If you searched for ginger and asthma, here is the short version: in a 2024 trial of 42 adults with asthma, the ginger group’s symptom scores improved over 56 days, while their lung-function readings did not change significantly. Everyone kept their usual asthma medicines, and the placebo group also improved on some measures.
Sudden or severe trouble breathing is an emergency, so get emergency care right away. The NHLBI asthma action plan page explains how a written plan made with your provider covers when to call a provider or go to the emergency room.
Is ginger good for asthma?
The study behind most of the ginger and asthma headlines is a 2024 trial in Pharmaceuticals, published on 8 December 2024. Its authors describe it as the first demonstration that a small daily dose of ginger may improve asthma symptoms, and they call for larger-dose studies in specific types of asthma. The trial measured symptoms and several lab markers, and the details below show which measures moved and which did not. For the wider ginger research, see our ginger benefits evidence page.
How was the 2024 ginger asthma study set up?
The trial was randomized, meaning participants were assigned to a group by chance. Our guide to understanding clinical study design explains those terms.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Study type | Randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded trial in people |
| Published | 8 December 2024, in Pharmaceuticals (Basel) |
| Registration | ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03705832, registered 10 October 2018 |
| Who ran it | Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, with a co-author at North Carolina A&T State University |
| Funding | NCCIH, NIH, grant R61 AT009989 |
| Who took part | Adults with mild-to-moderate persistent asthma that was not well controlled (ACT score of 19 or lower; FEV1 above 60% predicted), on medium-to-high-dose inhaled corticosteroids with or without a second controller |
| Screened and randomized | 54 screened, 12 failed screening, 42 randomized |
| Finished | 32 (20 ginger group, 12 placebo group) |
| What they took | Ginger extract at 1 g twice daily (2 g a day), which the authors describe as having enriched 6-shogaol content, as the study used it; or matching placebo capsules |
| Duration | 56 days (about two months), with usual asthma therapy continued throughout |
| Capsules | Ginger and placebo capsules were a gift from Pure Encapsulations; the authors report no competing interests |
What did the ginger trial measure, and what changed?
The trial was designed around two primary outcomes: methacholine tolerance (PD20) and FeNO. Methacholine was measured across visits in only 15 participants (11 ginger, 4 placebo), after testing halted during the COVID-19 pause, so that result could not be analyzed. FeNO did not change within either group. The symptom results therefore come from the secondary measures in the table below.
| Measure | Ginger group | Placebo group |
|---|---|---|
| Methacholine tolerance (PD20), planned primary outcome | Measured in 11 participants across visits; could not be analyzed | Measured in 4 participants across visits; could not be analyzed |
| FeNO, planned primary outcome | No change | No change |
| ACT asthma control score | Improved from visit 3 to visit 4 (p = 0.019) | No change at day 28; improved from day 28 to day 56 (p = 0.012) |
| 2-week symptom recall | Improved from visit 3 to visit 4 (p = 0.012); no further change to day 56 | No change |
| Mini AQLQ quality-of-life questionnaire, mean change | -12.70 (p < 0.001) | -9.08 (p < 0.036); both groups improved |
| Blood eosinophils (count and percentage) | No significant change | No significant change |
| IL-4, IL-5, eotaxin, IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha | No significant change | — |
| FEV1 (lung function), one hour after first dose, change | -2.42% (p = 0.58) | -3.72% (p = 0.52) |
| FEV1 (lung function), long-term effect on FEV1 % | -0.71 (95% CI -7.95 to 6.52; p = 0.82) | — |
The symptom gains are the trial’s headline. The FEV1 lung-function readings did not change significantly in either group, and the placebo group also improved on some symptom measures later in the trial.
What limits did the authors name?
The authors name three limits. COVID-19 restrictions and methacholine responsiveness left them with inadequate power to detect change in their intended primary outcome. They note that participants may have known which arm they were randomized to, based on taste or odor. And the small sample included different types of asthma.
Did people have side effects in the ginger trial?
The authors report no significant difference between the groups for gastrointestinal (GI) or headache side effects, and no toxicity above CTCAE grade 1 in either group. One serious adverse event was recorded: a hospitalization for a viral illness in a placebo participant. Adherence at visits 4 and 5 was 91% and 90% in the ginger group, and 80% and 83% in the placebo group.
Is ginger safe with asthma medicine?
NCCIH’s ginger page lists abdominal discomfort, heartburn, diarrhea, and mouth or throat irritation as side effects of ginger taken by mouth. It says to talk with your health care provider before using ginger if you take any medicine, because some herbal products interact harmfully. For pregnancy, NCCIH says ginger supplements “may be safe” but that you should consult your provider, and little is known about safety while breastfeeding. Whether ginger fits alongside your asthma treatment is a decision for your doctor or pharmacist.
Supplements are regulated differently from medicines. FDA’s consumer page on supplements says the agency is not authorized to approve dietary supplements for safety and effectiveness before they are marketed. FDA does not approve dietary supplements before they are sold.
What does NCCIH say about complementary approaches for asthma?
NCCIH’s asthma page says: “Do not substitute other approaches for treatments recommended or prescribed by your health care provider.” It also says studies of omega-3s, probiotics, selenium, vitamin C and vitamin D gave inconsistent or inconclusive results for asthma. NCCIH’s digest on asthma says there is “no conclusive evidence that dietary supplements are beneficial for asthma,” and that yoga has the strongest support as an add-on to usual care. NCCIH’s ginger page covers nausea, menstrual cramps and knee osteoarthritis, and it says ginger has been used safely in many studies as a dietary supplement.
Does ginger act like an antihistamine?
Laboratory and mouse-model work is a separate question. A mini-review in The Journal of asthma from 2024 says ginger and its active ingredients had a suppressive impact on mast cell production of histamine in those studies.
What to do next
Bring the trial to your next asthma visit, and ask your doctor or pharmacist whether ginger has any role alongside your current medicines. The NHLBI asthma overview says there is no cure for asthma, but treatment and an asthma action plan can help you manage the condition. To judge other studies the same way, read our how to read a clinical study guide.
By ClinicalStudyConnect.com Research Desk