Virginia | Holistic Medicine Providers by City

Virginia Cities

VIRGINIA CITIES

Garlic

In in vitro studies, garlic has been found to have antibacterial,

antiviral, and antifungal activity. However, these actions are

less clear in vivo. Garlic is also claimed to help prevent heart

disease (including atherosclerosis, high cholesterol, and high

blood pressure) and cancer.[28] Garlic is used to prevent certain

types of cancer, including stomach and colon cancers. In fact,

countries where garlic is consumed in higher amounts, because

of traditional cuisine, have been found to have a lower prevalence

of cancer.[29] Animal studies, and some early investigational

studies in humans, have suggested possible cardiovascular benefits

of garlic. A Czech study found garlic supplementation reduced

accumulation of cholesterol on the vascular walls of animals.[30]

Another study had similar results, with garlic supplementation

significantly reducing aortic plaque deposits of cholesterol-fed

rabbits.[31] Another study showed supplementation with garlic

extract inhibited vascular calcification in human patients with high

blood cholesterol.[32] The known vasodilative effect of garlic is

possibly caused by catabolism of garlic-derived polysulfides to

hydrogen sulfide in red blood cells (RBCs), a reaction that is

dependent on reduced thiols in or on the RBC membrane. Hydrogen

sulfide is an endogenous cardioprotective vascular cell-signaling

molecule.[33]


Although these studies showed protective vascular changes in

garlic-fed subjects, a randomized clinical trial funded by the

National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the United States and

published in the Archives of Internal Medicine in 2007 found

the consumption of garlic in any form did not reduce blood

cholesterol levels in patients with moderately high baseline

cholesterol levels.[34][35]

According to the Heart.org, "despite decades of research

suggesting that garlic can improve cholesterol profiles, a new

NIH-funded trial found absolutely no effects of raw garlic or

garlic supplements on LDL, HDL, or triglycerides... The findings

underscore the hazards of meta-analyses made up of small,

flawed studies and the value of rigorously studying popular

herbal remedies". In an editorial regarding the initial report's

findings, two physicians from Weill Cornell Medical College

of Cornell University, pointed out that there may "be effects of

garlic on atherosclerosis specifically that were not picked up

in the study".