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Garlic 'Does Not Lower Cholesterol'
Contrary to popular belief, garlic does not help to lower cholesterol levels, according to a new study.
For years, health-conscious adults have munched on garlic or taken garlic capsules to reduce cholesterol, relying merely on the myth that the enemy of the vampire is in some way a friend of the heart.
According to scientists from the Stanford University School of Medicine, however, this particular herb does not lower LDL cholesterol in those with moderately high levels. This appears to be the case for raw garlic and popular garlic supplements alike.
"It just doesn't work," said senior author Christopher Gardner, PhD, assistant professor of medicine. "There's no shortcut. You achieve good health through eating healthy food. There isn't a pill or an herb you can take to counteract an unhealthy diet," he added.
The scientists enlisted the assistance of 192 patients, all of whom had elevated LDL cholesterol levels. They were then asked to ingest raw garlic, an aged garlic supplement, a powdered garlic supplement or a placebo. All four groups were asked to follow this regime six days a week for six months.
All participants were given tablets and sandwiches, to ensure the study remained absolutely fair. Those in the "raw garlic" group had the herb mixed into the sandwich and the pills were placebos. Those taking supplements ate garlic-free sandwiches, as the researchers got through 60,000 slices of bread.
"If garlic was going to work, in one form or another, then it would have worked in our study," Professor Gardner said. "The lack of effect was compelling and clear. We took cholesterol measurements every month for six months and the numbers just didn't move. There was no effect with any of the three products, even though fairly high doses were used."
Indeed, LDL cholesterol levels remained static throughout the experiment, apparently disproving the theory that garlic is particularly beneficial for the heart.
Professor Gardner has pointed out that garlic can still be useful if it helps to increase consumption of healthy dishes. Moreover, a separate study from the Garlic Centre in East Sussex suggests that garlic consumption can reduce the risk of contracting a cold by half.
"But if you choose garlic fries as a cholesterol-lowering food, then you blow it. The garlic doesn't counteract the fries," Professor Gardner concluded.
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