What are garlic’s main benefits?

    Last Updated: October 25, 2023

    Supplementation with garlic lowers circulating markers of oxidative stress[1][2] (e.g., malondialdehyde) and inflammation (e.g., C-reactive protein and TNF-α).[3][4][5] Supplementation with garlic can also reduce total cholesterol levels,[6][7] particularly in people with cardiovascular disease, and improve other measures of cardiovascular health (coronary artery calcium, carotid intima-media thickness, etc.).[8] However, its direct effects on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality are currently unclear.[8][9]

    Observational studies also show that garlic consumption, through food or as a supplement, is associated with a lower risk of gastric and colorectal cancers.[10]

    References

    1. ^Askari M, Mozaffari H, Darooghegi Mofrad M, Jafari A, Surkan PJ, Amini MR, Azadbakht LEffects of garlic supplementation on oxidative stress and antioxidative capacity biomarkers: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Phytother Res.(2021-Jun)
    2. ^Moosavian SP, Arab A, Paknahad Z, Moradi SThe effects of garlic supplementation on oxidative stress markers: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Complement Ther Med.(2020-May)
    3. ^Taghizadeh M, Hamedifard Z, Jafarnejad SEffect of garlic supplementation on serum C-reactive protein level: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Phytother Res.(2019-Feb)
    4. ^Darooghegi Mofrad M, Milajerdi A, Koohdani F, Surkan PJ, Azadbakht LGarlic Supplementation Reduces Circulating C-reactive Protein, Tumor Necrosis Factor, and Interleukin-6 in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.J Nutr.(2019-Apr-01)
    5. ^Mehdi Koushki, Nasrin Amiri-Dashatan, Yasin Pourfarjam, Amir Hossein DoustimotlaghEffect of Garlic Intake on Inflammatory Mediators: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled TrialsPostgrad Med J.(2020 Feb 12)
    6. ^Maryam Kheirmandparizi, Pedram Keshavarz, Peyman Nowrouzi-Sohrabi, Mahnaz Hosseini-Bensenjan, Shahla Rezaei, Seyyed Mohammad Amin Kashani, Nazanin Zeidi, Reza Tabrizi, Abdolhamid AlkamelEffects of garlic extract on lipid profile in patients with coronary artery disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised clinical trialsInt J Clin Pract.(2021 Oct 9)
    7. ^Li S, Guo W, Lau W, Zhang H, Zhan Z, Wang X, Wang HThe association of garlic intake and cardiovascular risk factors: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr.(2022-Mar-29)
    8. ^Imaizumi VM, Laurindo LF, Manzan B, Guiguer EL, Oshiiwa M, Otoboni AMMB, Araujo AC, Tofano RJ, Barbalho SMGarlic: A systematic review of the effects on cardiovascular diseases.Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr.(2022-Feb-23)
    9. ^Stabler SN, Tejani AM, Huynh F, Fowkes CGarlic for the prevention of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in hypertensive patients.Cochrane Database Syst Rev.(2012-Aug-15)
    10. ^Yangyang Wang, Ping Huang, Yufei Wu, Duanrui Liu, Mingyu Ji, Huanjie Li, Yunshan WangAssociation and mechanism of garlic consumption with gastrointestinal cancer risk: A systematic review and meta-analysisOncol Lett.(2022 Apr)