A study that is about to be published in Complete Nutrition describes five key ways garlic can help head off cardiovascular disease.
The evidence review which examined 44 studies, some of them mega meta-analysis studies and many of them reviewing KWAI garlic, confirms that taking garlic supplementation with 1.8mg of allicin can:
Garlic supplements can help head off cardiovascular disease
- Lower dangerous LDL cholesterol
- Bring down blood pressure
- Cut triglycerides (unhealthy fats associated with hardening of the arteries)
- Improves platelet function
- Delivers a strong antioxidant effect.
The review also confirms that allicin is the active ingredient in garlic which delivers its heart-healthy benefits.
Looking at this latest review, public health nutritionist Dr Emma Derbyshire notes "The evidence for taking a garlic supplement regularly is now compelling. Prescription medicines such as statins and anti-hypertensives have had a huge impact in terms of reducing deaths from cardiovascular disease, but despite these advances there is still a long way to go."
CVD still claims 160,000 lives every year in the UK and heart disease alone is the number one cause of death for men and the second for women.
GP Dr Paul Stillman says "We know that losing weight and getting more exercise protects against diseases of the heart and circulatory system, but in far too many cases that knowledge is not being translated into positive action."
"Unfortunately, many people find it all too easy to find excuses for not exercising or watching their diet, but what is so exciting about this research is that it shows a very simple intervention, taking a daily garlic supplement could potentially make a huge difference."
Study author, Dr Pamela Mason adds "It is important to stress that these studies have used a quality supplement or standardised dried garlic preparations. You would have to eat an unpalatably large quantity of raw garlic to achieve the same benefits."
The review found no benefit from extracts or garlic oils prepared by steam distillation. Dr Mason explains "The potential for a garlic preparation to release allicin is key to its ability to produce cardiovascular benefits. KWAI garlic, one of the most well researched garlic supplements, releases 1.8mg of allicin from each 300mg standardised dried garlic 300mg tablet. Since KWAI garlic tablets are standardised they release the same dose of allicin on each occasion."