Garlic pills, or supplements, are used to treat a variety of ailments, from high blood pressure to tick bites and fungal infections of the skin. While garlic pills are rated as possibly effective for some treatments, they do have potential side effects, such as heartburn. Garlic pills may seem harmless, but do not take them without consulting your physician.
Garlic and Garlic Supplements
Garlic is used primarily to season and flavor foods and dishes, but it is also used medicinally to help treat or prevent certain conditions. Fresh garlic cloves or supplements made from fresh garlic cloves are used for medicinal purposes. Garlic and garlic supplements are used to treat ailments relating to the heart and blood system; scientific evidenced does support some of these claims, according to MedlinePlus. Other uses of garlic for medicinal purposes do not have much scientific support, if any, to back the claims.
Heartburn
Garlic is known to cause heartburn, and the same is true for garlic pills since they are made from garlic. MedlinePlus notes that certain side effects, such as heartburn, are actually worse when you eat raw garlic rather than taking a supplement. The exact reason why side effects may be lessened when taking a garlic supplement rather than ingesting garlic cloves or garlic spices is not known, but it could be that the garlic loses its potency during shelf life or that it is diluted with other ingredients.
Other Side Effects
Taking garlic supplements and consuming garlic can cause other side effects such as gas, nausea, bad breath, a burning sensation in your mouth or stomach, and vomiting. Garlic and garlic supplements can also cause diarrhea and body odor. Garlic also increases the risk of bleeding because it thins your blood. Those who work exclusively with garlic have reported asthma symptoms.
Interactions with Medications
Since garlic can thin your blood, use extreme caution when consuming garlic --- whether in supplement form or in cooking --- when taking blood-thinning medications. Garlic might increase bleeding, especially if you already have a known bleeding disorder. Birth control pills that contain estrogen may not be as effective when taken along with garlic, according to MedlinePlus. Liver medications, anticoagulants and cyclosporine may also interact with garlic and garlic pills. Garlic pills may also interfere with protease inhibitors.
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