Garlic supplements help reduce blood pressure

Garlic supplements would lower blood pressure of people whose blood pressure is too high, despite the use of conventional drugs, according to a small Australian study.

The study was conducted in 50 hypertensive patients already treated with various antihypertensive drugs.

During three months, half the participants took, in addition to their current medication, a garlic extract equivalent to about 2.5 g of fresh garlic. Other patients (control group), who were also taking antihypertensive, received a placebo instead of the garlic supplement.

The researchers report that people who were of high pressure (140 mmHg or more) saw their systolic blood pressure drop 2 times more than the placebo group was 10 mm Hg versus 5 mm Hg

Moreover, the garlic supplement had no significant additional hypotensive effect in patients whose systolic pressure was below 140 mm Hg at the start of the trial.

The researchers concluded that garlic exerts an antihypertensive effect real and could therefore be used in combination with conventional drugs against hypertension. They insist that it will be necessary to conduct further studies to determine the dosage required and to assess possible interactions between different garlic extracts and commercially available prescription drugs against hypertension.

If the smell of garlic repels you, choose an enteric garlic supplement that will degrade in the gut and you will avoid the inconvenience of garlic breath.