Cholesterol is a type of fat that the body manufactures in small amounts. It is also found in a variety of foods. Cholesterol is an important component of cell membranes but if you have too much of it circulating in your blood, it forms deposits on the lining of the artery walls, reducing blood flow and increasing the risk of heart attacks and stroke. Cholesterol-lowering drugs are sometimes prescribed for high cholesterol, although increasing the amount of exercise you do and cutting your fat intake may be enough to lower cholesterol levels. Garlic is sometimes used to lower high cholesterol but don't use it in place of dietary changes or medical treatments.
Properties and Potential Benefits
Garlic is commonly used in cooking to flavor dishes, but may also offer medicinal benefits. It may play a role in the treatment of a number of conditions including cancer, atherosclerosis, circulatory disorders and high cholesterol. It contains a host of active compounds, although one in particular, known as allicin, likely confers this herb's therapeutic effects. According to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, allicin may help to lower cholesterol levels by inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase, an enzyme that plays a role in cholesterol synthesis.
Administration
Garlic can be taken in a number of ways, either eaten raw, in capsules or tablets, or as a powder. The University of Maryland Medical Center notes that 900 mg of garlic powder, standardized to 0.6 percent allicin, may help to lower high cholesterol levels when taken daily. If you would rather consume raw garlic, the drug information website, RxList, states that 4 g, which is roughly equivalent to one clove, has been used to treat high cholesterol.
Effectiveness
An analysis of findings from 13 clinical trials published in the September 2009 issue of "Annals of Internal Medicine" concludes that garlic is superior to placebo in reducing cholesterol levels. However, the authors add that garlic's effect is modest and that its value as a treatment for high cholesterol is questionable.
Safety Considerations
RxList notes that garlic is likely safe for most people but adds that it may cause mild side effects such as bad breath, gas, vomiting, body odor and diarrhea. You are more likely to experience these effects if you use raw garlic rather than a garlic supplement. Garlic may have anticoagulant effects so don't use it if you have a bleeding disorder or alongside blood-thinning drugs like aspirin or warfarin. RxList adds that its use is contraindicated in HIV and stomach disorders.
