Guide
Who should not take ginger?
People on a blood thinner, people about to have surgery, people who take medication for diabetes or blood pressure, and pregnant or breastfeeding people each have a documented reason to ask a doctor before using ginger.
Ginger isn't right for everyone. People on a blood thinner or another medication affecting clotting, people about to have surgery, people who take medication for diabetes or blood pressure, and pregnant or breastfeeding people each have a specific, documented reason to check with a doctor before using it — even though ginger is broadly recognized as safe as a food.
People taking warfarin or another blood thinner
A National Institutes of Health reference database states directly that ginger can increase bleeding risk when taken with warfarin. Lab research backs up a mechanism for this: ginger has been shown to reduce platelet aggregation (how readily blood cells clump for clotting) at higher doses in controlled studies, and a broader review of natural products affecting blood clotting names ginger, alongside garlic and fish oil, among supplements with antiplatelet properties that can interact with warfarin, aspirin, clopidogrel and dipyridamole. See ginger and medications: what to check for the specific research. Ask a doctor or pharmacist before combining ginger with any blood-thinning medication.
People about to have surgery
Because of its documented effect on platelet function, tell your surgical team about any ginger supplement (or regular high intake) well before a scheduled procedure, the same way you would for any supplement that affects clotting. We found no ginger-specific research on how long before surgery to stop it; that timing question is one for your surgical team, not something this page can answer generically.
People who take medication for diabetes or blood pressure
A 2026 systematic review pooling 41 randomized trials found ginger supplementation associated with lower average levels for fasting blood sugar, insulin and HbA1c, plus a smaller systolic blood pressure reading, compared with placebo. Doses varied widely across those trials and no single effective amount is established, but the direction of the effect is worth knowing if you're also taking medication for either: the two could theoretically add up. Ask a doctor before adding ginger if you take medication for diabetes or blood pressure, so you know what symptoms of an unusually low reading would look like for you.
Pregnant or breastfeeding people
A National Institutes of Health reference database on medications and lactation describes only very limited data on the safety and effectiveness of ginger in nursing mothers or infants, and doesn't establish a safe or effective amount for pregnancy either. This page doesn't offer pregnancy or breastfeeding dosing guidance. Ask a doctor before using ginger if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Who this doesn't apply to
Outside the situations above, we haven't found research identifying a broader group of otherwise-healthy adults who should categorically avoid ginger as a food or supplement — it's long been recognized as safe to eat, and most trial participants tolerated it well. That said, as ginger benefits: what the research does and doesn't show covers, the evidence that it does something specific is also mixed — the absence of a reason to avoid it isn't the same as proof that it helps.
Questions people ask
Who should not take ginger?
People on a blood thinner or another anti-clotting medication, people about to have surgery, people who take medication for diabetes or blood pressure, and pregnant or breastfeeding people should each check with a doctor first.
Is ginger safe with blood thinners?
A National Institutes of Health reference database specifically states ginger can increase bleeding risk when combined with warfarin. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you take any blood-thinning medication.
Is ginger safe during pregnancy?
There isn't enough data to establish a safe or effective amount, and this page doesn't offer pregnancy-specific guidance. Ask a doctor before using ginger if you're pregnant or breastfeeding.
Is ginger safe for kidney disease?
We found no research specifically testing ginger's safety in people with kidney disease. If you have a diagnosed kidney condition, ask your doctor before adding any supplement, ginger included.
Sources
- Ginger A National Institutes of Health reference database describes ginger's active compounds (gingerols, shogaols), confirms its GRAS food-flavoring status, notes it's commonly used for nausea and motion sickness, and flags mild common side effects plus a bleeding-risk interaction with warfarin.
- Antithrombotic effects of naturally derived products on coagulation and platelet function A review of natural products affecting blood clotting names alfalfa's high vitamin K content as a reason it may affect clotting, alongside a few other supplements.
- Ginger (Zingiber Officinale) Supplementation and Biomarkers of Cardiovascular Disease - A Systematic Review A 2026 systematic review pooling 41 randomized trials found that, on average, people taking ginger had lower fasting blood sugar, insulin, HbA1c, triglycerides and LDL, higher HDL, and slightly lower systolic blood pressure than those on placebo, with bigger differences in trials of people who already had a metabolic condition — but the trials used a wide range of doses and durations that aren't broken out individually.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.