Fresh garlic is rich in antioxidants, helps prevent heart disease and cancer, strengthens the immune system and fights colds. Allicin, which is responsible for the many health benefits in garlic, has a distinctive odor associated with fresh, chopped garlic. Supplements with aged garlic have no odor; however, they are less potent than fresh garlic and provide fewer benefits. Many supplement brands claim to contain high amounts of allicin. Check supplement labels for concentrations of allicin.
Health Benefits
Fresh garlic and garlic supplements are rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants destroy free radicals that damage cells and DNA. Free radicals contribute to the aging process, heart disease and cancer. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, evidence suggests that garlic supplements may help prevent heart disease by slowing down hardening of the arteries, thinning the blood and lowering blood pressure slightly. Studies conducted on high blood pressure used a specific garlic supplement formulation called Kwai, with supposedly higher concentrations of allicin. Those who took 900 milligrams of the supplement daily slowed down hardening of the arteries. Garlic also strengthens the immune system and helps your body fight diseases such as cancer. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, studies conclude that eating fresh or cooked garlic lessens your likelihood of developing cancers such as colon and stomach cancer. Supplements do not have the same effect.
Cholesterol
Early studies suggest that garlic lowers high cholesterol. However, recent more efficient studies found no effect. In a study conducted at Stanford University Medical School, participants consumed either fresh garlic or garlic supplements daily for six months to measure the effect on cholesterol. Some consumed supplement doses equal to an average-sized garlic clove, others consumed 4 grams of fresh garlic. The study concluded that although supplements differ in bioavailability and key phytochemicals, there were no significant effects on cholesterol. Fresh garlic also had no significant effects on cholesterol.
Allicin
Garlic supplements contain fresh garlic, dried garlic, garlic oil or aged garlic extracts. Many brands contain different amounts of allicin. Allicin is responsible for the many health benefits associated with garlic. It develops with crushed garlic, or when garlic supplements break into tiny pieces in the gastrointestinal tract. Some supplements tested contain such tiny amounts of allicin that you would need to consume 44 tablets to get the same benefits from one clove of crushed garlic. Supplements made with aged garlic have no smell but are less nutritionally potent than fresh. An analysis of 23 supplement brands found that 19 of them took too long to dissolve and released less than 10 percent of the allicin listed on labels.
Precautions
Side effects from fresh garlic include upset stomach, bloating, bad breath, body odor and stinging skin from over-handling. Rare side effects from consuming garlic supplements include headache, fatigue, loss of appetite, sore muscles, vertigo, skin rash and asthmatic reaction. Both fresh and supplemented garlic have blood-thinning properties. Consuming too much garlic may increase your risk of bleeding during or after surgery or interact with blood-thinning medications.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Garlic
- Stanford University Medical School; Effect of Raw Garlic vs. Commercial Garlic Supplements on Plasma Lipid Concentrations in Adults with Moderate Hypercholesterolemia; C.D. Gardner, et al.; 2007
- "Nutrition Action Health Letter"; Garlic: Case Unclosed; David Schardt; 2000
Member Comments