The Truth About Garlic and Heart Health
June 11, 2009 Written by JP [Font too small?]Perhaps you’ve recently heard or read the news: Garlic doesn’t help support heart health. At least that’s what many conventional doctors and nutritionists maintain nowadays. I was thinking about it this afternoon and wondered how it could be that so many natural health experts and traditional healers could have been so wrong about garlic for so long. I think I’ve come up with an answer to that question. Or to state it more accurately, it appears that science has discovered a possible reason for the controversy about garlic and cardiovascular health.
When it comes to heart disease, the catch word of the day is “cholesterol”. At least that’s the prevalent point of view in the allopathic medical community. This is evidenced by the sheer volume of advertisements and commercials for cholesterol lowering medications we see in print and on TV.
In April 2009, a review of garlic’s role in the management of high cholesterol was published in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics. This meta-analysis looked at 13 clinical trials that included over 1,000 participants. The authors of the study summarized their findings in the following way, “The available evidence from randomized controlled trials does not demonstrate any beneficial effects of garlic on serum cholesterol”. (1)
Like any investigation, the evidence upon which you choose to focus will often dictate results. In my own personal investigation, I’ve discovered that there appears to be a form of supplemental garlic that does, in fact, reduce cholesterol, as well as curb hypertension, improve circulation and, ultimately, reduce mortality brought about by cardiovascular disease. Here’s a brief summary of the science that supports my view of things.
- A study from December 2008 examined the effects of a standard garlic supplement versus a timed-release (TR) garlic tablet in 42 men with hypercholesterolemia. By the end of the 12 week trial, the TR garlic supplement reduced total cholesterol levels by 7.6% and 11.5% more than the placebo. The LDL (“bad”) cholesterol fell by almost 14%. The participants HDL (“good”) cholesterol rose by almost 12%. The dosage found to be most effective was 600 mg a day. (2)
- A 2007 experiment examined the effects of this same TR garlic tablet in a total of 112 volunteers. Half of the men and women were diagnosed with heart disease, the remainder were described as having at least “one or more risk factors of cardiovascular pathology”. The exact figures of this Russian study weren’t available, but the summary clearly states that 6 months of TR garlic therapy resulted in a “moderate hypolipidemic” (cholesterol lowering) and “antioxidant effect”. The researchers concluded that people with pre-existing cardiovascular disease would likely benefit in both the short and long term from a dosage of 600 mg daily. 300 mg was the recommended dosage for those with at least one risk factor, but lack a clinical diagnosis of heart disease. (3)
- A study appeared early this month in the journal Hypertension, which supported the notion that garlic could also help lower high blood pressure. Once again, this experiment compared the effects of a high-quality standard garlic tablet (Kwai) with a timed-release garlic supplement. 84 men with mild to moderate hypertension participated in the research. The results of the 8 week experiment indicate that the TR garlic promoted reductions in both diastolic and systolic blood pressure. The Kwai garlic resulted only in a drop in systolic blood pressure. The ideal dosage was again found to be 600 mg daily. (4)
- Poor circulation and abnormal blood clotting are consequences of coronary artery disease and are also major contributors to heart attacks and strokes. A 2001 study found that the use of 600 mg of TR garlic helped to reduce two well known causes of dangerous and inadequate blood flow: 1) excessive platelet aggregation (“sticky blood”) and 2) blood fibrinogen levels. (5)
- Diabetics are at a significantly higher risk of heart disease than the general population at large. In March 2008, a very promising study reported that TR garlic may be one of the most powerful natural aids to decrease cardiovascular risks associated with type 2 diabetes. 60 type 2 diabetics were given a daily TR garlic supplement or a placebo for 4 weeks. Blood tests were administered before the trial and after weeks 1, 2, 3 and 4. Fasting blood glucose was measured daily. The TR garlic was shown to lower blood glucose, serum fructosamine and triglyceride levels. The concluding remarks of the scientists stated that, “The benefits of garlic preparations may lead to the reduction of cardiovascular risk in diabetic patients”. (6)
Does this seem like a worthless food/supplement to you? The greater truth may be that natural foods and products are very complex. Sometimes it is assumed that because something is cheap, natural and widely available it must also be very easy to scientifically understand. The opposite is often the case. Natural foods are an extraordinarily rich sources of hundreds of naturally occurring nutrients and phytochemicals. Most medications cannot make the same claim. In fact, it’s quite typical for a medication to consist of just one chemical. Therefore, it only makes sense that natural products need to be manufactured and studied in a more precise manner. Most importantly, we should be very careful before dismissing a food with thousands of years worth of validation just because 13 recent studies contradict long-held, historical wisdom.
