Ginger earns its place for nausea, while its other promises are smaller

Key takeaways

• Ginger is a rhizome, an underground stem, and drying it turns some of its spicy gingerols into related compounds called shogaols, so fresh and dried ginger differ chemically³.
• A 2022 analysis of 13 studies with 1,174 pregnant patients found ginger beat a placebo for nausea, though not for vomiting, and did about as well as vitamin B6⁷.
• Europe’s herbal medicines committee accepts ginger powder for preventing motion sickness, while the U.S. NCCIH says most motion sickness studies haven’t shown it helps¹².
• A 2024 review found ginger eased period pain more than a placebo and about as well as ibuprofen-type drugs, but the trials carried a high risk of bias⁹.
• Lead warnings and a recall hit ground ginger in 2024 and 2025, so buy spices and supplements from brands that test for heavy metals¹⁴¹⁵.

In May 2025, the European Union’s committee on herbal medicines adopted an update of its official monograph on ginger. That reference text guides how ginger medicines are licensed across Europe².

One line in it may surprise American readers. The committee reviewed data on 300 to 1,000 pregnancies and found no sign that ginger causes birth defects. Even so, it wrote that, as a precaution, it is “preferable to avoid the use during pregnancy”².

Meanwhile, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) said in 2004 that ginger could be considered for morning sickness, and a 2011 review still described that position⁵⁶. And in 2010, Austria, an EU member, authorized a ginger medicine for pregnancy nausea³.

Same root, same studies, different calls. That’s ginger in a nutshell. It is one of the few folk remedies that holds up in trials for a real job: easing nausea. Beyond that job, the claims get smaller, and the cautions depend on the form you take.

The whole-herb picture: what ginger is, where its reputation comes from, what the trials show for each use, and how to buy and use it well.

Ginger is an underground stem, and drying changes its chemistry

The part of Zingiber officinale you grate or swallow in capsules isn’t a root. It’s a rhizome, an underground stem, the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) explains¹. The plant is native to warm parts of Asia and is now grown in South America, Africa and the Middle East¹.

You can buy ginger fresh, dried and ground, as juice, in tablets or capsules, or as an oil⁷. European herbal medicines use the powdered rhizome or tinctures, which are alcohol extracts².

Ginger’s bite comes from compounds called gingerols. They make up about 4% to 7.5% of the dried rhizome, and the main one is 6-gingerol, according to the European assessment³. The rhizome also holds 1% to 4% volatile oil, with more than 100 compounds identified³.

This is a detail most shoppers never hear. As ginger dries and sits in storage, some gingerols lose water and become shogaols, which can change again into still other compounds³.

So the fresh knob in your fridge and the powder in a capsule are cousins, not twins. A trial of one doesn’t automatically describe the other.

Three healing traditions wrote ginger into their official books

Folk healers have used ginger since ancient times, for complaints ranging from asthma and flu to an upset stomach, NCCIH notes¹. Several traditions went further and set it down in official texts³:

• Ayurveda. India’s Ayurvedic pharmacopoeia lists powdered dried ginger at 1 to 2 grams.
• Chinese medicine. The 2005 Pharmacopoeia of the People’s Republic of China lists 3 to 9 grams.
• European herbal medicine. In 1990, Germany’s Commission E, a government expert panel on herbal medicines, listed ginger for indigestion and motion sickness at 2 to 4 grams a day. Western herbalists also used it for chest congestion and colicky gas.

The World Health Organization’s 1999 monograph adds colds and flu, migraine and rheumatic complaints to ginger’s traditional uses³.

Those books record centuries of careful watching, and with ginger, they pointed researchers in a useful direction. Europe’s rules honor that history. Five ginger uses qualify there as “traditional,” meaning at least 30 years of use, 15 of them in the EU⁴.

Those five are motion sickness relief, mild cramping and gas, temporary loss of appetite, minor joint pain and cold symptoms⁴. The EU says plainly that they rest on long experience, not on clinical trials⁴. Only one use earned its stronger “well-established” label, and it isn’t the one most Americans would guess.

Morning sickness: solid trials, cautious advice

Nausea in pregnancy is ginger’s best-studied job. Our article on symptom relief summarizes NCCIH’s view, so here is what the trials and guidelines add.

