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Question:
I belong to a sky diving organization. Some of the members suffer from air sickness prior to jumping. Is ginger effective in this application? If so, how much is recommended?
Answer:
Ginger was first shown to be effective in treating motion sickness in 1982 study that appeared in the Lancet. In this study, dried ginger (940 mg) was shown to be far superior to Dramamine (100 mg) in relieving symptoms of nausea and vomiting. Since this initial study several better designed follow-up studies have studied the effectiveness of ginger as a motion sickness medication.
The appearance of motion sickness trials using ginger prompted an interest in ginger by NASA, which subsequently funded a study at Louisiana State University. This study compared ginger, both fresh and dried powdered, to the drug scopolamine by measuring the number of head movements they could make in a rotating chair until they reached an endpoint of motion sickness short of vomiting. Ginger was not shown to produce any protection against motion sickness in this model or in two additional experiments. However, in perhaps a more real-life test, ginger (1 g) given to naval cadets, unaccustomed to sailing in heavy seas, was shown to reduce the tendency to vomiting and cold sweating compared to a placebo in a double-blind trial.
While the overall effectiveness of ginger in motion sickness has yet to be determined, it is certainly safe and is worth a try. Most research studies have utilized 1 gram of dry powdered ginger root. Practically speaking, this is a small dose of ginger. My recommendation for best results is to use a ginger extract standardized to contain 20% gingerol and shogaol at a dosage of 100-200 mg. Take the ginger 30 to 45 minutes before take-off.
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