Garlic Supplements Help Lower High Blood Pressure
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NEW YORK – Garlic supplements may lower blood pressure just as effectively as some drugs used to treat hypertension can, according to a new research review.
Supplementation with garlic preparations may provide an acceptable alternative or complementary treatment option for hypertension, Dr. Karin Ried and colleagues from The University of Adelaide in South Australia write.
Research to date on garlic and blood pressure has had inconclusive results, they note, while the last meta-analysis – in which the results of several studies are analyzed collectively — only included studies done up until 1994.
To provide an updated perspective, Ried and her team included more recently published studies in their analysis, identifying 11 studies in which the patients were randomly assigned to garlic or placebo. In most studies, participants given garlic took it in powdered form, as a standardized supplement. Doses ranged from 600 mg to 900 mg daily, which study participants took for 12 to 23 weeks.
When the researchers pooled the data from the trials, they found that garlic reduced systolic blood pressure by 4.6 mm Hg, on average. An analysis limited to people with high blood pressure showed garlic reduced systolic blood pressure by 8.4 mm Hg, on average, and diastolic blood pressure by 7.3 mm Hg. The higher a persons blood pressure -was at the beginning of the study, the more it was reduced by taking garlic.
How Can Garlic Lowers Blood Pressure
Since ancient times, garlic has been utilized as a natural blood pressure-lowering treatment.
Recent study reveals that this is for a good reason, as garlic appears to be an excellent treatment for high blood pressure. In fact, several studies have found it to be just as effective as traditional blood pressure drugs, but with far fewer adverse effects.
Supplements of garlic lowers blood pressure, systolic and diastolic by 6.7 and 4.8 mmHg, respectively, according to a study of randomized controlled trials , the gold standard in research.
The 812 week studies included in the study gave participants 1882,400 mg of garlic powder supplements or aged garlic extracts per day.
Several additional recent studies back up these findings, with several claiming blood pressure drops of 2.511.2 mm Hg after consuming 6002,400 mg of garlic powder per day for 824 weeks.
Its worth noting that, while garlic lowers blood pressure effects appear to be universal, they appear to be strongest in persons who have high blood pressure compared to those who have normal with garlic lowers blood pressure.
Not Approved By Health Authorities Expert
Some studies have documented the potential of garlic in lowering high blood pressure in a similar way to standard medication. A review of trials involving garlic concludes that the vitamin B status of an individual is an important factor for the responsiveness of high blood pressure to garlic.
But Basden Onwubere, a professor of medicine at the University of Nigeria in southeastern Nigeria, was sceptical. He told Africa Check: Such prescriptions cannot be made by doctors.
There are studies that have been published about the use of garlic in managing some health conditions but I am not aware of any traditional medicine that has been approved officially by Nafdac for use in managing high blood pressure, he said.
Nafdac is Nigerias National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, responsible for regulating and controlling drugs, among other substances.
Onwubere said: Until that becomes available, what we are using now is the orthodox way of managing hypertension. This is medication and advice on managing the patients diet.
Africa Check has also checked claims on Facebook that ginger or ginger tea can prevent heart attack and stroke, and that mixing lemon, ginger and garlic cures high blood pressure.
Like this claim, we found no conclusive evidence to support these. Experts advise those with high or elevated blood pressure to ignore miracle cures promoted on social media and seek proper medical care.
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How Much Garlic Should I Eat To Lower Blood Pressure
Blood pressure is increasingly becoming the most common ailment for developing heart diseases. According to several studies, at least 4 million people die from high blood pressure annually. The reason for the same is due to lack of identifying the same in its nascent stage. High blood pressure develops gradually and increases drastically for those who are suffering from underlying conditions. The situation escalates for those who are above 50 years and lead an improper lifestyle.
The Mechanism Of How Garlic Works To Lower Blood Pressure
The process behind how garlic works to lower blood pressure is fairly simple. Garlic contains sulfides, specifically, an organosulfur compound called allicinthe antihypertensive abilities are largely due to this main active ingredient. Allicin is found in aged garlic extract, but its also formed when fresh garlic is crushed or choppedbut thats the only way you can get it out of fresh garlic. Garlic also contains an organic compound called S-Allyl cysteine , which may have cholesterol-lowering effects.
Garlic-derived polysulfides are known to enhance endothelial nitric oxide and stimulate the production of hydrogen sulfide, a vascular gasotransmitter . Basically, this reduces blood pressure and induces vasodilation, which allows the blood vessels or the smooth muscle cells to relax. Its thought that sulfur deficiency may also play a part in the development of hypertension.
Aged garlic extract is also not known to interact with blood pressure-lowering or blood-thinning drugs.
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What’s The Difference Between A Heart Attack And Cardiac Arrest
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Research from the department of pharmaceutical sciences, at University of Kashmir, investigated the impact of Allium sativum a naturally occurring medicinal plant on its antihypertensive potential. Otherwise known as garlic, its healing properties can be attributed to the compound allicin. A meta-analysis demonstrated that “garlic is related to decreases of blood pressure in patients with increased systolic pressure”.
