Benefits
Pregnancy nausea (morning sickness)
In a meta-analysis of 12 randomized trials in 1,278 pregnant women, ginger improved nausea compared with placebo but did not significantly reduce vomiting episodes; subgroup results favored daily doses under 1,500 mg. A review of 109 ginger trials rated pregnancy nausea among the consistently supported uses. Check with your prenatal care provider first.
Nausea in chemotherapy and surgery studies
In a double-blind trial in adults receiving chemotherapy (576 analyzed), all on standard anti-nausea medicine, ginger at 0.5 to 1.5 g a day reduced acute nausea severity on chemotherapy day 1 versus placebo, with the largest reductions at 0.5 and 1 g. A meta-analysis of 10 surgical trials (918 patients) found lower severity of nausea and vomiting, but reductions in their incidence and in rescue medicine use were not significant.
Joint comfort and function
A meta-analysis of five placebo-controlled trials in 593 adults with osteoarthritis found small but significant reductions in pain (SMD -0.30) and disability (SMD -0.22) with ginger. People taking ginger were more than twice as likely to stop treatment (RR 2.33), and the authors rated the evidence moderate quality.
Exercise muscle soreness (DOMS)
Evidence comes from small trials. In two placebo-controlled studies of 34 and 40 people, 2 g a day of raw or heat-treated ginger for 11 days lowered arm muscle pain 24 hours after eccentric exercise by about 25% and 23%. In 32 runners, 1.425 g a day for 5 days possibly gave a moderate reduction in soreness after downhill running, with little effect on recovery of performance.
Blood sugar and HbA1c
Findings so far are inconclusive. A meta-analysis of 10 trials in 490 people with type 2 diabetes or metabolic syndrome features reported lower HbA1c and fasting glucose with ginger, but a later meta-analysis of five trials using 1.2 to 2 g a day for 4 to 12 weeks found no significant effect on either. Anyone on glucose-lowering medicine should monitor blood sugar.
Inflammation markers and blood lipids
A meta-analysis of 16 randomized trials (1,010 participants) found lower CRP, hs-CRP and TNF-alpha with ginger but no significant change in IL-6, with high heterogeneity. A meta-analysis of 12 trials (586 participants) found lower triglycerides and LDL cholesterol, with no significant overall change in total or HDL cholesterol.
Digestive comfort and stomach emptying
In a 12-week placebo-controlled trial in 80 adults with mild to moderate functional dyspepsia, an industry-linked study, a steamed ginger extract (GGE03, 480 mg a day) improved digestive symptom scores more than placebo, including the indigestion and reflux subscores. In a small trial, a single 1.2 g dose sped stomach emptying but did not change symptoms. Ginger can also cause heartburn in some people (12.8% in one open-label study).
Menstrual cramp comfort
A meta-analysis of four placebo-controlled trials in women with primary dysmenorrhea found lower pain scores when ginger powder (750 to 2,000 mg a day) was taken during the first 3 to 4 days of the cycle; the authors described the evidence as suggestive.
Mechanism of action
Dual COX and 5-LOX inhibition
In laboratory studies, gingerols and shogaols inhibit cyclooxygenase-1 and -2 (COX-1/2) reducing prostaglandin synthesis, and simultaneously inhibit 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) reducing leukotriene production. This dual-pathway activity is one proposed basis for the reductions in inflammatory markers seen in ginger trials.
5-HT3 receptor antagonism for anti-nausea effects
In laboratory and animal studies, 6-gingerol and 6-shogaol antagonize 5-HT3 (serotonin type 3) receptors in the GI tract and vomiting center, one of the serotonin receptors involved in nausea signaling. This is one proposed mechanism for the anti-nausea effects observed in ginger trials.
PPAR-γ activation and insulin sensitization
In cell and animal studies, 6-gingerol activates peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ), improving adipocyte differentiation, adiponectin secretion, and peripheral insulin sensitivity. This nuclear receptor mechanism is one proposed basis for ginger's studied effects on blood sugar; no human body-composition outcome is claimed on this page.
Clinical trials
Systematic review and meta-analysis of 12 randomized trials (Viljoen et al. 2014, Nutr J).
1,278 pregnant women
Ginger improved nausea versus placebo (MD 1.20, 95% CI 0.56 to 1.84, p=0.0002, I²=0%). The reduction in vomiting episodes was not significant (MD 0.72, 95% CI -0.03 to 1.46, p=0.06). Subgroup analyses favored daily doses under 1,500 mg. Ginger did not significantly raise the risk of spontaneous abortion versus placebo, or of heartburn or drowsiness; the authors noted few studies, variable outcome reporting and low-quality evidence.
