Humans have used garlic as an herbal medication since the time of the earliest civilizations for a variety of heath conditions. Unfortunately, you are probably aware of the negative side effects of eating large amounts of garlic, namely bad breath and a strong body odor. Supplements made from aged garlic and sold under the brand name Kyolic purportedly offer the same benefits as regular garlic, but without the lingering smells. However, there is little scientific evidence available to support these claims. Like any health supplement, ask your doctor if Kyolic supplements are right for you.
Production
Kyolic garlic supplements are made from organically grown garlic bulbs that are aged for up to 20 months, according to the manufacturers, Wakunaga Nutrition Supplements. Extracts from the aged garlic are then processed into supplements containing the chemical S-allyl cysteine at a concentration of 250 mg/mL, according to a study of Kyolic supplements published in the July 1997 issue of the journal "Atherosclerosis."
Volatile Chemicals in Garlic
The beneficial effects and the foul-smelling side effects of garlic are both caused by sulfur-containing chemicals, such as allicin, that are highly volatile, meaning they easily disperse into air explains the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University. Sulfur has a strong, foul odor; volatile, sulfur-containing compounds can easily diffuse out of the body after they are eaten, causing bad breath and body odor. Allicin is highly unstable and rapidly breaks down into other chemicals that are also volatile and odorous.
Benefits of Kyolic
The main purported benefit of Kyolic is that is provides the same benefits of garlic without causing the odorous side effects, according the manufacturers. When garlic ages for 20 months, the allicin slowly transforms into more stable chemicals, such as such as S-allyl cysteine, explains Creighton University Medical Center. As a result, consuming aged garlic extracts containing S-allyl cysteine should not cause strong body or breath odor, according to the product manufacturers.
Uses
Kyolic garlic appears to have many of the same uses as other garlic extracts. A rabbit study published in the journal "Atherosclerosis" found that Kyolic is able to slow the progression of atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, according to the research However, additional research is needed to substantiate these claims in humans.
References
- Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University: Garlic and Organosulfur Compounds; Jane Higdon, Ph.D., et al.; July 2005
- "Atherosclerosis"; The Effect of the Aged Garlic Extract, 'Kyolic', on the Development of Experimental Atherosclerosis; J.L. Efendy, et al.; July 1997
- Kyolic.com: The Kyolic Story
- Creighton University Medical Center: Garlic - Pharmocokinetics
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