Garlic Extract Reduces Blood Pressure

Hypertension affects about 30% of adults worldwide. Previously, a number of studies have suggested plausible mechanisms by which garlic exerts blood pressure-lowering effects.  K Ried, from The University of Adelaide (Australia), and colleagues en rolled 79 men and women with uncontrolled systolic hypertension, in a 12-week long trial in which each subject received one, two or four capsules daily of aged garlic extract (240/480/960 mg containing 0.6/1.2/2.4 mg of S-allylcysteine), or placebo.  Blood pressure was assessed at 4, 8 and 12 weeks.  At the close of the 12-week period, the researchers found that the highest dose group showed reduction of 7.4 mmHg in systolic blood pressure, and then middle dose group showing the greatest benefit with systolic reduction of 11.8 mmHg.  The study authors report that: “Our trial suggests aged garlic extract to be an effective and tolerable treatment in uncontrolled hypertension, and may be considered as a safe adjunct treatment to conventional antihypertensive therapy.”