Meta-analysis of 5 placebo-controlled randomized trials (Bartels et al. 2015, Osteoarthritis Cartilage).
593 adults with osteoarthritis
Ginger reduced pain (SMD -0.30, 95% CI -0.50 to -0.09, P=0.005) and disability (SMD -0.22, 95% CI -0.39 to -0.04, P=0.01) versus placebo. People on ginger were more than twice as likely to discontinue (RR 2.33, 95% CI 1.04 to 5.22). The authors judged ginger modestly efficacious and reasonably safe, with moderate-quality evidence (small samples, inadequate intention-to-treat analyses).
Systematic review and meta-analysis of 10 randomized trials (Zhu et al. 2018, Evid Based Complement Alternat Med).
490 participants with type 2 diabetes or metabolic syndrome components
HbA1c fell with ginger (WMD -1.00%, 95% CI -1.56 to -0.44, P<0.001), and fasting glucose fell in the type 2 diabetes subgroup (MD -21.24, 95% CI -33.21 to -9.26, P<0.001). Lipid profiles also improved, and most analyses were not statistically heterogeneous.
Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 1.425 g/day ginger root for 5 days with a 40-minute downhill run on day 3 (Wilson 2020, J Diet Suppl).
32 experienced recreational distance runners (10 women, 22 men)
Soreness while jogging likely rose less with ginger from baseline to immediately after the run (d=-0.69) and to day 5 (d=-0.72), with wide confidence limits. A possible small benefit on vertical jump, likely no meaningful effect on 1.5-mile run performance, and trivial or unclear effects on most other outcomes. No significant difference in adverse events.
Systematic review and meta-analysis of 10 randomized and comparative studies (Gao et al. 2025, Am J Transl Res).
Pregnant women with hyperemesis gravidarum, pooled across 10 studies
Trials compared ginger (capsules, powders or biscuits) with controls such as placebo, vitamin B6 or metoclopramide. The pooled odds ratio for nausea and vomiting symptoms was 0.41 (95% CI 0.22 to 0.79, P=0.008), which the authors reported as a significant reduction. Ginger was well tolerated, with no significant harm to maternal or fetal health reported.
Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled multicenter trial, 480 mg/day GGE03 for 12 weeks; several authors were from SD Biotechnologies and Daewon Pharmaceutical (Baek et al. 2025, Food Funct).
80 adults with mild to moderate functional dyspepsia (40 per group)
GSRS total score and the abdominal pain, constipation, indigestion and reflux subscores improved more with GGE03 than with placebo (p<0.001 for all), as did several SF-36 quality-of-life subscales. No clinically meaningful safety changes. Results apply to this specific steamed extract.
Randomized, double-blind crossover, single 1.2 g dose of ginger or placebo 1 hour before a 500 mL soup meal (Hu et al. 2011, World J Gastroenterol).
11 adults with functional dyspepsia
Gastric half-emptying time was shorter after ginger (median 12.3 vs 16.1 min, P≤0.05), with a trend toward more antral contractions (P=0.06). Gastrointestinal symptoms, fundus dimensions and GLP-1, motilin and ghrelin levels did not differ from placebo.
Open-label, single-arm study, 1,080 mg/day ginger in divided doses for 8 weeks; NCT06313814 (Aregawi and Zoltan 2025, Curr Ther Res Clin Exp).
50 adults with functional dyspepsia enrolled, 47 completed (78.7% women)
Adverse effects were mild and transient: bloating 14.9%, heartburn 12.8%, diarrhea 10.6%. None led to stopping treatment and no severe adverse events occurred; 87.2% rated tolerability good or excellent. This report covered tolerability only and had no placebo group; the registration lists dyspepsia symptom severity as the primary outcome, which this paper does not report.
Two identical randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies, 2 g/day raw or heat-treated ginger for 11 days (Black et al. 2010, J Pain).
74 volunteers (34 in the raw-ginger study, 40 in the heat-treated study)
Twenty-four hours after 18 eccentric elbow-flexor actions, pain intensity was 25% lower with raw ginger (P=0.041) and 23% lower with heat-treated ginger (P=0.049) than with placebo. Effects on other measures were smaller, and heat treatment did not enhance the effect.
Systematic review and meta-analysis of 5 randomized trials, ginger powder capsules 1.2 to 2 g/day for 4 to 12 weeks (Schumacher et al. 2024, Clin Nutr ESPEN).
Adults with type 2 diabetes (5 trials)
No significant pooled effect on fasting blood glucose or HbA1c. Two of the individual studies reported significant fasting glucose reductions. The authors called the published evidence limited.