Garlic
Brief History of Garlic
The first recorded use of garlic for medicinal purposes goes all the way back to the ancient Egyptians. The ancient Egyptians would use garlic during the construction of the pyramids, and would give the garlic to the slaves to try and fend of disease. Cultures since the Egyptians have used garlic as both a food and as a medicine. French gravediggers would combine the garlic with win and then drink it believing it would prevent them from contracting the deadly plague which was killing millions in Europe. In both World War I and World War II garlic was given to the soldiers. The garlic was eaten by the soldiers in both wars as a way of preventing gangrene. While there might have been some merit to the ancient uses of garlic; garlic is now used today in a variety of manners in order to treat many different medicinal disorders. Garlic can be used to possibly help prevent heart disease, atherosclerosis (plaque buildup in the arteries that can block the flow of blood and possibly lead to heart attack or stroke), high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and to improve the immune system. There are even some studies which have recently been released indicating that garlic may help protect a person against certain formats of cancer.
Many of the studies are conclusive, and many of the studies are population based studies which are more difficult to draw strong definitive answers from concerning garlic. Most of the research which is done on garlic involves population based studies. Population based studies are studies which follow larger groups of people over time. In these studies researchers will compare groups of people living in different cultures. The researchers will try to limit the number of variables in these types of studies, but it is very difficult for such a large group of people. In the population based studies involving garlic researchers tried to limit information to a person’s dietary habits. Due to the large scope of many of these studies it is debated whether or not specific imperial evidence can be drawn from the studies. It is thought that these population studies will provide a road map telling researchers the direction they need to travel in order to specify information, and really answer the question, why?
Garlic is very high in antioxidants. Antioxidants are only now being understood by health researchers. It is believed that antioxidant will seek out and eliminate free radicals in the body. Free radicals are compounds in the body what alter cells and tamper with DNA and other genetic materials. Free radicals can also cause the death of a cell. There are some free radicals which exist naturally in the human body; however, there are some environmental toxins which increase the number of free radicals in the body. These environmental toxins include: ultraviolet rays from the sun, radiation, cigarette smoke, and air pollution. Free radicals, according the beliefs of many scientists, contribute to the aging process. Free radicals are also believed to contribute to the development of a number of health problems, most notably cancer and heart disease. Garlic has very powerful antioxidants and can eliminate many of the free radicals in the human body. With the lowering of free radicals in the body there should also be a reduction in a person’s chances to develop many harmful diseases.
Information about Garlic Plants and Medicinal Garlic Uses
Garlic is a perennial that originally came from Asia. The garlic was used both for medicinal use, and also as a spice. Yet, there are now garlic plants throughout the world, and garlic can be found in food the world over. The plant itself can grow over two feet in height. The compound bulb is the most important part of the plant for medicinal purposes. The bulbs of the garlic plant can become quite massive, and include anywhere from four to twenty separate smaller cloves. Each of the cloves can weigh a little over a gram a piece, meaning the many bulbs can weigh down the garlic plant over time. The cloves are the part of the garlic plant that many people can find at their local stores.
There are many different kinds of garlic supplements. The different types of garlic supplements can include fresh, dried, aged, and garlic oil. Each of these different supplemental types will have a different overall effect on the human body.
Garlic is made up of many different components. Many of these different components in garlic have been identified. Yet, amazingly in the current age of scientific progress in the area of nutrition there are some components in garlic which have yet to be identified. One of the most important components which have been identified in garlic is Alliin. Alliin is an odorless sulfur containing chemical derived from the amino acid cysteine. Alliin maintains it state until the bulbs of the garlic are crushed. When the bulbs of garlic are crushed alliin is converted into allicin. Allicin is what gives garlic its unique smell. Allicin is also the component in garlic which contains many of garlic’s many healing benefits. The problem that many people have with taking garlic as a medicinal supplement is the lack of absorption. Many of the lower grade use allicin which is fresh from the garlic bulb after it has been crushed. The problem with using allicin after it has been crushed is the body finds it difficult to break down allicin and absorb it into the body.
To get around this problem, garlic is aged until it starts to ferment. Once the garlic begins to ferment the allicin begins to break down into a useable component which can be absorbed by the human body. These compounds are water soluble sulfur compounds, S-allyl cysteine and others, and a small amount of oil soluble sulfur compounds. The body is reported to benefits from lower cholesterol levels, lower levels of heart disease, and lower levels of cancer, thanks to the sulfur containing compound which are in garlic which has been aged and being to ferment.
