Ginger is not inflammatory. In a 2025 meta-analysis of 29 randomized trials, ginger supplements lowered CRP, IL-6 and TNF-alpha, three blood markers of inflammation. But results varied a lot from study to study, and the effect looked strongest in people who already had a health problem. Most trials used 0.5 to 3 grams a day in capsules.
Is ginger inflammatory or anti-inflammatory?
Ginger has been tested in people far more than most spices. A 2020 review found 109 randomized controlled trials of ginger, on everything from nausea in pregnancy to blood sugar. Inflammation was one of the areas where results were "consistently supported," the reviewers wrote. In every meta-analysis we read, inflammation markers went down or stayed put. None went up.
So ginger is not an inflammatory food. The harder question is how much it helps, and for whom.
What happened to CRP and IL-6?
CRP (C-reactive protein) is a protein your liver makes more of when there is inflammation in your body. IL-6 (interleukin-6) and TNF-alpha are signals immune cells use to call for more inflammation. A meta-analysis pools the results of many studies into one answer.
Across 29 trials, ginger supplements lowered CRP by an average of 0.86 mg/L.From a 2025 meta-analysis in Inflammopharmacology
The newest and largest one came out in 2025. It pooled 29 randomized trials. On average, ginger lowered CRP by 0.86 mg/L, IL-6 by 1.15 pg/mL and TNF-alpha by 1.90 pg/mL. It also improved signs of oxidative stress, a kind of chemical wear and tear on cells.
Two meta-analyses from 2020 mostly agreed. One, with 16 trials and 1,010 people, found lower CRP and TNF-alpha, but no clear change in IL-6. The other pooled 25 studies and found lower CRP, TNF-alpha and IL-6.
IL-6 was the wobbly one. The 2025 team found its response depended on the dose and on how long people took ginger, and not in a straight line.
Who saw the biggest change?
Mostly people who were already unwell. The 2025 meta-analysis said ginger may help "particularly in individuals with underlying health conditions." A 2026 review of 41 trials on heart health markers found the same pattern, with stronger effects in unhealthy people.
Type 2 diabetes is a good test case. In 5 trials of people with diabetes, ginger lowered hs-CRP by 0.42 mg/L, along with TNF-alpha and IL-6. But all 5 trials were at high risk of bias. The authors called the drop "relatively small," and said its real-world effect is unknown.
The 41-trial review also keeps the hype in check. Ginger improved blood sugar, some blood fats and one inflammation-related marker, ICAM-1. It "was not effective on the remaining outcomes."
What about sore muscles after a hard workout? One meta-analysis pooled 25 studies with 353 people on four root plants, ginger among them. Inflammation markers were lower than with a placebo at 24 hours, but not at 48 hours.
Why the grade is Emerging, not Strong
The direction is fairly clear. The quality is the problem. The 109-trial review found that only 43 trials (39.4%) met its bar for high-quality evidence. It flagged small groups and testing methods that were not standard. The 2025 meta-analysis warned that results differed so much between studies that its findings "should be interpreted cautiously."
A 2022 umbrella review, which grades other reviews, put ginger's evidence on inflammation and antioxidant markers at "very low to moderate," with an "unclear" effect size. It gave ginger its best marks for nausea in pregnancy and pain in osteoarthritis. Even the pain finding is debated. A 2020 meta-analysis of knee osteoarthritis trials judged them to be of "poor methodologic quality" and found the evidence for ginger capsules over a placebo insufficient.
How much ginger would you need?
Trials used measured doses, mostly in capsules. Across the health outcomes in the umbrella review, 0.5 to 3 grams a day in capsules, taken for up to 3 months, was "consistently reported as effective."
Concentrated extracts are their own thing. A 2025 trial gave 30 adults with joint and muscle pain a ginger extract at 125 mg a day for 58 days. The ginger group had some better pain ratings and some changes in IL-6 and CRP, mostly two days after a hard leg workout. One trial of 30 people is a clue, not a conclusion. The ginger group also had a rise in eosinophils, a type of white blood cell.
And the knob of fresh ginger in your stir-fry, or the mug of ginger tea? None of the papers we read tested cooking amounts or drinks against inflammation markers. The umbrella review did say that eating ginger as food "appears safe."
