HEALTH BENEFITS OF GARLIC | EVIDENCE BASED HEALTH BENEFITS OF GARLIC |

 

EVIDENCE-BASED HEALTH BENEFITS OF GARLIC

INTRODUCTION:

For ages, garlic has been used in kitchens. Because of its antibacterial and antiseptic nature, this plant possesses both curative and therapeutic qualities. 

Researchers now know that the majority of the advantages of garlic's health are due to sulfur compounds produced during the chopping, crushing, or chewing of garlic. Allicin is the most well-known of these compounds. Allicin, on the other hand, is a volatile component that is only present for a short time in freshly cut or crushed garlic.

Diallyl disulfide and s-allyl cysteine are two more chemicals that may contribute to the health advantages of garlic. 

Phosphorus, zinc, potassium, and magnesium are abundant in this substance. Also, present abundantly in garlic are vitamins C, K, Folate, niacin, and thiamine.

Garlic has many health benefits, including immunomodulatory, hepatoprotective, anti-mutagenic, and anti-carcinogenic effects.

Garlic is now extensively utilized for a variety of diseases related to the circulatory system and heart, including atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), excessive cholesterol, heart attack, coronary heart disease, and hypertension.

As a cancer preventative measure, garlic is also used by some individuals today for the treatment of cancers including lung, prostate, and breast cancer.

Here are the 13 most important and proven benefits of Garlic.

 

01. HIGHLY NUTRITIOUS:

Garlic is highly nutritious and it has almost all the contents required for your body in variable amounts

A raw garlic clove, or around 3 grams, provides the following nutrients in the following amounts:

Manganese is 2% of your recommended daily Value (DV)

Vitamin B6 has a DV of 2%.

Vitamin C: 1% of the daily recommended value.

Selenium: 1% of the DV in selenium

0.06 gram of fiber

Calcium, copper, potassium, phosphorus, iron, and vitamin B1 in reasonable quantities

This has 4.5 calories, 0.2 grams of protein, and 1 gram of carbohydrates per serving.

There are a number of additional nutrients found in little quantities in garlic as well. A little bit of almost anything may be found here.

02. MEDICINAL PROPERTIES:

Historically, garlic has been regarded as one of the most efficient natural antibiotics for treating bacterial infections.

Garlic releases sulfur compounds when chopped, crushed, or eaten, and these may help improve one's health. 

According to research published in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, diallyl sulfide, a component in garlic, was 100 times more efficient than two common antibiotics in combating the Campylobacter bacteria.

Researchers found that garlic extract reduced the growth of a wide variety of bacteria, including multidrug-resistant strains, exhibiting bactericidal or bacteriostatic effects in a study published in February 2021.

Garlic has been shown in clinical trials to have a prophylactic impact in the prevention of viral infections in people by boosting the immune response.

Topical use of garlic extract for the treatment of fungal infections has also shown promising effects.

Due to the recent appearance of bacterial strains that are resistant to conventional antibiotics, researchers are also trying to discover new medicines. One way to deal with this issue is to combine commercially available antibiotics with garlic extracts, with some degree of synergism between the two compounds.

03. REDUCES BLOOD PRESSURE:

The world's leading causes of death are cardiovascular illnesses including heart attacks and strokes.

A major factor contributing to these illnesses is high blood pressure or hypertension.

Garlic has been shown to be beneficial for individuals with high blood pressure, as a study on humans demonstrated.

Research using 600–1,500 mg of aged garlic extract, which is equivalent to Atenolol, demonstrated that it is as effective at lowering blood pressure over a 24-week period as that medication.

A 12-month study on the supplementation of aged garlic extract found that individuals with arteriosclerosis and coronary artery disease had improved peripheral tissue perfusion and microcirculation after taking the supplement for 12 months. 

Possibly, the benefit is related to a reduction in the process of atherosclerosis, but it might possibly have an effect on vascular tone and endothelial function as well.

Aged garlic extract is an odorless product produced by extracting fresh garlic at room temperature for up to 20 months. According to research, it's by far the most effective garlic antioxidant available.

You must use large supplemental dosages to get the desired results. You will need approximately four cloves of garlic a day to meet your needs.

 04. REDUCES BLOOD SUGAR:

Diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity may all be exacerbated by having high blood sugar. Garlic is an absolute need if you have high blood sugar. 

Researchers discovered a very significant decrease in FBS and an improvement in HbA1C with larger garlic dosages and over a longer research period. Fasting blood glucose reduction with garlic is superior to placebo and similar to metformin, suggesting that it may be a useful adjunct to the treatment of diabetic patients.

Researchers in Kuwait tested the effects of raw vs cooked garlic on blood glucose levels in lab animals and discovered that raw garlic had a substantial impact. To help decrease blood sugar levels, eat raw garlic instead of cooked.

05. REDUCES CHOLESTEROL LEVEL:

A study has shown that garlic reduces total and LDL cholesterol.

