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evidence · mechanism · dose
Supplements/Herb

Garlic

aka Allium sativum · Aged garlic extract

Culinary bulb with cardiovascular benefits primarily via allicin and aged-garlic compounds.

Cardiovascular HealthImmune FunctionHealthy Aging

Overview

Culinary bulb with cardiovascular benefits primarily via allicin and aged-garlic compounds.

Natural sources
  • Allium sativum
Common forms
  • Aged garlic extract (Kyolic)
  • Allicin standardized

Forms & variants of Garlic

Different chemical forms of Garlic behave differently. Browse each form's mechanism, bioavailability, and best-use context.

Aged extract
Aged Garlic Extract (Kyolic)

Odorless aged garlic with S-allyl-cysteine for vascular health.

Mechanism of action

Allicin lowers BP via H2S signaling; inhibits HMG-CoA reductase mildly.

Pathways
  • · H2S signaling
  • · Vasodilation

Effects on the body

Decreases
Blood pressure (~8/5 mmHg)
Decreases
Total cholesterol (mild)

Organ system effects

Cardiovascular

Lowers BP comparable to first-line antihypertensives in some RCTs.

Evidence-based benefits

Reduces BP in hypertensives

Strong evidence

Modest cholesterol reduction

Moderate evidence

Potential side effects

Common
  • · Odor
  • · GI upset
Rare
    Serious
    • · Bleeding with anticoagulants

    Drug interactions

    Anticoagulants / antiplatelets
    Bleeding risk.
    moderate
    Saquinavir
    Reduces drug levels.
    severe

    Safety & non-supplemental interactions

    Educational summary — always confirm with your clinician or pharmacist before starting, stopping, or combining with prescription therapy.

    Avoid if you are
    • ·Pregnant or breastfeeding (insufficient safety data)
    • ·Children under 18 (unless directed by a clinician)
    • ·High doses during pregnancy/breastfeeding
    Avoid with these conditions
    • ·Bleeding disorders
    • ·Autoimmune disease (theoretical immune activation)
    Avoid / monitor with these medications
    • ·Warfarin, DOACs, antiplatelets, NSAIDs (additive bleeding risk)
    • ·Immunosuppressants
    • ·Warfarin, antiplatelets, NSAIDs
    • ·Saquinavir and some HIV drugs (reduced levels)
    • ·Antihypertensives (additive)
    Before surgery
    • ·Stop ≥7 days before surgery.

    Supplement interactions

    Pairs well with

    None listed.

    Avoid combining with

    No specific avoidances listed.

    Dosing & bioavailability

    Typical dose
    600–1200 mg AGE; or 1.8–2.7 g raw equivalent

    Where to buy

    Affiliate-style search links to reputable retailers. We don't endorse specific brands — verify third-party testing (USP, NSF, Informed Sport) before purchase.

    Herb
    Garlic
    Amazon
    Wide selection · fast shipping
    Herb
    Garlic
    iHerb
    Global delivery · curated brands
    Herb
    Garlic
    Thorne
    Practitioner-grade · NSF tested

    Scientific evidence (9)

    RCTJ Nutr · 2009

    Aged garlic extract and atherosclerosis progression

    Budoff MJ, et al.

    1-year RCT of AGE on coronary calcium progression.

    Key findings

    Slowed coronary calcium progression vs placebo.

    Open study
    Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

    PubMed: Garlic — Reduces BP in hypertensives

    Live PubMed search

    Live results for "Garlic Reduces BP in hypertensives" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

    Key findings

    Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Garlic and "Reduces BP in hypertensives". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

    Open study
    Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

    PubMed: Garlic — Modest cholesterol reduction

    Live PubMed search

    Live results for "Garlic Modest cholesterol reduction" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

    Key findings

    Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Garlic and "Modest cholesterol reduction". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

    Open study
    Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

    PubMed: Garlic — randomized controlled trial

    Live PubMed search

    Live results for "Garlic randomized controlled trial" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

    Key findings

    Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Garlic and "randomized controlled trial". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

    Open study
    Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

    PubMed: Garlic — meta-analysis

    Live PubMed search

    Live results for "Garlic meta-analysis" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

    Key findings

    Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Garlic and "meta-analysis". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

    Open study
    Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

    PubMed: Garlic — pharmacokinetics

    Live PubMed search

    Live results for "Garlic pharmacokinetics" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

    Key findings

    Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Garlic and "pharmacokinetics". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

    Open study
    Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

    PubMed: Garlic — safety adverse events

    Live PubMed search

    Live results for "Garlic safety adverse events" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

    Key findings

    Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Garlic and "safety adverse events". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

    Open study
    Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

    PubMed: Garlic — dose response

    Live PubMed search

    Live results for "Garlic dose response" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

    Key findings

    Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Garlic and "dose response". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

    Open study
    Systematic reviewGoogle Scholar · 1970

    Google Scholar: Garlic — clinical evidence

    Live Scholar search

    Cross-database citation index for Garlic as it relates to "clinical evidence".

    Key findings

    Includes preprints, theses, and journal articles. Useful for tracking citation counts and follow-on work.

    Open study
    Educational use only. This profile is not medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting any supplement, especially if you take prescription medication or have a chronic condition.