Would you believe that garlic has now been shown to lower overall cholesterol as well as raise HDL (the good cholesterol)?
Garlic, which we all know as a food product, is generally used to add zest and character to food. It is also one of the most promising plant products that acts like an herbal remedy that helps improve health in a number of ways. People who take garlic regularly have been shown to reduce cholesterol by as much as 30mg/dl. Moreover, garlic seems to thin the blood out by decreasing platelet adhesiveness in much the same was that aspirin does when it is used to prevent heart attacks.
In garlic, a phytochemical called allicin is apparently largely responsible for the pungent, often strong odor. These same chemicals may also be responsible for helping us to improve our heart health by lowering cholesterol and thinning the blood. Studies indicate that the amount of garlic necessary to produce cholesterol lowering results is 5 to 20 grams of garlic cloves (about ˝ to 1 clove) or about 350mg per day of garlic powder.
Be aware that the effectiveness of the use of garlic powder (as opposed to garlic cloves) is controversial, as there are studies that indicates that it lowers cholesterol and those that indicate that it does not. As for garlic oil, one very good controlled trial failed to show any cholesterol lowering effect of garlic in the form of garlic oil. A double blind controlled trial of the use of “aged garlic extract” did show a reduction in cholesterol of 6 to 7 percent compared to placebo as well as a 5 percent reduction in blood pressure as an added benefit.
What You Can Do
1. Consider taking 5 to 20 grams of garlic cloves (about ˝ to 1 clove) or about 350 mg per day of garlic powder.
2. If possible, get your garlic in whole food form. If you eat it raw and crushed, you are more likely to get the full benefits. If you cook it, new compounds that also act as anti-coagulants can also be beneficial.
3. A few people experience side effects, so watch out for stomach upset, rash, and other unusual symptoms. They may indicate a food sensitivity or allergy.
Bibliography
Berthold HK, Sudhop T, von Bergmann K. Effect of a garlic oil preparation on serum lipoproteins and cholesterol metabolism: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA 1998;279(23):1900-2.
Bordia A, Verma SK, Srivastava KC. Effect of garlic (Allium sativum) on blood lipids, blood sugar, fibrinogen and fibrinolytic activity in patients with coronary artery disease. Prostaglandin’s Leukot Essent Fatty Acids 1998,58(4):257-63.
Neil HA, Silagy CA, Lancaster T, Hodgeman J, Vos K, Moore JW, Jones I, Cahill J, Fowler GH. Garlic powder in the treatment of moderate hyperlipidaemia: a controlled trial and meta- analysis. JR Coll Physicians Lond 1996;30(4):329-34.
Steiner M, Khan AH, Holbert D, Lin RI. A double-blind crossover study in moderately hypercholesterolemic men that compared the effect of aged garlic extract and placebo administration on blood lipids. Am J Clin Nutr 1996;64(6):866-70.
Warshafsky S, Kamer RS, Sivak SL. Effect of garlic on total serum cholesterol. A meta-analysis. Ann Intern Med 1993;119:599-605.