Garlic is a pungent seasoning that has been used for thousands of years in cooking and medicinal remedies. Many cultures from around the world incorporate garlic into their everyday lives, yet it can be difficult to determine if consuming garlic leads to beneficial health effects. Specifically, there has been suggested an association between garlic consumption and decreased blood pressure (BP).
In this article, we will attempt to provide an overview of the scientific evidence regarding the potential link between garlic consumption and lower BP. We will:
- Discuss what is known about the cardiovascular benefits of consuming garlic.
- Examine some of the scientific literature examining this potential relationship.
- Summarize what has been learned so far concerning this subject matter in order to provide readers with an informed opinion on whether or not they should consider adding garlic to their diets.
What is Garlic?
Garlic is a popular herb used in cooking that has been used for hundreds of years in medicine and cooking. Many people recognize it as a flavoring, but it also has medicinal properties. In recent years, multiple studies have shown that garlic can reduce blood pressure, cholesterol, and inflammation.
In this article, we will explore the benefits of garlic and provide evidence-based research to back up its effects.
Nutritional Value of Garlic
Garlic is more than just a culinary delicacy. This pungent bulb is a member of the allium family, which also includes onion and leeks. It contains a number of beneficial compounds, including allicin, calcium, potassium, phosphorus and vitamin C. Garlic is low in calories and fat and has been studied for its potential health benefits. Studies have suggested that garlic can help to lower cholesterol levels, reduce high blood pressure levels and prevent cancer cell growth.
Some research indicates that regular consumption of garlic can improve the body’s ability to prevent heart disease by reducing inflammation, lowering bad cholesterol (LDL) and increasing good cholesterol (HDL). Additional studies suggest that garlic can be beneficial for cognitive health through its anti-inflammatory qualities. Additionally, garlic has been linked to improved digestion by promoting gut bacteria regulation and digestive enzymes production. Due to these health benefits, it’s important to understand the nutritional value of garlic in our diets.
Nutritional value per 100 g:
- Calories: 149
- Total Fat: 0 g
- Protein: 6.36 g
- Carbohydrates: 33 g
- Fiber: 1.7 g
- Sugar: 1 g
- Vitamin C: 31 mg
Garlic also provides a number of differently-sized vitamins—from micronutrients such as magnesium to essential vitamins B6 and B1 from pantothenic acid—as well as dietary minerals like manganese, phosphorus, potassium, zinc and selenium needed by the body in trace amounts for proper functioning. Additionally, contain modest amounts of iron present in garlic which increases hemoglobin reserves in your body or helps absorb oxygen better when ingested regularly over time!
Health Benefits of Garlic
In addition to its culinary uses, garlic is known for a variety of health benefits across multiple disciplines of medicine. It has been used for centuries as an antibiotic and anti-inflammatory agent, and modern research supports the use of garlic for cardiovascular concerns such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
Garlic contains compounds that are thought to affect biochemical pathways related to these issues, including sulfur compounds such as allicin and ajoene.
Studies have shown that consumption of garlic can lower LDL cholesterol levels in the blood by:
- Blocking its absorption in the small intestine
- Curbing inflammation in cells lining the arteries which helps reduce atherosclerosis or clogged arteries
- Significantly reducing blood pressure levels
Eating as little as one raw garlic clove each day has been linked to better overall cardiovascular health.
Garlic can also be used topically to treat certain skin conditions or cuts due to its natural anti-bacterial properties. Garlic is found in supplements, oils, and various forms including dried, fresh or crushed. For culinary use it is often recommended to include raw garlic when possible so that you can benefit from maximum absorption of active ingredients like allicin.
How Does Garlic Lower Blood Pressure?
Garlic has been used for centuries to lower blood pressure due to its powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Studies have shown that garlic can help lower blood pressure by widening blood vessels, thus increasing the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the heart. It can also reduce the production of cholesterol, reduce inflammation, and even inhibit the formation of clots.
Let’s look at the specifics of how garlic works to lower blood pressure:
Effects of Garlic on Blood Pressure
Garlic has long been recognized for its many potential health benefits, particularly as a natural remedy for high blood pressure. A number of studies have shown that taking garlic supplements can help to significantly reduce systolic and diastolic blood pressure in both individuals with normal and elevated hypertension.
The active components in garlic may reduce blood pressure by several different mechanisms. These compounds include allicin, sulfur-containing compounds, and vitamins C and B6, all of which are thought to act on the renin-angiotensin system or influence nitric oxide bioavailability.
- Allicin is believed to work by decreasing levels of angiotensin II, which is a hormone that helps regulate blood pressure by constricting arteries.
- The sulfur-containing compounds may improve circulation by relaxing arterial walls and increasing nitric oxide production, while vitamins C and B6 may help decrease inflammation as well as support healthy cholesterol levels.
In addition to these mechanisms, garlic appears to block certain receptors responsible for constriction of arteries in the body. This further serves to keep vessels relaxed so that blood can flow more freely throughout the body without having its progress restricted by narrowed passageways.