The different kinds of garlic supplements include whole fresh garlic, dried garlic, freeze dried garlic, garlic oil, and aged garlic extracts. When a person is selecting a product which contains garlic it is important for a person to know what type of garlic supplementation was used. Not all of the different types of garlic supplementation will have the same active ingredient. The amount of important components will also depend on how the garlic was processed for supplementation. There is a wide variation in the quantity of quality components in both fresh garlic and garlic which has been prepared for commercial supplementation. The location where the garlic is grown will also play a role in just how well the garlic will help a person’s overall health. Different growing locations will make it so the garlic itself will have different active ingredients. This variation of the different active ingredients in garlic does explain how some varieties of garlic are able to perform better than other in clinical studies. This is why it is important for people to know exactly what type of garlic they are consuming, and how the garlic was prepared. Knowing where the garlic was make and processed will help people to determine whether or not the garlic will help them with the prevention and treatment of certain diseases, including: lower cholesterol, intestinal disease, heart disease, improving blood pressure, and the fight of different types of infections.
For example garlic which is allowed to age will begin to ferment. There are multiple studies that show people can raise their chances of preventing cardiovascular disease if they will supplement with aged garlic. It is thought that the high amounts of sulfur compounds, which are contained in aged garlic, have a positive effect in the body on heart disease and a person’s overall health—the reason being that aged garlic is easier for the body to absorb. Other types of garlic supplementation aren’t as easy for the body to absorb, so the different types of garlic supplementation will not have the same positive effects on a person’s chances of avoiding cardiovascular disease.
The best way to know what garlic supplementation is right for the prevention and treatment of different disorders is by reading the information on the supplements containing garlic. It is also recommended that a person will take standardized garlic supplements from a reputable company. Good supplement companies should be using the garlic supplements which should provide the body with the greatest amount of health benefits. Another suggestion is to always follow the dosing instructions on the supplement bottle. Not following the instructions from the supplement manufacturer can have very negative health consequences.
Things to Consider Before Supplementing a Diet with Garlic
Herbs, like garlic, have been used for medicinal treatment for many thousands of years. Even though herbs like garlic are considered to be “natural,” there are some side effects which may occur due to garlic supplementation. These side effects can be due to the garlic supplement itself, or it could be due to the mixture or different herbs in a person’s diet, or it could be a mixture of prescription medication and garlic supplementation. Since there is a risk involved whenever a person starts a new supplementation regime it is recommend that a person consult their doctor, or other health care professional with a background in botanical medicine before starting or continuing with any supplementation.
The U.S Food and Drug Administration consider garlic to be very low in toxicity, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration generally list garlic as safe. There are some side effects which may occur when taking garlic supplementation. There side effects include: upset stomach, bloating, bad breath, body odor, and a stinging sensation on the skin from handling too much fresh or dried garlic. The handling of garlic can also be potentially harmful. Skin lesions may happen due to over handling of garlic. There are other side effects which have been reported by people taking garlic supplementation; however, these additional side effects are considered to be very rare and only affect a very small percentage of people. These rarer side effects include: headache, fatigue, loss of appetite, muscle aches, dizziness—which is generally described as a type of vertigo, and allergies—such as an asthmatic reaction.
Garlic can act as a natural blood thinner. Those people having surgery, or those mothers about to deliver, should consider the amounts of garlic, or garlic supplementation, they consume as it may be detrimental to their health. Too much garlic can increase the risk of bleeding during and after some medical procedures.
Garlic can have a negative effect on some prescription medication. The three medications which garlic will most often influence include antiplatelet medications, blood thinning medications, and protease inhibitors. A person who is taking any these types of medications should be well informed about the possible side effects which may occur after adding garlic supplementation to their diet. To be safe a person should really inform their health care professional if they are taking garlic supplementation, as it may affect some of the different prescription medications which they are taking.
Health Benefits of Garlic
Garlic May Help Prevent and Treat Common Cold
150 people were involved in a very well put together study which focused on garlic and its effects of the common cold. Researchers found that garlic may help to prevent the common cold, and it may also help to shorten the duration of illnesses of those suffering from the common cold. The study was designed to either give people garlic supplements or a placebo for 12 weeks during the peak of cold season—between the months of November and February. The results of the study show that those who received garlic supplementation had fewer colds than those who received the placebo. The results also showed that those who took garlic and still contracted a cold were able to dissipate the symptoms quicker than those who just took the placebo.
Garlic May Help with Cardiovascular Disease
Some researcher believer, according to multiple studies, that the garlic supplementation may decrease the progression of cardiovascular disease. Smoking, hypertensions, increased platelet aggregation, increased low density lipoprotein, LDL, or bad cholesterol oxidation, raised low density protein levels in the body, and raised serum total cholesterol can be causes and factors in cardiovascular disease.
