Here is a compound that has been in use for quite awhile. Since Hippocrates first recommended garlic for the treatment of battle wounds, it has had a reputation for potent medicinal properties. This reputation may or may not be deserved. Clinical studies, and studies of clinical studies have broke both ways on the various benefits of garlic, but have never indicated much of a problem with taking it as long as you don’t have preexisting problems with thin blood.
One of the reasons for the differences is that garlic seems to be very dependent on the manor of ingestion, the form (powder, liquid, pill, cloves), and even the age. Allicin, claimed by some supplement makers to be the active ingredient in garlic (see the picture of Allicin’s 3-D balls, above) tends to degrade very quickly and is destroyed by cooking. Beside which, it appears that it isn’t absorbed by the body under any circumstance. This eliminates from my consideration products like Allimax.
Part of the problem with evaluating Garlic’s potential is that it may be a combination of compounds that deliver the effect. To quote the site Allicin.com
As to the harmful effects, aside from allergic reactions and possible blood thinning, they appear to be few. Nevertheless, check with your doctor, as always, before starting such a regimen especially if you have other issues such as being on an aspirin (also a blood thinner) regimen, suffering from HIV, or, most importantly for this site if you are already taking insulin. For those of us on insulin, absolutely avoid garlic until after you talk to your doctor. Garlic should be avoided during pregnancy and while breast feeding since it has abortifacient properties, as well as within a week of surgery because of the blood thinning property.
My bottom line; the consensus appears to be that garlic has a helpful moderate short term lipid lowering effect and is therefore worthwhile but hardly a cure. I take two pills in the liquid capsule form per day, and often cook with it in both a powder form and from cloves to help ingest a wider variety of forms. Besides, the cloves and powder taste great.
One of the reasons for the differences is that garlic seems to be very dependent on the manor of ingestion, the form (powder, liquid, pill, cloves), and even the age. Allicin, claimed by some supplement makers to be the active ingredient in garlic (see the picture of Allicin’s 3-D balls, above) tends to degrade very quickly and is destroyed by cooking. Beside which, it appears that it isn’t absorbed by the body under any circumstance. This eliminates from my consideration products like Allimax.
Part of the problem with evaluating Garlic’s potential is that it may be a combination of compounds that deliver the effect. To quote the site Allicin.com
"Though individual compounds, such as S-allyl cysteine, have shown activity in studies and are absorbed by the body, it is likely that a synergism of various compounds provide the benefits of garlic. This is in agreement with Dr. Koch, a renowned Austrian scientist who stated that the activity of various sulfur compounds could not alone be responsible for the benefits of garlic and fixation on a single group of components can lead to mistakes and wrong conclusions"All of which, in turn, goes a long way to explaining the variation in clinical studies along with the wide variety of forms for recommended for ingestion. Ever since an NIH study indicated that garlic lowers the harmful effects of LDL cholesterol and lower blood pressure, the supplement industry has gone berserk over it, but by often ignoring the details that might lead to the beneficial effects claimed, in favor of an easy advertising campaign designed only to pump up sales.
As to the harmful effects, aside from allergic reactions and possible blood thinning, they appear to be few. Nevertheless, check with your doctor, as always, before starting such a regimen especially if you have other issues such as being on an aspirin (also a blood thinner) regimen, suffering from HIV, or, most importantly for this site if you are already taking insulin. For those of us on insulin, absolutely avoid garlic until after you talk to your doctor. Garlic should be avoided during pregnancy and while breast feeding since it has abortifacient properties, as well as within a week of surgery because of the blood thinning property.
My bottom line; the consensus appears to be that garlic has a helpful moderate short term lipid lowering effect and is therefore worthwhile but hardly a cure. I take two pills in the liquid capsule form per day, and often cook with it in both a powder form and from cloves to help ingest a wider variety of forms. Besides, the cloves and powder taste great.
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