Ingredient profile
Ginkgo Biloba in SonoVive: What the Tinnitus Research Really Found
Ginkgo biloba is a tree-leaf extract named in SonoVive, with no amount published; sponsored articles report 50 mg per capsule. It is the only named ingredient tested for tinnitus, and a 2022 Cochrane review of 12 studies found the benefit uncertain. Ginkgo may raise bleeding risk with blood thinners, aspirin and NSAIDs.
Written by the SonoVive editorial teamUpdated
The leaf
What is ginkgo biloba?
Ginkgo biloba is an extract made from the fan-shaped leaves of the ginkgo tree. It is sold widely as a supplement.
Ginkgo is sold for memory, circulation and ringing in the ears. In SonoVive it is the first name on the brand's Inside SonoVive graphic. The vendor does not say how much each capsule holds. Two sponsored articles list 50 mg, a figure we could not confirm.
Ginkgo matters on any hearing supplement for one reason. Among SonoVive's five named ingredients, it is the only one that researchers have actually tested on people with tinnitus. So its results are the closest thing to a direct answer about the formula.
Profile
How much ginkgo is in SonoVive?
The vendor has not published it. The profile table sets the SonoVive facts beside what research has used.
| Label name | Ginkgo Biloba (named, no amount published) |
|---|---|
| What it is | Ginkgo biloba · Tree leaf |
| Position on the label | 1 of 5 (order as named in the brief and on the Inside SonoVive graphic; no Supplement Facts panel is published, so order by weight is unknown) |
| Amount on the label | Not published (50 mg reported, unverified) |
| What research has used | 240 mg a day for about 6 years (GEM trial); tinnitus trials varied |
| Strength of evidence | Uncertain for tinnitus |
| What it is sold for | The most-studied herb for ringing in the ears |
| Main caution | May raise bleeding risk with warfarin, aspirin, clopidogrel or NSAIDs. |
Tinnitus research
Does ginkgo biloba help tinnitus?
Probably not much. Two Cochrane reviews and an NIH center have looked at the evidence, and none found clear benefit for ringing in the ears.
| Review | Size | Finding |
|---|---|---|
| Cochrane, 2022 (Cochrane: Ginkgo for tinnitus 2022) | 12 studies, 1,915 people | Benefit uncertain; may make little or no difference to how severe ringing feels. No serious harms reported. |
| Earlier Cochrane review (Cochrane: Ginkgo for tinnitus (Hilton)) | 4 trials, 1,543 people | Not shown to work when tinnitus is the main complaint |
| NCCIH (NIH) (NCCIH ginkgo) | Summary of research | Research does not support ginkgo for relieving tinnitus |
| Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSKCC ginkgo) | Herb profile | Tinnitus studies are mixed |
A 2022 review is fairly recent and pooled a large group. Its plain message is that a person with ringing should not expect ginkgo to quiet it. Our Cochrane ginkgo explainer walks through the review in more depth.
Dose check
Is 50 mg of ginkgo a meaningful dose?
The bars grow to scale. The reported capsule amount sits beside the trial dose.
Reported amounts come from sponsored articles and are not confirmed by the vendor; study doses are from the GEM trial (GEM trial (DeKosky 2008)) and bacopa trials (Pase 2012 bacopa review). Hearing figures are from NIDCD: about one in three people aged 65 to 74 and nearly half of those over 75 have hearing loss (NIDCD age-related hearing loss).
It is small. The GEM trial gave 120 mg twice a day, 240 mg in all, for a median of 6.1 years (GEM trial (DeKosky 2008)). A reported 50 mg capsule is roughly a fifth of that daily amount. Less of an ingredient with weak evidence leaves even less room to help.
Brain function
Does ginkgo support brain function or memory?
Large trials say no. The SonoVive bottle says Supports Brain Function, so this question matters as much as hearing.
The GEM trial followed 3,069 adults over 75, average age 79, for about six years. Those taking ginkgo developed dementia and Alzheimer's disease at the same rate as those on placebo (GEM trial (DeKosky 2008)). NCCIH reports the same result (NCCIH ginkgo). Memorial Sloan Kettering adds that in large trials ginkgo does not improve cognitive performance (MSKCC ginkgo).
Ginkgo did not prevent dementia in that trial, even at nearly five times the reported SonoVive amount.
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Who should not take ginkgo?
