How does ginger work to alleviate nausea?

    Written by:
    Last Updated: May 16, 2025

    Ginger is traditionally used to alleviate nausea and vomiting during pregnancy, though its exact mechanism is not fully understood. It may work by antagonizing 5-HT3 receptors, thus promoting gastrointestinal motility, or through its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, among other hypotheses.

    Ginger has long been used as a natural folk remedy for nausea and vomiting in pregnancy, but its exact mechanism of action remains unclear. It has been hypothesized that bioactive compounds in ginger[1] potentially ameliorate nausea and vomiting by acting as an antagonist to 5-HT3 receptors that are involved in the process of transmitting signals to the brain via the vagus nerve, which can cause nausea. Another theory is that ginger affects and promotes gastrointestinal motility, which could reduce nausea by preventing acid reflux and vomiting. These ideas are summarized in Figure 3. Other ideas include ginger’s antioxidants or anti-inflammatory effects, ginger effects on signals within the vestibular system, or ginger’s reduction of vasopressin, which consequently reduces nausea and vomiting. Again, studies in humans have varied widely in methodology, and the mechanism of action remains undetermined.

    image

    How does ginger work to alleviate nausea? - Examine