Garlic Health Benefits For Your
Similarly, doctors in the Western tradition have relied upon garlic for centuries and continue to perform research on the pungent bulbs properties. Although garlic has a reputation for reducing the severity of colds and flu and its an antifungal that takes care of athletes foot, many researchers are intrigued by garlics cardioprotective properties.
Several studies have shown that garlic can make blood vessels more elastic, which makes it good for conditions like peripheral artery disease and intermittent claudication. In addition, theres a body of research on garlics blood-thinning, anti-clotting effect. Blood thinners are often prescribed to lower the risk of stroke and heart attack.
One of the organosulfur compounds in garlic, allicin, seems to keep platelets in the blood from sticking together. In a study comparing several different members of the onion family, garlic was found to be more effective at preventing clotting than onions, chives, shallots, leeks and bunching onions. It also had the highest amount of allicin.
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Garlic In Recipes: Maximizing The Health Benefits
Allicin, one of the healthy organosulfur compounds in garlic, is formed by an enzymatic reaction that happens when the garlic clove is damaged or cut. Like many nutrients, it is inactivated by too much heat. If youre going to cook with garlic and dont want to lose all the allicin, let the garlic rest for about 10 minutes after mincing or smashing. Alternatively, you can cook it on high heat for three minutes or less or sweat it on low heat.
Dr. Greger recommends garlic and onions for supple arteries and for blood thinning on his website, Nutritionfacts.org, but warns that you shouldnt cook them to death.
Tolerability Acceptability And Blinding
All participants tolerated the trial capsules well, and found it very easy/easy and very acceptable/acceptable to take the capsules . No participants experienced any adverse effects, and only few mentioned garlic taste and burping in the first week of the trial , but no participant found this bothersome.
Blinding was successful, with two-thirds in the garlic group and almost 85% in the placebo group being unsure or incorrect in guessing their allocated group .
Table 5. Blinding.
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How Do I Take Garlic For High Blood Pressure
A fresh clove of garlic contains 1 percent allicin. You can dice up one fresh garlic clove daily and add it to your dishes, but it may leave you with rather unpleasant breath.
Garlic supplements are available in several forms, including pills, powders, oils, and extracts ranging anywhere from 100 mg up to 5,000 mg. Since some garlic supplements contain little or no allicin, be sure to check the label for adequate allicin levels.
You can also buy pure allicin supplements. In this case, follow the manufacturers dosage instructions. If you choose garlic extract, take 600 to 1200 mg divided into three doses per day.
How Quickly Does Garlic Lower Blood Pressure
3.9/5garlicblood pressureblood pressureblood pressure
Garlic. Some research suggests that garlic increases the body’s production of nitric oxide, which helps the smooth muscles to relax and the blood vessels to dilate. These changes can reduce hypertension. One study reported that garlic extract reduced both systolic and diastolic blood pressure in hypertensive people.
Furthermore, how can I lower my blood pressure immediately? Here are 17 effective ways to lower your blood pressure levels:
In this manner, how much garlic should I take for high blood pressure?
Garlic powder: Including garlic in your daily diet can lower your blood pressure. About 600-900 mg of garlic powder will give about 9-12% reduction in the increased blood pressure. A 600 mg dose of garlic powder contains 3.6 mg allicin and 900 mg contain 5.4 mg of allicin.
Do garlic pills help with blood pressure?
Garlic supplements have shown promise in the treatment of uncontrolled hypertension, lowering blood pressure by about 10 mmHg systolic and 8 mmHg diastolic, similar to standard BP medication.
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Side Effects Of Garlic
Garlic can cause a bad odor
One of its disadvantages is the odor emanating from garlic, and this lingers in the mouth even after several attempts to wash it off. Experts, on the other hand, believe that the same chemical in garlic that causes the bad breath is the same that makes it potent.
Diarrhea
Research suggests that Garlic is actually a gas-forming food, and as such, eating or chewing garlic on an empty stomach is not advisable as it may cause diarrhea.
Eczemaorskin rash
There has been a report that prolonged touch with garlic has every tendency to propel skin irritation, although it has a lot of benefits attached.
The presence of the enzyme in garlic called allicin lyase could also be the cause of the irritation. Eczema is one of the conditions that are vulnerable to this allergy.
Vision changes
Too much intake of garlic can lead to a condition called hyphema, which is also known as bleeding inside the eye chamber. This is quite strange, but the reality of it is that the excess of garlic effects as an anticoagulant can cause hyphema, which will possibly lead to vision loss.
It can hurt the liver
Excess consumption of garlic can cause harm to the liver. A study reveals that though garlic is rich in antioxidants, it can also cause liver toxicity if taken too much.
Tip: Krill oil is an antioxidant too, which could help lower blood pressure.
Data Synthesis And Meta
Changes in mean SBP or DBP of garlic and control groups before and after intervention were entered into the meta-analysis using Review Manager version 4.2 . Standard deviations of these differences were estimated applying the equation published in Taubert et al. and using a conservative correlation coefficient of R = 0.68 as suggested by the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions . If heterogeneity was high we used the random effects model for meta-analysis, otherwise the fixed effects model was considered appropriate .