Anyone on a blood thinner should ask first. NCCIH warns that ginkgo may raise bleeding risk with anticoagulants such as warfarin (NCCIH ginkgo). Memorial Sloan Kettering lists more interactions (MSKCC ginkgo).
| Medicine type | Examples | Concern |
|---|---|---|
| Anticoagulants | Warfarin | More bleeding |
| Antiplatelet drugs and pain relievers | Daily aspirin, clopidogrel, NSAIDs such as ibuprofen | More bleeding |
| Diabetes medicine | Insulin | Possible change in effect |
| Drugs that lower the seizure threshold | Ask your pharmacist | Possible seizure risk |
| Other medicines | Efavirenz, midazolam, trazodone | Possible change in effect |
Tell your surgeon or dentist you take SonoVive. Ginkgo, and vinpocetine in the same capsule, may add to bleeding, and supplements can change how you respond to anesthesia (ODS: What you need to know) (MSKCC vinpocetine).
A real-life case
Should a man with noise-related ringing try ginkgo first?
Consider a 67-year-old retired machinist with ringing in both ears after decades of shop noise. He takes daily aspirin for his heart.
Hearing test
A hearing test shows whether hearing loss sits behind the ringing. Hearing aids are the proven help for age-related loss (NIDCD age-related hearing loss).
Aspirin check
Ginkgo plus daily aspirin may raise bleeding risk. His doctor should weigh in first (MSKCC ginkgo).
Sound and support
Sound therapy and counseling make ringing easier to live with, per NIDCD (NIDCD tinnitus).
Keep exploring
Is long-term ginkgo use safe?
The 2022 Cochrane review reported no serious harms in its tinnitus trials (Cochrane: Ginkgo for tinnitus 2022). One animal finding is worth knowing, though. In a two-year National Toxicology Program study, high doses of ginkgo extract caused liver tumors in mice and thyroid tumors in rats (NTP ginkgo TR-578). Those doses were far above what people take, and rodents are not people.
Ginkgo is one of five. St. John's wort brings the bigger interaction list, and the full SonoVive ingredient list compares all five.
FAQ
Ginkgo biloba in SonoVive: FAQ
Does ginkgo biloba stop ringing in the ears?
Research says it is unlikely to. A 2022 Cochrane review of 12 studies with 1,915 people found the benefit for tinnitus uncertain, and ginkgo may make little or no difference to how severe the ringing feels. NCCIH also says research does not support ginkgo for tinnitus.
How much ginkgo is in one SonoVive capsule?
The vendor has not published it. Sponsored articles report 50 mg per capsule, which we could not confirm. For comparison, the large GEM trial used 240 mg a day. Your bottle's Supplement Facts panel is the only reliable source for the real figure.
Can I take ginkgo with aspirin or ibuprofen?
Ask your doctor first. Memorial Sloan Kettering says ginkgo may raise bleeding risk with antiplatelet drugs and NSAIDs, which include daily aspirin and ibuprofen. SonoVive also names vinpocetine, which may add to bleeding with blood thinners.
How long does ginkgo take to work for tinnitus?
There is no reliable timeline, because reviews have not shown a clear benefit at any length of use. The trials in the 2022 Cochrane review still left the effect on tinnitus uncertain. If ringing bothers you, a hearing test and sound therapy are better first steps.
Does ginkgo improve memory in older adults?
Large trials say no. The GEM trial gave 3,069 adults over 75 either ginkgo or placebo for about six years and found no difference in dementia rates. Memorial Sloan Kettering also notes ginkgo did not improve thinking scores in large trials.
Is ginkgo biloba safe to take every day?
Trials such as GEM gave it daily for years, and Cochrane reported no serious harms, but it is not risk-free. It may raise bleeding risk with blood thinners and interact with other drugs. A rodent study at very high doses found tumors. Check with a pharmacist before daily use.
Who wrote this
Written and reviewed by
Plain-language pages built from the bottle images, the vendor's sales and help pages and linked public health sources such as NIH, FDA and Cochrane.
Last updated . Read our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is run by Sonovives, a USA authorized SonoVive retailer, not by the manufacturer. We earn money when you buy through our order links.
Keep reading
More about SonoVive
Ginkgo for tinnitus: Cochrane
Two Cochrane reviews, 16 trials in all: what they found on ginkgo and ringing in the ears, in plain words.
Read more
Hearing health guide
Warning signs, hearing tests, hearing aids and tinnitus helps, in plain words, before you weigh SonoVive.
Read more
Side effects
Side effects of each SonoVive ingredient, the medicines St. John's wort can weaken, and who should not take it.
Read moreUSA Authorized SonoVive Retailer
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