Note: Please check out the “Comments & Updates” section of this blog – at the bottom of the page. You can find the latest research about this topic there!
Be well!
JP
Tags: Cholesterol, Garlic, Triglycerides
Posted in Food and Drink, Heart Health, Nutritional Supplements
July 30th, 2009 at 9:51 pm
How about the aged garlic supplements (like Kyolic) etc?
Thanks
Sai
July 30th, 2009 at 10:56 pm
Sai,
Supplements like Kyolic are significantly different than raw garlic. I don’t mean that in a bad way however. I think the research conducted on aged garlic extract is very promising indeed. Here’s a link to one of the most impressive studies of late:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6WPG-4WN2XP5-3&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=344f4502d904fa8ab284238df769e30a
Be well!
JP
July 31st, 2009 at 8:39 pm
Thank you sir for the link. I have actually tried raw garlic but i cannot stand that taste. In India it is regular to cook garlic rasam (much similar to broth but more liquid) with turmeric and tomato. I really used to love it, But that is cooked, I am just just trying to get the raw garlic in some form.
Thanks
Sai.
July 31st, 2009 at 11:42 pm
Sai,
That is certainly one of the advantages on Kyolic/aged garlic … reduced odor and pungency.
Garlic rasam sounds both delicious and health promoting. I’ll see if it’s available when I next visit an Indian restaurant.
I wonder if you could add a *little bit* of raw garlic to your cucumber/carrot juice? Perhaps adding a small amount of parsley would also help to mellow the potent garlic smell and taste. That’s just one possibility.
Please let us know if you find a suitable way to integrate raw garlic into your diet. It may be useful for other site visitors too. 🙂
Be well!
JP
August 24th, 2009 at 12:43 am
“Most importantly, we should be very careful before dismissing a food with thousands of years worth of validation just because 13 recent studies contradict long-held, historical wisdom.” –Healthy Fellow
I agree with you. Anyway, I regularly take garlic pills. Maybe the researchers forgot to factor ajoene, whose active component Scordinin, has vasodilating properties which prevents the formation of arterial plaque.
November 29th, 2009 at 11:23 am
did;nt like garlic at all, now chewing two cloves per week is this good.
November 29th, 2009 at 3:35 pm
Tom,
I think garlic is a healthy food for most people. Chewing garlic may be a good way to consume it but it’s a bit too intense for me personally. I prefer smashing it, dicing it and then cooking it briefly on low heat – usually in some olive oil. I tend to eat or supplement with some parsley during meals containing garlic. I find that helps with any issues relating to bad breath or body odor.
Be well!
JP
June 18th, 2010 at 8:07 pm
I can’t find the article referred to above in the April 2009
Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics.
http://www.nature.com/clpt/journal/v85/n4/index.html
June 18th, 2010 at 8:35 pm
Rob,
It’s linked as footnote #1 at the end of the paragraph. Here’s a direct link to the study abstract:
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/121540537/abstract
Be well!
JP
February 7th, 2013 at 12:54 pm
hello.thank you for this forum.garlic is very healthy for most people.personnaly every morning i cut a piece of garlic into small parts i add half glass milk & i drink it.this before eating any thing.after 1/2 hour i take my breakfast.
April 22nd, 2013 at 8:12 pm
So, how many cloves of garlic would be in a daily dose?
January 15th, 2016 at 12:32 pm
Updated 1/15/16:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26764327?dopt=Abstract
J Nutr. 2016 Jan 13.
Garlic and Heart Disease.
BACKGROUND: Thousands of studies have been published based on animal and human studies evaluating garlic’s effects and safety.
OBJECTIVE: We reviewed the available literature investigating the effects of garlic supplements on hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, C-reactive protein (CRP), pulse wave velocity (PWV), and coronary artery calcium (CAC), as well as available data on side effects.
METHODS: We searched PubMed for all human studies using medical subject heading words through 30 May 2013 and assessed relevant review articles and original studies. Only double-blind, randomized, controlled trials and meta-analyses of double-blind, randomized, controlled trials were included. The review of articles and data extraction were performed by 2 independent authors, with any disagreements resolved by consensus.
RESULTS: Garlic supplementation reduced blood pressure by 7-16 mm Hg (systolic) and 5-9 mm Hg (diastolic) (4 meta-analyses and 2 original studies). It reduced total cholesterol by 7.4-29.8 mg/dL (8 meta-analyses). The most consistent benefits were shown in studies that used aged garlic extract (AGE). A few small studies that used AGE also showed favorable effects on CAC, CRP, and PWV. Although garlic is generally safe, rare adverse reactions have been documented with limited causality established.