In 2011, two physicians and a librarian reviewed the classic trials in American Family Physician⁶. Several gave 250 milligrams four times a day, a total of 1 gram, usually as capsules⁶. In one trial of 70 women, nausea eased by 63% on ginger and by 42% on placebo, a dummy pill⁶.

When ginger was matched against dimenhydrinate, a nausea drug that causes drowsiness, it worked about as well for nausea. Only 6% of the ginger group felt drowsy, versus 78% on the drug⁶.

A 2022 meta-analysis, a study that pools other studies, gathered 13 trials with 1,174 patients⁷. Ginger beat placebo for nausea but not for vomiting, and it did about as well as vitamin B6⁷.

A 2022 umbrella review in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition graded 24 earlier reviews of ginger taken by mouth⁸. Pregnancy nausea, along with arthritis pain, got its highest confidence rating⁸. Australian university researchers did that review, and the lead author was supported by an Australian government scholarship⁸.

ACOG’s 2004 guidance called ginger a nondrug option to consider, while grouping it with advice based on “limited or inconsistent” evidence⁵. The same guidance named vitamin B6, alone or with the antihistamine doxylamine, as a first-line treatment⁵. We couldn’t open ACOG’s current guidance to confirm its wording today.

Europe’s caution comes from gaps, not from harm seen in people. Proper animal testing hasn’t been done, and the rodent studies disagree². Some found more lost embryos at doses from slightly above to a few times the human dose, while another found no harm². One rat study saw the losses with ginger tea³.

Europe’s plain-language summary for patients is blunter than the monograph. It says not to use ginger medicines while pregnant or breastfeeding⁴.

A 2012 commentary in Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice made a related point. Ginger acts like a medicine, with its own side effects and cautions, so it isn’t the right choice for every pregnant woman¹³. Midwives and doctors, it argued, should weigh those risks and benefits with each patient¹³.

If you want to try ginger for morning sickness, tell your prenatal provider and agree on a dose¹³.

Motion sickness divides regulators, and other nausea is unsettled

On motion sickness, the transatlantic split runs the other way.

Europe’s committee gave ginger powder “well-established use” for preventing nausea and vomiting from motion sickness in adults². That status requires at least 10 years of medical use in the EU plus published studies⁴. The committee said ginger beat placebo and matched other motion sickness medicines⁴. The approved dose is 1 to 2 grams of powder, taken once, an hour before travel².

NCCIH reads the record differently. Most studies of ginger for motion sickness haven’t shown it to be helpful, it says¹. Its 2024 digest for clinicians calls the evidence mixed¹⁰.

We couldn’t open the European committee’s full review of those trials, so we can’t say which studies tipped its judgment. What’s clear is that the evidence is mixed enough for two careful agencies to disagree. Our rating: Not enough evidence to rely on.

Cancer treatment is another open question. NCCIH says it’s uncertain whether ginger adds anything to standard anti-nausea drugs for chemotherapy¹. A 2019 meta-analysis found no effect on chemotherapy nausea, while the 2022 umbrella review saw benefit for vomiting but rated its certainty only low to moderate⁷⁸.

After surgery, a 2018 analysis of 10 trials with 918 patients suggested ginger might ease how bad nausea gets⁷. NCCIH still calls the benefit uncertain¹. If you’re in cancer care or facing surgery, use ginger only alongside the anti-nausea plan your team gives you, and tell them you’re taking it¹.

Period pain looks promising, but joint pain and blood sugar gains are small

Menstrual cramps. NCCIH says ginger supplements may make period cramps less severe¹. A 2024 review in the Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine pooled 12 trials⁹. Ginger cut pain intensity more than placebo, and it did about as well as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen⁹.

The authors flagged a high risk of bias, widely varying results and safety data that were rarely reported⁹. That earns Promising but early.

Knee osteoarthritis. A 2015 meta-analysis of 5 studies with 593 people found ginger moderately effective for arthritis symptoms⁷. NCCIH says oral supplements might help knee osteoarthritis, but much of the research is poor quality¹. Ginger rubbed on the skin hasn’t been shown to help¹. The umbrella review rated the pain benefit as small⁸.