In addition, we performed subgroup meta-analysis of trials with hypertensive subjects at start of treatment and subgroup analysis of trials with normotensive subjects at start of treatment .
Potential publication bias in the meta-analysis was assessed by Begg’s funnel plots and Egger’s regression test .
Meta-regression was performed to find any association between blood pressure changes over time and the following continuous variables: dosage, length of intervention, and blood pressure at start of treatment. We also tested for any evidence of confounding related to source of funding . Regression analyses were conducted using Stata version 9 .
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Why Garlic With Vitamin C Works
What do you get when you mix two of the best known, easily available and most potent healthy food items in the world a killer combination .
When taken together, garlic and Vitamin C will make your food delicious.
It is really difficult to avoid these two substances in food. Garlic and Vitamin C have been used in food since times immemorial and even the ancient Indians, Chinese, Egyptians and Babylonians knew they need these two in their food.
Garlic Can Cause Nausea Vomiting And Heartburn
The National Cancer Institute published a report that consuming fresh garlic bulbs, or the extracts or even the oil on an empty stomach is likely to cause nausea, vomiting and heartburn. Another research revealed that the oral intake of garlic might also cause nausea and heartburn opposed to using it as an oil.
Tip: Did you know garlic oil is one of the effective essential oils for diabetes?
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Reduce Risk Of Death By Heart Disease
Prof. Shahidi and Prof. Ambigaipalan also found that the consumption of omega-3 fatty acids does not reduce the risk of adverse heart disease-related outcomes, such as sudden cardiac death, heart attack, or stroke, even in individuals without a history of disease.
Although omega-3 fats lower the risk of developing heart disease by lowering triglyceride, the bad cholesterol LDL, and blood pressure, a meta-analysis of over 80,000 individuals found that their supplementation prevented death from all causes nor heart disease.
How Many Cloves Of Garlic A Day Is Safe
Raw garlic also retains more allicin, which is the sulfur-containing compound responsible for many of garlics beneficial health effects. For best results, aim for around 12 cloves per day and reduce your intake if you experience any side effects, such as heartburn, acid reflux, or increased bleeding.
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Garlic Benefit #: May Lower High Blood Pressure To Healthy Levels
Heart attacks and strokes are leading causes of death in this country and around the world. High blood pressure which is also known as hypertension is a causative factor in these diseases. High blood pressure can place great strain on your blood vessels and compromise heart health.
So, what is garlic good for when it comes to blood pressure? Research shows that garlic benefits your ability to maintain healthy blood pressure levels.
In a 2013 study, 600-1500 mg of aged garlic extract was just as effective as the drug Atenolol in lowering high blood pressure. This study covered a 24-week period.
And in a 2005 study, a garlic supplement was shown to reduce blood pressure and counteract oxidative stress. It also increased vitamin levels.
Plotting Of Blood Pressure Changes Over Time
We integrated additional blood pressure data from studies included in the systematic review in BP/time plots for visual assessment of BP trends depending on BP at start of treatment . We included in the plots data of placebo and non-placebo controlled trials using garlic-only preparations, and reporting mean or median SBP and/or DBP.
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Garlic Benefit #: May Lower Ldl Cholesterol
There are two types of cholesterol: LDL and HDL . LDL cholesterol can harm your health. On the other end of the spectrum, HDL cholesterol has health benefits and has been linked with improved detoxification.
High LDL cholesterol has been associated with cardiovascular disease. Research shows that garlic supplementation can help lower LDL cholesterol to healthy levels.
A 2004 study looked at a total of 23 participants with high cholesterol levels. Those who took a garlic supplement experienced a notable reduction in harmful LDL cholesterol.
Studies show that while garlic reduces harmful LDL cholesterol, it has no effect on beneficial HDL cholesterol.
How Much Allicin/garlic Do I Need
Heres how to use garlic for hypertension. The general recommendation of aged garlic extract suggests that a good dosage to lower blood pressure is 600 mg twice each day, so 1,200 mg daily. In a study published in the Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences in 2013, researchers examined hypertensive individuals with different daily garlic dosages, ranging between 300 mg to 1,500 mg. There were also placebo and blood-pressure medication groups used for the purpose of the study. The research team found that every garlic dosage examined lowered blood pressure as much as the blood pressure medicine had. However, there was greater blood pressure reduction with higher dosages and longer treatment time. Other garlic and blood pressure studies include a daily dose of 600 mg to 900 mg of garlic.
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Garlic Benefit #: May Help Detoxify Heavy Metals From The Body
Heavy metal toxicity can cause permanent damage to vital organs. Research shows that garlic benefits your health by assisting with the removal of harmful heavy metals from the body.
A 2011 study looked at employees who had been exposed to lead at a car battery plant. The research indicated that garlic reduced the amount of lead in the blood by 19 percent. And garlic eased some of the symptoms associated with heavy metal toxicity, such as headaches and high blood pressure.