CONCLUSION: We conclude that garlic supplementation has the potential for cardiovascular protection based on risk factor reduction (hypertension and total cholesterol) and surrogate markers (CRP, PWV, and CAC) of atherosclerosis. Larger studies are warranted to evaluate these effects further.
Be well!
JP
January 15th, 2016 at 12:37 pm
Hi Tess.
IMO, the amount of garlic required should be based on the health issues you’re trying to address. A good general approach is to include fresh (smashed) garlic in your diet on a regular basis. If more support is needed, clinically-validated garlic supplements can be helpful – in terms of maintaining a consistent routine.
Be well!
JP
August 27th, 2016 at 1:09 pm
Updated 08/27/16:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27563431
Int J Prev Med. 2016 Jul 29;7:95.
Effect of Garlic and Lemon Juice Mixture on Lipid Profile and Some Cardiovascular Risk Factors in People 30-60 Years Old with Moderate Hyperlipidaemia: A Randomized Clinical Trial.
BACKGROUND: This study was performed to effects of garlic and lemon juice mixture on lipid profile and some cardiovascular risk factors in people 30-60 years old with moderate hyperlipidemia.
METHODS: In a parallel-designed randomized controlled clinical trial, a total of 112 hyperlipidemic patients 30-60 years, were recruited from Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Center. People were selected and randomly divided into four groups. Control blood samples were taken and height, weight, and blood pressure were recorded. (1) Received 20 g of garlic daily, plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice, (2) received 20 g garlic daily, (3) received 1 tablespoon of lemon juice daily, and (4) did not receive garlic or lemon juice. A study technician was done the random allocations using a random numbers table. All participants presented 3 days of dietary records and 3 days of physical activity records during 8 weeks. Blood samples were obtained at study baseline and after 8 weeks of intervention.
RESULTS: Results showed a significant decrease in total cholesterol (changes from baseline: 40.8 ± 6.1, P < 0.001), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (29.8 ± 2.6, P < 0.001), and fibrinogen (111.4 ± 16.1, P < 0.001) in the Group 1, in comparison with other groups. A greater reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure was observed in Group 1 compared with the Groups 3 and 4 (37 ± 10, P = 0.01) (24 ± 1, P = 0.02); respectively. Furthermore, a great reduction in body mass index was observed in the mixed group compared with the lemon juice and control groups (1.6 ± 0.1, P = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Administration of garlic plus lemon juice resulted in an improvement in lipid levels, fibrinogen and blood pressure of patients with hyperlipidemia. Be well! JP
October 1st, 2017 at 4:10 pm
Updated 10/01/17:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28956671
J Diet Suppl. 2017 Sep 28:1-8.
Effect of Raw Crushed Garlic (Allium sativum L.) on Components of Metabolic Syndrome.
Metabolic syndrome consists of a group of risk factors characterized by abdominal obesity, hypertension, atherogenic dyslipidemia, hyperglycemia, and prothrombotic and proinflammatory conditions. Raw garlic homogenate has been reported to reduce serum lipid levels in animal model; however, no precise studies have been performed to evaluate the effect of raw crushed garlic (Allium sativum L.) on components of metabolic syndrome. Therefore, the present study was designed to investigate the effect of raw crushed garlic on components of metabolic syndrome. A total of 40 metabolic syndrome patients were randomly selected from the diabetic center of SP Medical College, Bikaner, Rajasthan, India. They underwent treatment with 100 mg/kg body weight raw crushed garlic 2 times a day with standard diet for 4 weeks; their anthropometric and serum biochemical variables were measured at both the beginning and the end of the study. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS version 20, and Student’s paired “t” test was used to compare variables before and after treatment with garlic preparation. Raw crushed garlic significantly reduced components of metabolic syndrome including waist circumference (p < .05), systolic and diastolic blood pressure (p < .001), triglycerides (p < .01), fasting blood glucose (p < .0001) and significantly increased serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p < .0001). There was no significant difference found in body mass index (p > .05) of patients with metabolic syndrome after consumption of raw crushed garlic for 4 weeks. Raw crushed garlic has beneficial effects on components of metabolic syndrome; therefore, it can be used as an accompanying remedy for prevention and treatment of patients with metabolic syndrome.
Be well!
JP
April 26th, 2019 at 8:32 am
I recently enjoyed a few cloves of oven baked garlic (10 mins).
I noticed the difference when doing my 20 minute workout.
My question is: does it need to be eaten raw. A few baked cloves a day might keep the doctor away.
May 2nd, 2019 at 6:10 pm
Hi Peter,
Both cooked and raw garlic can benefit health. However, the raw form contains certain compounds like allicin (if chopped) which aren’t present in cooked garlic. One more thing to consider: aged garlic and black garlic appear to support health too.
Be well!
JP