Screen saver: Ginger extract may offer relief from prolonged display-related symptoms

19-Aug-2024 - Last updated on 19-Aug-2024 at 10:57 GMT

Dietary supplementation with an extract from ginger may reduce eye fatigue and shoulder stiffness associated with prolonged screen use, says a new study from Japan.

Scientists from Hiroshima University report that eight weeks of supplementation with 100 mg per day of ginger extract powder E (Ikeda Food Research) led to significant improvements in eye fatigue and shoulder stiffness for younger women.

The benefits were linked to improved blood flow, according to a new paper published in Nutrients.

“These benefits are crucial to enhance quality of life since these symptoms are often understated despite being significant for the individual,” wrote the researchers, who noted that based on the results of this study, Hiroshima University and Ikeda Food Research filed a joint patent for using ginger for eye fatigue and shoulder stiffness.

VDT Syndrome

Prolonged use of screens or VDTs (visual display terminals), such as computers, smartphones and tablets, can lead to a range of health issues, including VDT Syndrome.

“This condition is characterized by symptoms such as dry eyes, eye fatigue and stiffness of the neck and shoulders,” the Hiroshima University scientists explained.

“The prevalence of dry eye disease in VDT users ranges from 26% to 70%. This condition has become a pressing social issue that must be addressed because it negatively impacts an individual’s quality of life.”

Based on ginger’s potential to boost blood flow, the new study investigated if daily supplements of a ginger extract could exert any benefits on people with VDT Syndrome.

Ginger © Vaara Getty Images — ccording to the most recent Herb Market Report published in the American Botanical Council’s HerbalGram, sales of ginger supplements in the mainstream retail channel were valued at $40.7 million in 2022. Ginger was the number 10 top selling herbal supplement in this channel in 2022. (Sales in the natural channel accounted for an additional $3.2 million.) Image: © Vaara / Getty Images

Study details

One hundred healthy men and women between the ages of 20 and 73 with eye fatigue and shoulder stiffness were recruited to participate in the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel trial. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either placebo or the ginger extract (100 mg, of which 2 mg was 6-shogaol and 0.5 mg was 6-gingerol).

The results showed that self-reported eye fatigue (VAS) after eight weeks was reduced in both groups, but the ginger group experienced significantly greater reductions than placebo. Likewise for shoulder stiffness, both groups experienced improvements, but the improvements were significantly greater in the ginger group.

Addition sub-group analysis revealed that these effects were driven by significant improvements for women aged 51 and younger, with the improvements not reaching statistical significance for men.

Peripheral blood flow was found to be enhanced by ginger, but this was also limited to the younger women.

“The effect of ginger on blood flow in young females implies the involvement of female hormones,” the researchers wrote, adding that other studies revealed that ginger may elevate estrogen and glutathione levels, and estrogen has been shown to boost NO production, drive blood vessel dilation and increase blood flow.

“Based on the evidence mentioned above, the increase in blood flow in young females in this study could be driven by blood vessel dilation from enhanced estrogen levels due to ginger consumption,” they wrote.

Source: Nutrients
2024, 16(16), 2715; doi: 10.3390/nu16162715
“Beneficial Effects of Ginger Extract on Eye Fatigue and Shoulder Stiffness: A Randomized, Double-Blind, and Placebo-Controlled Parallel Study”
Authors: F. Higashikawa et al.