Limited evidenceGeneral health

Motion Sickness Formulas

Ginger plus vitamin B6 capsules for travel nausea. Ginger is a genuine antiemetic in pregnancy and after surgery, but its record specifically for motion sickness is old, small and contradictory.

Evidence last reviewed: August 2026

What the science says

Ginger for seasickness and motion sickness Limited evidence
A randomised controlled trial in 80 naval cadets on the open sea found ginger root reduced vomiting and cold sweating compared with placebo. A later comparison of seven commonly used seasickness agents ranked ginger among the weaker options, and laboratory studies using vestibular stimulation have often found no effect.
Ginger and B6 for nausea in pregnancy Moderate evidence
A systematic review and network meta-analysis of interventions for nausea and vomiting in pregnancy found both ginger and pyridoxine (vitamin B6) outperformed placebo, though they ranked below prescription antiemetics. This is the best-supported use of the two ingredients, and it is not motion sickness.
The combination products Limited evidence
No commercial ginger-plus-B6 travel formula has been tested in a randomised trial, and no study has shown the two work better together than either alone for motion sickness.

Dosage & safety

Studied doseThe seasickness trial used 1 g of powdered ginger root roughly 30 minutes before departure. Pregnancy trials used 1-1.5 g/day of ginger in divided doses and 10-25 mg of vitamin B6 three times daily.

SafetyGinger can cause heartburn and, at high doses, may affect platelet function, so discuss it with your doctor if you take anticoagulants or are near surgery. Vitamin B6 above roughly 100 mg/day over extended periods can cause sensory peripheral neuropathy; check that a travel formula is not stacking B6 on top of a multivitamin. Ginger is considered acceptable in pregnancy at the doses studied, but confirm with your obstetric team. For severe or long journeys, scopolamine and antihistamines have far stronger evidence.

Scientific references

Ginger root against seasickness. A controlled trial on the open sea
Grøntved A, Brask T, Kambskard J — Acta Otolaryngol, 1988
Comparison of Seven Commonly Used Agents for Prophylaxis of Seasickness
Schmid R, Schick T, Steffen R — J Travel Med, 1994
Comparative Effectiveness of Pharmacological and Non-Pharmacological Interventions for Nausea and Vomiting in Pregnancy: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis
Frivaldszky L, Obeidat M, Hegyi P — Nutrients, 2026

Where to buy

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