Garlic supplements seem to decrease total and/or LDL cholesterol by approximately 10% for individuals with high cholesterol.

Garlic has been shown to decrease LDL (the “bad”) cholesterol but has no impact on HDL (the “good”) cholesterol.

Researchers discovered that taking an aged garlic extract supplement lowered LDL cholesterol in hypercholesterolemic male humans by 10%. 

It was shown that garlic prevented the liver cells from synthesizing cholesterol in the animals. Further experiments with garlic's water- and lipid-soluble components revealed that the water soluble component reduced cholesterol production by 20-60%.

06. PREVENTS BRAIN DISEASES:

Studies show that garlic includes antioxidants that help the body combat oxidative damage.

Garlic supplements at high dosages have been proven to enhance antioxidant enzymes in people as well as substantially decrease oxidative stress in individuals with high blood pressure.

Because of the many health benefits of decreasing cholesterol and blood pressure while increasing antioxidants, an extra reduction in the risk of various brain illnesses including Alzheimer's disease and dementia may be attained.

In a study done on rat models, the memory impairment caused by Parkinson's Disease was less severe in the group that received Garlic Extract. Additionally, Garlic Extract protects dopaminergic neurons while also easing symptoms of Parkinson's disease and other behavioral problems in mice.

 07. BOOST IMMUNITY:

Garlic has a high concentration of phytonutrients that have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. 

Antioxidants remove toxins from the body and decrease oxidative stress, so you won't become ill or have a higher risk of DNA mutations and improper cell function. Supplementing with garlic, according to researchers, may help boost the body's various kinds of immune cells.

Garlic extract is found to enhance skin mucus immunity by significantly increasing lysosomal activity in guppy.

08. IMPROVE ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE:

For a long time, garlic was considered to be a “performance-enhancing” drug.

This has been utilized by previous civilizations to decrease tiredness and increase working capacity.

Research has revealed that garlic aids with physical activity.

By using garlic oil for six weeks, those with coronary heart disease had a 12% decrease in their peak heart rate, as well as improved exercise ability.

Another research claims that exercising while feeling tired may be alleviated with garlic.

 09. IMPROVE EYE HEALTH:

Garlic has also been shown to be beneficial for the eyes due to its anti-inflammatory properties. Garlic, according to research, lowers intraocular pressure. 

Garlic's antibacterial properties also work against the microorganisms that cause keratitis, which may be eyesight-threatening. Garlic juice has also been shown to help protect a rat's retina from the apoptosis caused by lead exposure.

10. HEAVY METALS DETOXIFICATION:

The sulfur components in garlic have been proven to protect against heavy metal toxicity-induced organ damage at large dosages.

Natural ligands like allicin and/or organosulfur may chelate heavy metals, which may be a viable alternative for getting rid of trace metals.

An in-depth four-week investigation of the lead levels in the blood of workers of a car battery factory (with increased exposure to lead) revealed that garlic lowered lead levels by 19 percent. Additionally, it also helped to decrease the amount of toxicity-related symptoms, such as headaches and blood pressure.

 

11. IMPROVE BONE HEALTH:

Garlic seems to raise estrogen levels in females and thus may have some advantages for bone health.

In one trial of menopausal women, a daily dosage of dried garlic extract (equivalent to 2 grams of raw garlic) substantially reduced a marker of estrogen insufficiency.

Another team of researchers came to the conclusion that diallyl disulfide serves to inhibit the enzymes that degrade the bone matrix, thus it protects the bones.

Garlic and onions, as well as some other foods, may potentially have osteoarthritis-related benefits.

12. IMPROVE SKIN HEALTH:

Garlic is a potent anti-oxidant with anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial effects. Garlic may be used to decrease acne since it is caused by an overabundance of toxins, blocked pores, and bacterial infections.

Garlic extracts may be used as a topical therapy for wound healing due to its epithelizing, anti-erythematous, and anti-edematous characteristics.

The antibacterial activity of garlic extract and chlorhexidine against oral microorganisms was examined in another research and the garlic extract was shown to serve as an alternative to chlorhexidine as a mouth wash when it was evaluated.

13. PROMOTING LONGEVITY:

In humans, it's very difficult to test whether garlic has any longevity-enhancing properties.

Garlic has been shown to reduce major health risks including high blood pressure, so it stands to reason that it may help you live longer.

The fact that garlic can combat infectious diseases is also a significant consideration since they are frequent causes of mortality, particularly in the elderly or those with a faulty immune system.

So, Garlic intake has been linked to a reduced risk of death from any cause, and this supports additional research into the benefits of garlic consumption for extending life.

 TAKE AWAY MESSAGE:

Garlic offers a wide range of health benefits, which vary depending on how it is prepared. 

Garlic, on the other hand, should be taken with caution since several research have shown certain negative consequences. Garlic preparations tested in a research had hypokalemia and hyponatremia effects, according to the results. There have also been some negative findings in animal research with regards to testosterone and testicular function.

13 HEALTH BENEFITS OF GARLIC