Lynn Smythe
Herbs at a Glance - Garlic (LINK)
November 15th 2007 15:59
Botanical Illustration of Garlic Plant
This fact sheet provides basic information about garlic—uses, potential side effects, and resources for more information. Garlic is the edible bulb from a plant in the lily family. It has been used as both a medicine and a spice for thousands of years.
Common Name—garlic
Latin Name—Allium sativum
What It Is Used For
• Garlic’s most common uses as a dietary supplement are for high cholesterol, heart disease, and high blood pressure.
• Garlic is also used to prevent certain types of cancer, including stomach and colon cancers.
How It Is Used
Garlic cloves can be eaten raw or cooked. They may also be dried or powdered and used in tablets and capsules. Raw garlic cloves can be used to make oils and liquid extracts.
What the Science Says
• Some evidence indicates that taking garlic can slightly lower blood cholesterol levels; studies have shown positive effects for short-term (1 to 3 months) use. However, an NCCAM-funded study on the safety and effectiveness of three garlic preparations (fresh garlic, dried powdered garlic tablets, and aged garlic extract tablets) for lowering blood cholesterol levels found no effect.
• Preliminary research suggests that taking garlic may slow the development of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), a condition that can lead to heart disease or stroke.
• Evidence is mixed on whether taking garlic can slightly lower blood pressure.
• Some studies suggest consuming garlic as a regular part of the diet may lower the risk of certain cancers. However, no clinical trials have examined this.
• NCCAM is supporting studies looking at how garlic interacts with certaindrugs and how it can thin blood.
Side Effects and Cautions
• Garlic appears to be safe for most adults.
• Side effects include breath and body odor, heartburn, upset stomach, and allergic reactions. These side effects are more common with raw garlic.
• Garlic can thin the blood (reduce the ability of blood to clot) in a manner similar to aspirin. This effect may be a problem during or after surgery. Use garlic with caution if you are planning to have surgery or dental work, or if you have a bleeding disorder. A cautious approach is to avoid garlic in your diet or as a supplement for at least 1 week before surgery.
• Garlic has been found to interfere with the effectiveness of saquinavir, a drug used to treat HIV infection. Its effect on other drugs has not been well studied.
• Tell your health care providers about any complementary and alternative practices you use. Give them a full picture of what you do to manage your health. This will help ensure coordinated and safe care.
Sources
Gardner CD, Lawson LD, Block E, et al. Effect of raw garlic vs. commercial garlic supplements on plasma lipid concentrations in adults with moderate hypercholesterolemia: a randomized clinical trial. Archives of Internal Medicine. 2007;167(4):346-353.
Garlic. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database Web site. Accessed at http://www.naturaldatabase.com on April 28, 2006.
Garlic (Allium sativum L.). Natural Standard Database Web site. Accessed at http://www.naturalstandard.com on April 28, 2006.
Garlic. In: Blumenthal M, Goldberg A, Brinckman J, eds. Herbal Medicine: Expanded Commission E Monographs. Newton, MA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2000:139-148.
Milner JA. Garlic (Allium sativum). In: Coates P, Blackman M, Cragg G, et al., eds. Encyclopedia of Dietary Supplements. New York: NY: Marcel Dekker; 2005:229-240.
This publication is not copyrighted and is in the public domain. Duplication is encouraged. NCCAM has provided this material for your information. It is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your primary health care provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with your health care provider. The mention of any product, service, or therapy is not an endorsement by NCCAM.
National Institutes of Health
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Comment by Lilla
Enviro Warrior
An Extra Ordinary Life
Dream Herald
Thought I'd come and visit and am delighted with my find
I steam my vegies each night in one of those multi-tierd, purpose build steamers. It takes pride of plac ein my kitchen and I always throw in a couple cloves of garlic for each family member.
It is perfectly edible when steamed and a rather tasty daily 'medicine' ... you should see how thick my children's hair is...
I'm enjoying the info on these posts and will digest them slowly over time.
Cheers
Lilla ...