Blood sugar. A 2019 meta-analysis found a slight drop in hemoglobin A1c, a three-month blood sugar average, in people with type 2 diabetes⁷. The Merck Manual calls this evidence emerging⁷. The umbrella review’s certainty ranged from very low to moderate⁸. Ginger doesn’t replace diabetes treatment.

Weight. The umbrella review reported an effect on weight but rated its certainty low to moderate⁸. The EU monograph doesn’t list weight loss among ginger’s uses².

Across all these uses, the doses that worked in trials were usually 0.5 to 3 grams a day of capsules, taken for up to three months⁸. A cup of homemade tea has no set dose.

The ginger scorecard

Use	Form and dose studied	What the evidence shows	Rating
Pregnancy nausea	Often 250 mg four times a day, mostly capsules6	Beat placebo for nausea, not vomiting; similar to B67	Promising but early
Period pain	Oral ginger supplements19	Beat placebo, matched NSAIDs; high risk of bias9	Promising but early
Knee osteoarthritis, by mouth	Oral supplements1	Small benefit; much research poor quality18	Promising but early
Knee osteoarthritis, on skin	Topical products1	Not shown to help1	Not enough evidence
Blood sugar, type 2 diabetes	Capsules8	Slight A1c drop; low certainty78	Promising but early
Motion sickness	Powder, 1–2 g an hour before travel2	Accepted in the EU; most U.S.-reviewed studies negative12	Not enough evidence
Chemotherapy nausea	Added to standard drugs1	Uncertain; reviews disagree178	Not enough evidence
Nausea after surgery	Various7	Possible benefit; uncertain17	Not enough evidence
Weight loss	Capsules8	Low-certainty effect8	Not enough evidence
Colds, appetite, minor joint pain	Powder or tincture at EU traditional doses2	Long use, no trial basis4	Not enough evidence

Ginger is gentle as food, but capsules raise a few questions

The Merck Manual calls ginger usually harmless, though some people find it burns going down⁷. Many studies have also given it safely as a supplement, NCCIH says¹. The questions come with concentrated doses and certain medicines.

Stomach effects. Ginger can cause belly discomfort, heartburn, diarrhea, and mouth or throat irritation¹. Europe’s monograph adds belching and indigestion². If reflux is your main complaint, ginger may not be your best pick.

Blood thinners. In lab studies, ginger extract kept platelets, the blood cells that start clots, from clumping³. A 2001 pharmacists’ guide in the Canadian Journal of Hospital Pharmacy rated a ginger-warfarin interaction as theoretical, based on lab work without clinical proof¹¹. Its authors advised people on warfarin not to treat themselves with herbal supplements¹¹.

A 2019 case report examined ginger supplements and the INR, the blood test that tracks warfarin’s effect¹². The Merck Manual says ginger is theoretically off-limits for people with bleeding disorders or those taking warfarin or antiplatelet drugs⁷. If you take any blood thinner, ask your prescriber before you start a ginger supplement.

Other medicines. Lab and animal work suggests ginger can slow liver enzymes that clear many drugs, including CYP3A4 and CYP2C9³. European assessors said the real-world importance is unknown³. In rats, ginger lowered blood levels of the transplant drug cyclosporine³. NCCIH advises talking with a provider before using ginger if you take any medicine¹.

Breastfeeding. Little is known about ginger supplements while breastfeeding, NCCIH says¹. Europe’s monograph doesn’t recommend ginger medicines then, for lack of data².

Children. Europe doesn’t recommend ginger medicines for anyone under 18, except for motion sickness². There, the traditional dose for ages 6 to 12 is 250 to 500 milligrams half an hour before travel, and it isn’t advised under age 6².

Allergy. Allergic skin reactions can happen, and a known ginger allergy rules it out²⁴.

When to see a doctor. For its traditional uses, Europe says to see a doctor if symptoms get worse while you take ginger. Joint pain with swelling, redness or fever needs a doctor’s exam².

Lead has turned up in ground ginger: how to buy well

In June 2024, New York’s agriculture department told shoppers not to eat one lot of Badia ground ginger¹⁴. State testing found lead above New York’s action level for spices, 1 part per million¹⁴. No illnesses were reported¹⁴.

