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From The September 2001 Issue of Nutrition Science News
Garlic and Heart Disease
by Anthony Almada
A review of double-blind studies investigating garlic's ability to lower blood cholesterol shows the effects to be only modest and perhaps "not clinically meaningful."1 Recent research has demonstrated that the particle size of LDL cholesterol is associated with heart disease risk—the smaller the molecules the higher the risk. This led a group of researchers to explore the effect of a proprietary, standardized dried garlic clove powder (Allium sativa) 300 mg three times a day for 12 weeks on this and related parameters in 50 subjects with moderately elevated cholesterol.2 Garlic had no effect on LDL size or overall LDL levels.
More compelling results came from a four-year study of 280 subjects taking the same proprietary, standardized dried garlic clove powder (900 mg/day) or placebo. A significant regression of plaque was seen in women but not in men, despite no apparent effect on blood cholesterol and 23 percent of the garlic subjects dropping out due to "annoyance by odor"3,4—and this from a brand marketed as "guaranteed odor-free." This study suggests that these garlic supplements reduce artherosclerosis and may reduce heart disease risk.
With botanical products, choosing the right brand is critical, because significant differences often exist between products. Also, each brand may differ in how much active ingredient is released into the intestines for absorption.5
Anthony Almada is a nutritional and exercise biochemist and has collaborated on more than 50 university-based clinical trials. He is the co-founder of EAS and founder and chief scientific officer of IMAGINutrition.
References
1. Stevinson C, et al. Garlic for treating hypercholesterolemia. A meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Ann Intern Med 2000;133:420-9.
2. Miller BD, et al. Predominance of dense low-density lipoprotein particles predicts angiographic benefit of therapy in the Stanford Coronary Risk Intervention Project. Circulation 1996;94:2146-53.
3. Koscielny J, et al. The antiatherosclerotic effect of Allium sativum. Atherosclerosis 1999;144:237-49.
4. Siegel G, Klussendorf D. The anti-atherosclerotic effect of Allium sativum: statistics re-evaluated. Atherosclerosis 2000;150:437-8.
5. Lawson L, Wang ZJ. Low allicin release from garlic supplements: a major problem due to the sensitivities of allinase activity. J Agric Food Chem 2001; (published online April 20, before print).
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