← All supplements
Limited evidenceGeneral health

Tinnitus Support Formulas

Blends built around ginkgo biloba and zinc, sometimes with B12 or magnesium. Cochrane reviews of both main ingredients found no reliable evidence of benefit for tinnitus, which makes this one of the clearer negatives in the catalogue.

Where to buy

View on iHerb

Ships to 180+ countries · welcome discount for new customers

Referral link — this site may earn a commission on purchases.

What the science says

  • Ginkgo biloba Moderate evidence

    A 2022 Cochrane review of ginkgo biloba for tinnitus found no evidence that it improves tinnitus in people whose primary complaint is tinnitus, with the available trials small and at risk of bias. The evidence points away from benefit rather than merely being absent.

  • Zinc Moderate evidence

    A Cochrane review of zinc supplementation for tinnitus found no evidence of improvement in tinnitus severity or loudness. Zinc is worth correcting only if you are genuinely deficient, which is uncommon.

  • Drug treatments generally Moderate evidence

    A network meta-analysis of randomised trials of pharmacologic treatment for tinnitus without a treatable cause found no agent with convincing efficacy. Sound therapy and cognitive behavioural therapy remain the interventions with actual support.

Dosage & safety

Studied doseBlends typically supply 120–240 mg of standardised ginkgo extract and 15–50 mg of zinc. Since neither has shown benefit, there is no evidence-based dose.
SafetyGinkgo increases bleeding risk and should be stopped before surgery and avoided with anticoagulants and antiplatelets; it may also lower the seizure threshold. Long-term zinc above about 40 mg/day causes copper deficiency, which can produce anaemia and neurological damage. New, one-sided or pulsatile tinnitus, or tinnitus with hearing loss or vertigo, needs medical assessment rather than a supplement.

How to take it

TimingThere is no evidence-based regimen, because neither ginkgo nor zinc has shown benefit for tinnitus.
With food?Take with food if you use them, since the zinc content causes nausea on an empty stomach.
Worth knowingTinnitus that is new, one-sided, pulsatile, or comes with hearing loss or vertigo needs an ENT assessment, not a supplement — those patterns can have treatable causes.

Interactions

With medications

  • warfarin, DOACs, aspirin and clopidogrel

    Ginkgo increases bleeding risk and adds to anticoagulant and antiplatelet effects. do not combine, and stop ginkgo at least two weeks before surgery

  • anticonvulsants (valproate, carbamazepine)

    Ginkgo has been associated with a lowered seizure threshold and reduced seizure control. avoid ginkgo if you have epilepsy

  • tetracycline and quinolone antibiotics

    The zinc content chelates these antibiotics and reduces absorption. separate by at least 2 hours

With other supplements

  • copper

    Zinc above about 40 mg/day long term depletes copper and can cause anaemia and nerve damage. keep total zinc under 40 mg/day, and do not use high-dose zinc for months at a time

  • other bleeding-risk supplements (fish oil, garlic, vitamin E)

    Additive effect on platelet function alongside ginkgo. do not stack them

Well-established interactions only — this is not a complete list. Always tell your doctor and pharmacist what you take.

Frequently asked questions

Do tinnitus supplements work?

No. Cochrane reviews found no evidence that ginkgo biloba or zinc, the two main ingredients of tinnitus support blends, improve tinnitus, which makes this one of the clearer negatives. Sound therapy and cognitive behavioural therapy are the approaches with actual support.

Does ginkgo biloba help tinnitus?

No: a 2022 Cochrane review found no evidence that ginkgo biloba improves tinnitus in people whose main complaint is tinnitus, and the evidence points away from benefit rather than merely being absent.

Is zinc good for tinnitus?

A Cochrane review found no improvement in tinnitus severity or loudness with zinc, so it is worth correcting only if you are genuinely deficient. Long-term zinc above about 40 mg/day from tinnitus support blends can cause copper deficiency.

When should tinnitus be checked by a doctor instead of treated with supplements?

Tinnitus that is new, one-sided or pulsatile, or comes with hearing loss or vertigo, needs an ENT assessment rather than a tinnitus supplement, because those patterns can have treatable causes.

Scientific references

Related in General health