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Memory and Concentration Herbs (and Why
Gingko Doesn't Always Work)
By Brian Benjamin
Carter, MSci, LAc
Brian is an author of international
renown and public speaker. He is currently writing his book
Chinese Medicine: A Practical Guide to Optimal Healing.
Brian practices acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine
in sunny San Diego, California.
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When reading, I can't seem to focus or retain information as
I once did. I was wondering if you had any suggestions, herbal remedies,
or insight to offer. I appreciate your assistance.
Memory function is a complex issue that an overly simplistic
herbal approach cannot solve.
Why Gingko Doesn’t Always Work For Memory
Popular magazines said that gingko was the herbal memory cure,
but people's experience and science have not borne this out. I'm
not surprised. In Chinese medicine, we recognize that one symptom
can be have multiple causes. We have to look for the root, and
look at the surrounding symptoms and signs to find the appropriate
cure.
Your memory loss/concentration could be due to something that
gingko can address, or to something else. If you give it to a
bunch of people without first differentiating the cause of their
problem, you won't know who will get better and who won't. Although
gingko is a Chinese herb, we generally don't use it for memory
or concentration problems. It does "move the blood,"
though, so problems due to "blood stagnation" might
improve with it.
The Root Causes of Memory and Concentration
So what are the causes of memory loss and concentration problems?
The disease of Impaired Memory (Jian Wang) is subdivided into:*
- Heart/Spleen vacuity: Caused by overthinking, overwork,
insufficient nutrition. Symptoms of palpitations, insomnia,
fatigue, poor appetite, loose stool.
- Kidney jing vacuity: Caused by overwork, disease, ageing,
too much sex. Symptoms of loose teeth, loss of or early greying
of hair, low back and knee weakness and soreness, weak bones.
- Non-interaction of Heart and Kidneys: Caused by constitutional
(genetic) weakness, disease, too much sex, or extreme emotional
disturbances. Symptoms of dizziness, ear tinging, palpitations,
low back and knee soreness and weakness, feel hot in afternoon
and evening, sweat while sleeping, insomnia.
- Phlegm: Caused by excess emotions, anger, frustration,
digestive deficiency. Symptoms of sleepiness, dizziness, nausea,
reduced appetite, phlegm in throat.
- Blood stasis: Caused by stagnation, stress, emotions,
trauma. (This is the most likely of the five that might respond
to gingko) Symptoms of sudden and enduring impaired memory,
abdominal fullness and pain, easy defecation of dark stool.
Concentration is very similar, and the above patterns more or
less fit. For more information along the lines of attention deficit
disorder, see this vast bunch of info.
For herbal remedies, see an acupuncturist/herbalist.
They can make sure which type you have, and help you get better.
Chinese herbal remedies are personalized,
synergistic, balanced... the best way to go in my opinion - much
better than a number of single herbs from the health food store.
Difficulty Reading
Although not as likely in your case, since you used to do better
with reading, many people learned to read wrong. They learned
to visualize the entire word as a picture (using the wrong part
of the brain), instead of sounding it out (phonics - using the
correct part of the brain). If you use the visual part, it takes
more mental effort, and makes you sleepy. So it is possible that
as you age, or if you get worn out, using the visual part of the
brain for reading would be more and more impossible.
If this is your problem, you may want to see a specialist, or
look into various phonics products - they say you can re-learn
reading even as an adult. But this isn't my area of expertise.
It's just a supplemental idea for you to think about, and pursue
with others.
*Source of the Pattern Differentiation: The Treatment
of Disease in Chinese Medicine, Vol 1 by Philippe Sionneau and
Lu Gang.
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