Ginger
Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is widely used as a spice and supplement for nausea, digestion, and inflammation. One reason it helps nausea is serotonin-pathway related: ginger constituents (notably gingerols/shogaols and related compounds) can inhibit 5-HT3 receptor signaling—the same receptor family targeted by classic anti-nausea drugs like ondansetron—by acting on the 5-HT3 ion-channel complex rather than simply “raising serotonin.” (1)
In PFS/PSSD/PAS communities, ginger is often treated as a potential trigger because some people report flares/crashes, and there’s also a plausible endocrine angle discussed online: some preclinical literature and reviews mention 5-α-reductase–inhibitory activity in the context of hair biology (2). At the same time, other reviews summarize studies where ginger is associated with increased testosterone in certain settings, so its net androgen effect isn’t straightforward (2). A careful way to present it on your site is: ginger may interact with serotonin (5-HT3) signaling and potentially androgen-related pathways, and because reactions are highly individual, many people choose to avoid ginger supplements/extracts during stabilization and only test cautiously if they decide to.
(1) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16364290/
(2) https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5429933/
Crash Anecdotes:
https://www.reddit.com/r/PSSD/comments/1b0ztvm/ginger_crash_plz_answer/
https://www.reddit.com/r/PSSD/comments/1b0tsnx/crash_from_ginger_warning_to_you_all/
My Personal Risk Ranking:
Moderate Risk of Permanent Worsening (for PFS/PSSD/PAS):
If you have PFS/PSSD/PAS, ginger is generally considered moderate to lower risk for permanent worsening, but some people still report symptom flares and crashes.