In October 2025, Eagle Spice and Extract Co. recalled one lot of its 16-ounce ground ginger for elevated lead¹⁵. It had been sold in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania¹⁵. Our article on spices and lead covers the wider problem.

Lead exposure can harm infants, young children, pregnant women and people with kidney disorders, New York officials warned¹⁴. That’s an awkward match for a spice many people reach for during morning sickness.

Capsules have their own puzzle. Gingerol content shifts with drying and storage³, and U.S. supplements don’t need FDA approval before sale¹. Respecting a plant this useful means asking the same questions of the ginger bottle that you’d ask of any medicine: what’s in it, how much, and who checked.

Questions readers ask

The bottom line

Ginger has earned its reputation for one job. For pregnancy nausea, capsule trials and reviews support it, and ACOG’s guidance has named it as an option, though Europe’s regulators still advise caution. For period pain, knee arthritis and blood sugar, the evidence is promising but small. For motion sickness, chemotherapy and surgery, it’s mixed.

Ginger in cooking is a gentle, flavorful habit. Supplements are where to slow down: match a studied dose, check with a clinician if you’re pregnant or take blood thinners or other daily medicines, and buy from brands that test for lead.

Related reading

• A few digestive supplements have real trials, and most run on tradition
• How to tell easing a symptom from treating a disease
• How to judge a cup of herbal tea, which is gentle but not automatically harmless
• Spices can help you cut salt, though some batches have carried lead
• Peppermint oil has the trials, but the tea most people drink doesn’t

Sources

1. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. “Ginger: Usefulness and Safety.” NIH, last updated February 2025. nccih.nih.gov
2. European Medicines Agency, Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products. “European Union Herbal Monograph on Zingiber officinale Roscoe, rhizoma. Final – Revision 1.” EMA/HMPC/885789/2022, adopted May 7, 2025. ema.europa.eu
3. European Medicines Agency, Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products. “Assessment Report on Zingiber officinale Roscoe, rhizoma. Revision 1.” EMA/HMPC/765220/2022, 2025. ema.europa.eu
4. European Medicines Agency. “Ginger Rhizome: Assessment Report Summary for the Public.” EMA/HMPC/387775/2025, November 2025. ema.europa.eu
5. Morantz C, Torrey B. “Practice Guideline Briefs: ACOG Releases Guidelines on Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy.” American Family Physician, 2004;70(3):601. aafp.org
6. Maitre S, Neher J, Safranek S. “Ginger for the Treatment of Nausea and Vomiting in Pregnancy.” FPIN’s Clinical Inquiries, American Family Physician, 2011;84(10). aafp.org
7. Shane-McWhorter L. “Ginger.” Merck Manual Professional Version, reviewed and revised July 2025. merckmanuals.com
8. Crichton M, Davidson AR, Innerarity C, et al. “Orally Consumed Ginger and Human Health: An Umbrella Review.” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2022;115(6):1511-1527 (Bond University record). research.bond.edu.au
9. Moshfeghinia R, Zare R, Pasalar M, et al. “Ginger for Pain Management in Primary Dysmenorrhea: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine, 2024;30(11):1016-1030 (abstract record). nutrition-evidence.com
10. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. “Travel-Related Ailments and Complementary Health Approaches.” NCCIH Clinical Digest, June 2024. nccih.nih.gov
11. Stenton SB, Bungard TJ, Ackman ML. “Interactions Between Warfarin and Herbal Products, Minerals, and Vitamins: A Pharmacist’s Guide.” Canadian Journal of Hospital Pharmacy, 2001;54(3):186-192. cjhp-online.ca
12. Rubin D, Patel V, Dietrich E. “Effects of Oral Ginger Supplementation on the INR.” Case Reports in Medicine, 2019 (DOAJ record). pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
13. “Ginger to Reduce Nausea and Vomiting During Pregnancy: Evidence of Effectiveness Is Not the Same as Proof of Safety.” Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 2012;18(1):22-25 (PubMed record). pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
14. New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. “Consumer Alert: Badia Spices Inc. Ground Ginger and Ground Cinnamon.” June 2, 2024. agriculture.ny.gov
15. ConsumerLab. “Ground Ginger Recalled for Lead Contamination” (recall notice on Eagle Spice and Extract Co., linking the FDA recall listing). November 13, 2025. consumerlab.com