Garlic may help with several health conditions, including high cholesterol, blood clots, and high blood pressure. It also supposedly has antibacterial, antifungal, and anticancer properties. Although garlic appears to be effective in treating several conditions, it is not suitable for everyone. Before using garlic medicinally, you should talk to your healthcare provider if you have a bleeding disorder, ulcers, or GERD.
Almost everyone is familiar with the use of garlic in foods. However, garlic is also used medicinally, either in supplements or in raw or cooked form. Most often, people take garlic for heart health, but it is claimed to provide other health benefits as well.
It is thought that there are a few different active components in garlic, including allicin, ajoene, and S-allyl-L-cysteine.
Some forms of garlic have more of these active components than others. For instance, freeze-dried garlic preparations contain very little allicin.
For treating
high cholesterol, it is thought that garlic works by decreasing the production of
cholesterol in the liver. Garlic may also have antioxidant effects, which may protect the blood vessels from hardening. In addition, garlic has several effects that "thin" the blood, perhaps reducing the risk of blood clots, but which may also increase the risk of bleeding. For treating
high blood pressure, garlic may help to relax the blood vessels and cause them to dilate (open wider), actions that may help
lower blood pressure.
Garlic may also have antibacterial, antifungal, and anticancer properties.
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