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Garlic for Health

by Frann Leach

The French reputation for eating large quantities of garlic may account for them being so healthy, even though levels of drinking and smoking there are so much higher than the rest of Europe.

If you heard about a new medicine that was supposed to be effective as an antibiotic and an antiviral, could be used to treat such diverse conditions as fungal infections, thrombosis, hypoglycaemia, both high and low blood pressure, arteriosclerosis and cancer, AND could be used as both an antihistamine and an antiseptic, you would probably dismiss it all as just hype.

But amazingly enough, Garlic, which has been used for thousands of years all over the world, has been found to do all these things and more in medical studies conducted over the past 70 years or so.

Here are some of the exciting discoveries that have been made about this incredibly versatile food:

• Garlic has been used for at least 5,000 years
• A daily supplement reduces the chances of catching colds by 50%
• Shortens duration of colds and prevents coughs
• Cures bronchitis, sinusitis and all types of catarrh
• Treats hay fever and asthma
• Inhibits growth of Candida albicans ('yeast infection') at very low concentrations
• Helps stomach conditions
• Raw garlic is an effective treatment for acne
• Contains vitamins A, B, and C, as well as the minerals selenium, iodine, potassium, iron, calcium, zinc and magnesium, together with the important trace element germanium
• Anti-oxidant - protective against free radicals
• Anti bacterial and a powerful antibiotic
• Anti-parasitic (can be used to treat intestinal worms)
• Normalises blood pressure (whether too high or too low)
• Reduces blood sugar levels (may be helpful for diabetics)
• Boosts the immune system
• Reduces levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol, and triglycerides, increases levels of HDL (good) cholesterol
• Beneficial to the cardiovascular system and lowers incidence of heart disease
• Reduces risk of pre-eclampsia in pregnancy
• May boost birth weights
• May reduce impotence
• Mosquito repellent

Allicin, the precursor

Although allicin is the active ingredient that has attracted most of the attention, it appears that it is neither the only active ingredient, nor even the best. It is the precursor of the most important active ingredients, the ajoenes and dithiins ("a-hoe-enes and di-thigh-eens"), according to Professor Eric Block PhD of State University of New York, Albany, a leading expert on garlic.

Ajoenes are anti-thrombotic, anti-tumour, antifungal and antioxidant.

Dithiins are anti-thrombogenic, antibiotic and are now used in coatings for artificial implants which remain in contact with the blood.

Allicin, without which neither ajoenes nor dithiins occur, is only produced in the presence of the enzyme allinase, which is found 'walled off' in different cells inside the garlic clove, to be released when the garlic is crushed or chopped.

Allicin has an extremely low shelf life (less than a day). The ajoenes and dithiins are produced as the allicin breaks down. So to get the best from your garlic, it is best to prepare it about 30 minutes before you intend to use it.

Here is a small selection of medical studies about garlic:

• The first published research was in 1936 by Schmidt & Marquardt, who noted its antifungal properties
• Contains gamma-glutamylcysteine, a natural ACE inhibitor, which makes it good for regulating blood pressure (Planta Medica, Feb 1992)
• According to Loma Linde University School of Medicine, garlic fights cancer by
  1. inhibiting tumour cell metabolism
  2. preventing initiation and formation of cancer cells and
  3. boosting the immune system
• Regular garlic users show a lower incidence of stomach cancer, have longer blood clotting times and lower blood lipid levels, leading to a reduced risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease (Professor Eric Block PhD of State University of New York, Albany)
• Effective in treating colon, stomach, oesophageal and prostate cancers (American Cancer Society, Guide to Complementary and Alternative Methods, 2002)
• The American Journal of Medicine, June 1994 reports an average 6% drop in cholesterol levels after a 12 week period on garlic tablets

This is just a representative sample of the many studies out there.

How to use Garlic

Garlic is best used crushed or finely chopped (the finer, the better), then left to stand for 30-40 minutes before use to develop. Cloves cooked whole have little or no value. It is important to note that microwaving destroys allinase and completely prevents the development of the active ingredients.

The only commercial products which have been shown to contain the active ingredients are macerates of garlic (chopped garlic in oil).