The studies involving garlic and cardiovascular disease have shown that the consumption of garlic may help to decrease the level of low density lipoprotein, LDL, or bad cholesterol. The studies also show that the consumption of garlic can help to raise the levels of high density lipoprotein, HDL, or good cholesterol in the body. This decrease in low density lipoprotein and increase in high density lipoprotein leads to a decreasing platelet aggregation, which helps the blood in the body to flow easier, and a decreasing overall blood pressure. C-reactive protein and homocysteine, which have been found to be two markers of cardiovascular disease, have also been discovered to be decreased through garlic supplementation in many studies.
High blood pressure can also put a strain on the cardiovascular system and lead to cardiovascular disease. In numerous studies garlic has been shown to help a person possibly lower their blood pressure. In studies where oral garlic supplementation was given there were noticeable reductions in the systolic and diastolic blood pressure. For this reason researcher believer there could be a connection between controlling a person’s blood pressure could be helped with garlic supplementation.
Garlic Could Possibly Improve Immune System and Help in Fight against Cancer
In laboratory studies there have been some results which suggest that garlic may have anti-cancer activity. Garlic has been shown to help strengthen the immune system of the body. Some studies, especially on the garlic effects on the common cold, show that taking garlic can possibly improve a person’s immune system. For this reason researcher think that garlic could help the body to fight off a disease like cancer. In studies looking at individuals taking garlic supplementation or simply eating large amounts of garlic, researchers found that garlic eaters were less likely to develop certain types of cancer. The cancers which were least developed in populations eating large amounts of garlic are colon and stomach cancer.
In multiple population studies, researchers found that there was a reduction of possibly 30% in the risk of colorectal cancer in populations eating large amounts of garlic. Those individuals eating dietary garlic, and also those individuals who supplement their diets with garlic, could also protect themselves against the development of breast, prostate, and laryngeal (throat) cancers.
There have been a few larger scale studies, and some population studies looking into the effects of garlic and cancer. In a very large scale study, call the Iowa Women’s Health Study, there was research done on 41,000 middle aged women about eating habits and the development of different types of cancer. The study would tract the different eating habits of the women, and it also focused on the garlic, fruit, and vegetables that eat of the women would consume. Researchers found that women who consumed garlic, fruits, and vegetables, on a regular basis, had a 35% lower risk of developing colon cancer. In another study done of 50 people with inoperable liver, pancreatic, and colorectal cancer, researchers also found some benefits with using garlic in the treatment of these forms of cancer. The patients were given supplementation of aged garlic for six months, and after that time researchers found that the patients’ immune systems had improved. There has also been research done on using garlic to help those recovering from chemotherapy. A study was conducted which looked into how garlic might reduce the side effects associated with chemotherapy, which include fatigue and anorexia. The study found that garlic did possibly help reduce those side effects in chemotherapy patients. In addition aged garlic also helped to possibly decrease heart and intestinal damage which is very common in certain chemotherapy agents.
It is not fully known, nor is there sufficient evidence to determine, whether or not garlic can be used in the fight against cancer. More research is currently being done to see if an increase in the dietary intake, and supplementation, of garlic and other plants in the garlic family (onions, leeks, scallions, chives, and shallots) can help in the prevention and treatment of cancer.
How to Get Enough Garlic in a Diet to Get the Health Benefits
The best way to get the right amount of Garlic in the body is through a proper diet. A healthy low fat diet which includes fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, whole grains, and lean meats is usually enough, depending on the health of the individual, to get all of the essential vitamins, herbs, and minerals the body requires.
Yet, the simple truth is very few people actually eat a full enough diet not to be lacking an essential vitamin and mineral. When the body is lacking an essential vitamin, herb, or mineral it will not function properly. The other problem is many of the essential vitamins and minerals, or good supplemental herbs like garlic, cannot be easily stored in the human body. The body needs a constant daily intake of some essential vitamins and minerals.
The best way to ensure the body gets the nutrients it needs is by taking a reputable daily multivitamin. A good daily multivitamin will help to fill in the gaps of a normal healthy diet. The multivitamin will also help to bridge the deficiencies which occur due to changing health issues. A good multivitamin will also add elements to a diet, which a normal diet would normally not contain. Adding some beneficial supplemental herbs to a diet is a great way to received added health benefits, without much of the negative side effects which can occur when supplementing with herbs in a more natural manner.
When looking for a good multivitamin look for one which is gender specific. Why? There are two major reasons. First, males and females need different amounts of vitamins and minerals. A gender specific vitamin will be able to give more of the vitamins and minerals which males and females normally struggle to obtain. Second, there are many subpar vitamin manufactures. For the health of the person taking the vitamin it is important to find a manufacture which is reputable. A manufacture with differing vitamins for males and females is a helpful indication of their legitimacy—although it is always recommended to investigate any vitamin company before making a purchase.
