Researchers sought to assess the effects of garlic supplements on hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, C–reactive protein (CRP), pulse wave velocity (PWV), and coronary artery calcium (CAC), as well as available data on adverse reactions. They found that garlic supplementation may offer cardiovascular protection.

Methods

• Researchers searched PubMed for all human studies through May 30, 2013 and assessed relevant review articles and original studies.
• They only included double–blind, randomized, controlled trials and meta–analyses of double–blind, randomized, controlled trials were included.
• The review of articles and data extraction were performed by two independent authors, with any disagreements resolved by consensus.

Results

• Garlic supplementation reduced blood pressure by 7–16 mm Hg (systolic) and 5–9 mm Hg (diastolic).
• It reduced total cholesterol by 7.4–29.8 mg/dL. The most consistent benefits were shown in studies that used aged garlic extract (AGE).
• A few small studies that used AGE also showed favorable effects on CAC, CRP, and PWV.
• Garlic is generally safe and well–tolerated, but researchers found a few rare adverse reactions with limited causalities.

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