Mayo Clinic: Can taking ginger for nausea reduce or eliminate nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy? There is evidence that when taken with standard anti-nausea
medications, ginger may be helpful in further reducing or eliminating
nausea and vomiting during and after chemotherapy treatments. Results from two studies of adults who took ginger for nausea showed
that various doses of ginger before starting chemotherapy treatments
helped to reduce the severity of nausea. In these studies, participants
began taking ginger orally three days prior to starting chemotherapy.
The ginger was taken in addition to a standard medication prescribed to
reduce nausea and vomiting. A small number of participants reported side
effects including heartburn, bruising, flushing and rash.
In another study, taking ginger root powder was found to be effective
in reducing the severity of chemotherapy-induced nausea in children and
young adults ages 8 to 21. Ginger in this study was also given along
with standard anti-nausea medications.
Earlier studies had shown ginger to be of little or no benefit in reducing nausea and vomiting due to chemotherapy.
Many prescription drugs have been proved effective at controlling
nausea during and after chemotherapy. Ask your doctor if combining
ginger and anti-nausea medications might be right for you.