By incorporating garlic into your diet or using it as a natural supplement, you may potentially be able to lower your blood pressure without the use of any type of medication or other treatment regimen. As always however, it’s best to consult with your healthcare provider before consuming any type of supplement in order to ensure safety and optimal health results from its use.
There have been numerous studies done to assess the efficacy of garlic in lowering blood pressure. Several studies have suggested that daily supplementation with garlic may help reduce systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings in individuals with elevated blood pressure. However, the results of these studies have been mixed, and more research is needed to fully understand the potential benefits of garlic in reducing blood pressure.
Studies on Garlic and Blood Pressure
Current research suggests that garlic may have beneficial effects on blood pressure. Studies have shown that taking a supplement containing garlic powder can lead to a decrease in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels. That being said, it is important to recognize that these studies are mostly based on single-point assessments, so the long-term effectiveness of garlic in controlling blood pressure remains unclear.
The most promising studies into the effects of garlic on blood pressure come from randomized controlled trials (RCTs). These tests generally compared either raw or aged garlic preparations to placebo – where volunteers were given formulated pills with no therapeutic effect – to measure changes in blood pressure levels following supplementation. Results from one RCT showed that aged garlic extract was associated with lowering systolic and diastolic blood pressure over 24 weeks. It was also reported that aged garlic extract showed a greater ability to reduce systolic blood pressure than raw garlic, suggesting possible active ingredients are better preserved through processing of these extracts.
In addition, multiple other RCTs suggest potential benefits of other active ingredients found in fresh garlic for those seeking safer forms of hypertensive treatments. An RCT published by Lee et al., evaluated the effects of SAC (Syzygium aromaticum capsule) containing fresh garlic against placebo and found significant reductions in both systolic and diastolic BP after 24 weeks. Further studies also suggest potential beneficial effects through lifestyle modifications such as increased dietary fiber intake as seen in Damsgaard et al., compared with participants allocated to placebo.
Overall, there have been some promising findings when examining the effects of garlic supplementation on hypertension; however, some limitations exist within current evidence base including small sample sizes and single point assessments making conclusive results difficult to determine at this time. Therefore, further research is needed to better understand the efficacy and safety profile associated with garlic supplements for treating hypertension before more definitive recommendations can be made regarding its use as a safe complementary therapy for hypertensive patients seeking an alternative treatment approach.
Side Effects and Interactions
Garlic has long been used as a natural remedy to reduce high blood pressure. However, it’s important to be aware of the potential side effects and interactions it can cause. Garlic can interact with certain drugs, increasing their side effects and in some cases, reducing their effectiveness.
This article will explain the side effects, interactions and proper dosage of garlic.
Potential Side Effects of Garlic
In general, garlic is well-tolerated by the body and has been used for centuries in the practice of natural medicine. It’s full of antioxidants and can offer a wide range of health benefits. However, there are potential side effects that may occur when taking garlic or garlic supplements.
The most common side effects associated with garlic include gastrointestinal distress and heartburn. A rare but possible side effect is a type of anemia related to a reduced ability of cells to utilize vitamin B12. Some research suggests that excessive use may lead to bleeding, difficulty breathing, shock or death in some cases. This is why it’s recommended not to exceed the suggested dose when taking garlic supplements specifically for high blood pressure treatment.
It’s also important to be aware that interactions between drugs and herbal supplements are possible. When taken along with certain drugs such as aspirin, warfarin (Coumadin), clopidogrel (Plavix), and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen or naproxen, there have been reports of increased bleeding times due to the anticoagulant activity of these medications coupled with the blood thinning properties of garlic. Additionally, if you take any medications on a regular basis, you should speak first with your healthcare professional before taking any garlique supplement products as they can interfere with other medications like HIV treatment regimens or chemotherapy agents.
Interactions with Medications
Consuming garlic may interact with some medications, which can cause side effects or reduce the effectiveness of the medication. Therefore, it is important to talk to a doctor before adding garlic to your diet if you are taking any kind of medication.
Garlic may interact with medications used for certain cardiovascular diseases and for diabetes, chemotherapy, antibiotics and immunosuppressive treatments. In some cases, garlic might decrease the effectiveness of these drugs and one example is anticoagulants that prevent heart attacks or stroke by thinning the blood. In other cases, garlic might increase the side effects of certain treatments.
If you are taking any medication, especially those that affect the heart or blood vessels, always tell your doctor before adding dietary supplements such as garlic to your treatment plan.
In conclusion, the research indicates that a moderate to high intake of garlic is beneficial for lowering blood pressure. While a single garlic clove will not have much of an effect on blood pressure, regular consumption (2-3 cloves/day) has been consistently linked with lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure in healthy adults. In addition, the positive effects appear to be sustained over time.
On the other hand, individuals with existing hypertension may need to pay special attention when adding garlic supplements or even raw garlic to their diets. Different components within the garlic can interact with various medications used for hypertension and could lead to adverse reactions or side effects if not monitored correctly. Therefore, consulting with your doctor before using any form of garlic supplementation is recommended in managing high blood pressure.