Ginger Found Effective for Muscle Pain Relief

Daily doses of raw or heat-treated ginger are effective for relieving muscle pain following strenuous exercise, according to a new study.

Researchers at Georgia College and State University (GCSU; Milledgeville, USA) conducted identical double-blind, placebo controlled, randomized experiments. In the first, 34 volunteers consumed 2 grams of raw ginger or placebo; in the second, 40 volunteers consumed heated ginger or placebo for 11 consecutive days. The participants performed 18 eccentric actions of the elbow flexors to induce pain and inflammation. Pain intensity, perceived effort, plasma prostaglandin E(2), arm volume, range-of-motion and isometric strength were assessed prior to and for 3 days after exercise.

The results showed that raw and heat-treated ginger resulted in a similar 25% pain reduction 24 hours after eccentric exercise, compared to placebo. Smaller effects were noted between both types of ginger and placebo on other measures. The researchers therefore concluded that daily supplementation with ginger did reduce muscle pain caused by eccentric exercise, and that this effect was not enhanced by heat-treating the ginger. The study was published in the September 2010 issue of the Journal of Pain.

"This study demonstrates that daily consumption of raw and heat-treated ginger resulted in moderate-to-large reductions in muscle pain following exercise-induced muscle injury,” concluded lead author Chris Black, Ph.D., and colleagues of the department of kinesiology. "Our findings agree with those showing hypoalgesic effects of ginger in osteoarthritis patients and further demonstrate ginger's effectiveness as a pain reliever.”

Ginger is the rhizome of the plant Zingiber officinale. The medical form of ginger historically is classified as a stimulant and carminative and used frequently for dyspepsia, gastroparesis, slow motility symptoms, constipation, and colic. Ginger is contraindicated in people suffering from gallstones as it promotes the production of bile. Ginger may also decrease pain from osteoarthritis (OA), and may have blood thinning and cholesterol lowering properties that may make it useful for treating heart disease.

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Georgia College and State University
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