Should we be informed about the possible risks?
Discussion
Ginkgo safer than prescription drugs
I've been reading all these reports that Gingko Biloba and other herbs are supposed to come with warnings that say they can have negative side effects. Ginkgo is supposed to be dangerous if you take it before surgery because it thins the blood and might make you bleed more. But thinning the blood is what makes it get more blood to your brain, too! I think these stories are just trying to make us use pharmaceutical drugs instead of herbal ones. Everything has side effects, but I feel safer taking Gingko than warfarin or Coumidin or other blood-thinners.
RE: Ginkgo safer than prescription drugs
Ginkgo might be safer than pharmaceutical blood-thinners but both could be risky if your surgeon doesn't know you're taking them. So I think the point is just that you should be aware of the risks and let your dentist and surgeon know you're taking a blood-thinning substance (herbal or pharmaceutical) so they can be ready if you start to bleed.
RE: Ginkgo safer than prescription drugs
I take ginkgo and I didn't know it could make you bleed more, so I think they're right that the warning should be on the package. We can still take the herbs but we should at least know if they might have a side effect like that.
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