What this means for you
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The bottom line
Twenty-nine trials that agree on direction, a CRP drop of under 1 mg/L, only 43 of 109 ginger trials rated high quality, and a mug of tea that was never on the test list: put together, the picture is calm and a little dull, which is usually how real science looks. Ginger is not inflammatory. In capsules, it nudged inflammation markers down a little, most of all in people who were already unwell. Enjoy it for the flavor, and let the bigger habits do the heavy lifting.
Common questions
Does ginger reduce inflammation in the body?
In trials, a little. A 2025 meta-analysis of 29 randomized trials found ginger supplements lowered CRP, IL-6 and TNF-alpha in the blood. The drop in CRP averaged 0.86 mg/L, and results varied widely between studies. The effect looked strongest in people with health problems such as type 2 diabetes.
Is there an anti-inflammatory ginger drink?
Not one that has been tested. The trials behind the inflammation findings mostly used capsules, at 0.5 to 3 grams a day for up to 3 months. None of the papers we read measured ginger tea or ginger shots against inflammation markers. Ginger as food appears safe, so a ginger drink is fine to enjoy.
Does ginger reduce inflammation in the gut?
We don't know yet. A review of 109 ginger trials found support for ginger on digestive function and nausea. But none of the reviews we read measured inflammation inside the gut. Their inflammation results came from blood tests like CRP. Easing nausea or helping digestion is not the same thing as calming gut inflammation.
Does ginger thin your blood?
The evidence is mixed. A systematic review of 8 clinical trials found that 4 reported ginger made platelets, the cells that help blood clot, less sticky. The other 4 found no effect. The authors called the evidence "equivocal." If you take a blood thinner, talk to your doctor before taking ginger supplements.
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How this article was made
Researched and written from 11 peer-reviewed papers. Our automated check matched every claim against the exact words of its source, confirmed every paper exists in PubMed, and found none retracted. Checked October 31, 2026. Not individually reviewed by a doctor. Photos are illustrative; the people in them are not patients or readers.
Grades run Strong, Moderate, Emerging, Early and Not supported, and the grade decides the words we may use. How we grade evidence · Medical disclaimer
Sources
- Meta-analysisAntioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of ginger supplementation in adults: a GRADE-assessed systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.Rjabi S, Barbarz H, Makhtoomi M et al. Inflammopharmacology, 2025.PubMedFull paper
- Meta-analysisEffect of ginger (Zingiber officinale) on inflammatory markers: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Morvaridzadeh M, Fazelian S, Agah S et al. Cytokine, 2020.PubMedFull paper
- Meta-analysisThe effects of ginger supplementation on markers of inflammatory and oxidative stress: A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials.Jalali M, Mahmoodi M, Moosavian SP et al. Phytother Res, 2020.PubMedFull paper
- Meta-analysisThe effects of the ginger supplements on inflammatory parameters in type 2 diabetes patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.Mohammad A, Falahi E, Mohd Yusof BN et al. Clin Nutr ESPEN, 2021.PubMedFull paper
- Systematic reviewGinger (Zingiber Officinale) Supplementation and Biomarkers of Cardiovascular Disease - A Systematic Review.Rjabi S, Dabirian N, Amani-Beni R et al. J Diet Suppl, 2026.PubMedFull paper
- Umbrella reviewOrally consumed ginger and human health: an umbrella review.Crichton M, Davidson AR, Innerarity C et al. Am J Clin Nutr, 2022.PubMedFull paper
- Systematic reviewGinger on Human Health: A Comprehensive Systematic Review of 109 Randomized Controlled Trials.Anh NH, Kim SJ, Long NP et al. Nutrients, 2020.PubMedFull paper
- Meta-analysisEffectiveness of Ginger on Pain and Function in Knee Osteoarthritis: A PRISMA Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Araya-Quintanilla F, Gutierrez-Espinoza H, Munoz-Yanez MJ et al. Pain Physician, 2020.PubMed
- Meta-analysisSelected root plant supplementation reduces indices of exercise-induced muscle damage: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Doma K, Devantier-Thomas B, Gahreman D et al. Int J Vitam Nutr Res, 2022.PubMedFull paper
- Systematic reviewThe Effect of Ginger (Zingiber officinale) on Platelet Aggregation: A Systematic Literature Review.Marx W, McKavanagh D, McCarthy AL et al. PLoS One, 2015.PubMedFull paper
- Randomized trialEffects of Ginger Supplementation on Markers of Inflammation and Functional Capacity in Individuals with Mild to Moderate Joint Pain.Broeckel J, Estes L, Leonard M et al. Nutrients, 2025.PubMedFull paper
