Garlic, which is a familiar food commonly used as a spice in a wide range of cuisines, may also help prevent and treat disease. For people with high blood pressure, or hypertension, garlic may be a safe way to lower blood pressure and prevent heart disease. However, the evidence thus far for garlic's beneficial health effects have been mixed and further studies are needed.
Hypertension
Hypertension occurs when the systolic number, the top number in a blood pressure reading, rises above 140 or the diastolic pressure, the bottom number, rises above 90. Pre-hypertension is defined as blood pressure above 120/80. Hypertension can lead to heart disease or renal failure if left untreated. According to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, about 1 in 3 Americans has high blood pressure.
Garlic
Garlic is important as a spice, but it has also been used medicinally for thousands of years around the world. Sulfur compounds and the compound allicin in particular, which give garlic its characteristic smell and taste, are believed to be responsible for its many health benefits including a reduction in blood pressure, lowered cholesterol levels and prevention of cancer and heart disease. Garlic releases these beneficial compounds when crushed, chewed or cut, but since they can be lost through cooking, raw garlic is usually best for health.
Evidence
Research into the link between garlic and lowered blood pressure has had mixed results, with some studies showing a link and others not finding any definitive benefit. A 1994 meta-analysis of eight clinical trials published in the "Journal of Hypertension" found a significant impact of garlic preparations on both systolic and diastolic blood pressure numbers. However, another meta-analysis, this time in a 2001 issue of the "Archives of Internal Medicine," looked at 23 studies and found mixed results. Further research is needed before a determination can be made regarding the benefit of garlic to lower blood pressure.
Safety
Garlic is generally considered safe in food and medicinal amounts. Few side effects have been reported and of those, most have been mild. The dosage typically used in clinical trials is about 4g, or approximately 1 to 2 cloves of raw garlic. Adding garlic to your daily meals may or may not affect your blood pressure, but with minimum drawbacks, there is no reason not to increase your consumption of it.
References
- American Family Physician: Health Effects of Garlic
- National Heart Lung and Blood Institute: High Blood Pressure
- "Journal of Hypertension": A meta-analysis of the effect of garlic on blood pressure.
- "Archives of Internal Medicine": Garlic shows promise for improving some cardiovascular risk factors.
