; evidence is how much you should trust the observation. A “Benefit seen” tag on a weak study counts for far less than the same tag on a meta-analysis.

Joint Pain (8 outcomes)

Outcome measured	What trials found	Effect size	People studied	Duration	Type of evidence	Study
knee function (capsules vs placebo)	No significant improvement in knee function with ginger capsules vs placebo was found. (95% CI, -4.30 to -1.09 (P = 0.24))No clear benefit	-1.61 points	—	—	Meta-analysis · 2020	PMID 32214292
knee function (topical ginger vs standard treatment)	No significant difference in knee function with topical ginger vs standard treatment was found. (95% CI, -1.15 to 0.13 (P = 0.12))No clear benefit	-0.51 points	—	—	Meta-analysis · 2020	PMID 32214292

Outcomes & conditions

Why people look into Ginger — and what they report

Associated conditions and community-reported outcomes, wrapped together on one page. Aggregates appear only once enough reports arrive.

Outcomes & conditions →

Important: This page reflects observational, aggregate-only community reporting and independent published research. It is not medical advice, and it does not claim any compound treats, cures, or is effective for any condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting, stopping, or changing any supplement or treatment.

Availability

Where to get Ginger (UK)

How this compound is sold in the UK, and where our readers typically find it.

Retailer search links — we may earn commission on purchases at no cost to you. Commission never affects our evidence ratings.

Search Ginger on Amazon UK →Search Ginger on Holland & Barrett →Search Ginger on iHerb →

Outcome measured	What trials found	Effect size	People studied	Duration	Type of evidence	Study
general symptom of NVP	Ginger significantly improved general NVP symptoms with an OR of 7.475 compared to placebo in 1174 subjects. (95% CI = (4.133, 13.520))Benefit seen	7.475 OR	1174	—	Meta-analysis · 2022	PMID 31937153
general symptom of NVP vs vitamin B6	Ginger showed no significant difference in general NVP symptoms compared to vitamin B6 in 1174 subjects. (95% CI = (0.495, 3.102))No clear benefit	no number reported	1174	—	Meta-analysis · 2022	PMID 31937153
severity of nausea	Ginger significantly reduced nausea severity with an SMD of 0.821 compared to placebo in 1174 subjects. (95% CI = (0.585, 1.056))Benefit seen	0.821 SMD	1174	—	Meta-analysis · 2022	PMID 31937153
severity of nausea vs vitamin B6	Ginger showed no significant difference in nausea severity compared to vitamin B6 in 1174 subjects. (95% CI = (-0.102, 0.500))No clear benefit	no number reported	1174	—	Meta-analysis · 2022	PMID 31937153
vomiting	Ginger showed no significant effect on reducing vomiting compared to placebo in 1174 subjects. (95% CI = (-0.268, 1.365))No clear benefit	no number reported	1174	—	Meta-analysis · 2022	PMID 31937153
vomiting vs vitamin B6	Ginger showed no significant difference in reducing vomiting compared to vitamin B6 in 1174 subjects. (95% CI = (-0.145, 0.808))No clear benefit	no number reported	1174	—	Meta-analysis · 2022	PMID 31937153
acute vomiting (subgroup: not more than 1 g ginger per day for above four days)	Ginger reduced acute vomiting (OR 0.30) vs control in patients taking not more than 1 g daily for above four days. (95% CI 0.12 to 0.79; p = 0.02; I2 = 36%)Benefit seen	0.30 OR	—	above four days	Meta-analysis · 2022	PMID 36501010
incidence of acute nausea	Ginger showed no significant benefit for acute nausea compared to control. (p = 0.53)No clear benefit	no number reported	—	—	Meta-analysis · 2022	PMID 36501010
incidence of acute vomiting	Ginger showed no significant benefit for acute vomiting compared to control. (p = 0.09)No clear benefit	no number reported	—	—	Meta-analysis · 2022	PMID 36501010
incidence of delayed nausea	Ginger showed no significant benefit for delayed nausea compared to control. (p = 0.31)No clear benefit	no number reported	—	—	Meta-analysis · 2022	PMID 36501010
incidence of delayed vomiting	Ginger showed no significant benefit for delayed vomiting compared to control. (p = 0.89)No clear benefit	no number reported	—	—	Meta-analysis · 2022	PMID 36501010