Garlic has been used to fight off disease for many centuries. Cooked garlic and garlic supplements contain high levels of antioxidants that may help to lower the incidence of heart disease and cancer. Garlic can also help to prevent colds. While garlic tablets may have some heart-healthy benefits, they will probably not significantly lower your cholesterol levels. If you have high cholesterol, talk to your doctor to learn more about how to lower your risk for heart disease.
Garlic and Allicin
Many of the healthy properties of garlic are attributed to a natural chemical found in garlic called alliin. When garlic is crushed, alliin is converted to another molecule, allicin. Many laboratory studies, such as those described by Dr. Kang of HealthCentral.com, show that allicin may, in theory, have positive effects on heart health. The most exciting cholesterol research around allicin has found that allicin can reduce cholesterol levels in laboratory animals. However, while purified allicin reduces cholesterol levels in animals, it may not have the same effect in humans.
Only Small Cholesterol Reductions
Most scientific studies of garlic supplements and cholesterol in humans suggest that taking garlic pills or eating large amounts of garlic will not significantly lower your cholesterol levels. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine has studied different garlic preparations for their effects on lowering cholesterol. According to these studies, fresh garlic, dried powdered garlic tablets, and aged garlic extract supplements have no significant effect on cholesterol levels. Studies described in the Center for Science in the Public Interest found that the most effective garlic supplements only reduce cholesterol levels by 2 to 7 percent. Furthermore, the cholesterol-lowering properties of garlic supplements may not hold up after three months of supplementation.
Allicin in Garlic Tablets
Scientists still do not understand why allicin is effective in lowering cholesterol levels in laboratory animals while garlic supplements typically have no substantial effects on humans. One potential reason for this discrepancy may come from the allicin content of garlic supplements. The Center for Science in the Public Interest has studied the bioavailable levels of allicin in several popular garlic supplements. These studies show that garlic pills generally contain very variable levels of allicin, but the allicin in garlic also tends to be very difficult for the body to absorb.
Garlic Recommendations
If you are at risk for heart disease or high cholesterol, talk to a health professional to learn how to best lower your risk factors for heart disease. While garlic supplements probably do not lower cholesterol, they may have other positive benefits for your heart. Garlic has other effects on your cardiovascular system that help to prevent heart attacks. For instance, garlic can lower blood pressure and may act similarly to aspirin to prevent clots from forming in your arteries. The University of Maryland Medical Center explains that garlic can also be very effective in fighting off colds and the flu. Garlic may also help to lower your risk of certain cancers.
