G

garlic In ancient times people used garlic to
ward off the evil vapors and spirits they believed
responsible for illness. In modern times doctors
know more about what really causes many of the
health circumstances that result in disease. People
use garlic and garlic supplements to improve
BLOOD circulation, lower BLOOD PRESSURE, and
reduce blood cholesterol, the key factors that con-
tribute to CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE(CVD). The active
ingredients in garlic (Allium sativum) are allium
compounds (also found in onions and leeks), sul-
fur-based substances that give garlic its distinctive
odor and flavor as well as its medicinal benefits.
More than 100 clinical research studies point to
allium compounds as the substances responsible
for these benefits. Allium compounds contain two
dozen or so chemicals that

• reduce PLATELET AGGREGATION, making it more
  difficult for the blood cells that initiate the clot-
  ting process to stick together


• help maintain the FLEXIBILITYof ARTERYwalls


• may block cholesterol production in the LIVER,
  reducing the blood levels in particular of the
  low density lipoprotein (LDL) and very low
  density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterols associ-
  ated with ATHEROSCLEROSISand CORONARY ARTERY
  DISEASE(CAD)


• have mild anti-inflammatory effects, helping
  reduce irritation and INFLAMMATIONof the inner
  walls of the arteries that researchers believe sets
  the stage for arterial plaque accumulations that
  form the basis of atherosclerosis and CAD


• have mild antibacterial effects that improve
  resistance to infections affecting the MOUTHand
  THROAT

These effects seem the same whether the

source of the garlic is the natural bulb or supple-

ments. Some studies show as much as a 6 to 10

milligram per deciliter (mg/dL) reduction in total

blood cholesterol levels after taking garlic supple-

ments for three months, about the same result

doctors expect to see with lipid-lowering medica-

tion therapy. The combined effect of garlic’s

actions on the cardiovascular system help lower

blood pressure by decreasing the resistance blood

encounters as it flows through the arteries.

Though the preventive benefit for HEART ATTACK

and STROKEis difficult to measure, many health

experts agree that the many effects of garlic, how-

ever small, add up to reduced risk for cardiovascu-

lar disease, especially in combination with other

lifestyle factors such as regular daily exercise,

weight loss, and SMOKING CESSATION. Some health

experts believe garlic and garlic supplements also

lower the risk for DIABETEStype 2 by improving

INSULINsensitivity, though clinical studies so far

have failed to bear this out. Nor is there much evi-

dence supporting garlic’s ability to reduce CANCER

risk.

Garlic and garlic supplements are relatively safe

for most people to take, though may intensify the

effect of many common antihypertensive medica-

tions. People who are taking medications to treat

high blood pressure should first talk with their

doctors before beginning a garlic regimen. The

amounts of garlic a person might use in seasoning

foods are not enough to cause this interference,

though the amounts of garlic in therapeutic prod-

ucts can interact with numerous medications.

Because garlic affects clotting, surgeons generally

request people stop taking it before any scheduled

operations.

69