Studies have shown that garlic can help lower blood sugar and cholesterol

As we all know, chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and hyperlipidemia are closely related to lifestyle. We are often warned by doctors to control our diet reasonably and exercise more. But many people are still a little helpless about how to do it.

Garlic is an ingredient at your fingertips, available in every household, and at a modest price. In many places, garlic is not only a regular spice in the kitchen, but also regarded as a folk medicine. So, does garlic have any effect on blood sugar and blood lipids, the "culprits" in our body?

The latest research gives an exciting answer!

The study, published in the prestigious journal Nutrients, was led by Chinese scholars and systematically combed and analyzed data from a number of relevant clinical trials. The results showed that moderate consumption of garlic can not only effectively reduce blood sugar, but also improve blood lipid indicators, which is of great significance for the prevention and improvement of diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, etc.

Let's take a look at how the researchers came to this exciting conclusion.

Introduction to research methods

To comprehensively assess the effect of garlic on blood glucose and lipids, the research team searched four major databases, including Embase, PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science. They used keywords related to garlic, glucose, and lipid metabolism and qualified them as randomised controlled trials to ensure that the included studies were of high quality and confidence.

In the end, they included 22 studies involving 29 trials with a total number of 1567 participants from 2553 relevant literature. The participants came from countries such as Canada, the United States, South Korea, Iran, Pakistan, India, Israel, Russia, Poland, Brazil, and Denmark, and ranged in age from 18 to 80 years.

The duration of the intervention in these trials ranged from three weeks to one year. Participants included people with hyperlipidemia, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, myocardial infarction, obesity, hypertension, polycystic ovary syndrome, and some healthy adults.

In the trial, they used a number of different forms of garlic preparations, such as powders, raw garlic, oils, aged extracts, and enteric-coated supplements, with different daily doses.

The researchers extracted and evaluated the quality of the data from these trials in strict accordance with the norms, and used the methods of meta-analysis to produce exciting findings.

Blood Sugar Improvement Cases

In an Indian study, 54 people with type 2 diabetes were randomly divided into two groups, with the experimental group taking a daily garlic supplement and the control group taking a placebo. After 16 weeks of intervention, patients in the garlic group experienced a significant decrease in blood glucose levels and glycosylated hemoglobin levels.

A 63-year-old Mr. Gao has been suffering from diabetes for nearly 10 years. Poorly controlled for a long time, his blood sugar has been kept at a high level. After six months, Mr. Gao's glycosylated hemoglobin dropped by 1.5 percentage points and his fasting blood sugar returned to the normal range.

Cases of lipid improvement

In a Korean study, 76 patients with hyperlipidemia were divided into two groups and given either raw garlic or a placebo daily for 12 weeks. The results showed that the total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels in the garlic group were significantly reduced.

72-year-old Grandma Wang suffers from hyperlipidemia, and due to her age, doctors have been recommending her to take lipid-lowering drugs. But Grandma Wang is more afraid of taking medicine, and she is also worried about the side effects of drugs, and she is more resistant to drugs. Later, I learned that garlic is good for lowering blood lipids, so I insisted on eating an appropriate amount of garlic every day. Half a year later, Grandma Wang's physical examination report showed that the blood lipid index had returned to normal levels.

"I just usually eat more garlic, and occasionally I put a lot of garlic in curry or kimchi, which is not troublesome at all, and the effect is not bad." Grandma Wang said to us with a smile.

Interpretation of the findings

So, what are the specific effects of garlic on blood sugar and blood lipids? The researchers conducted a detailed analysis and gave authoritative conclusions:

Blood glucose: Meta-analyses showed a significant decrease in fasting blood glucose levels and glycosylated hemoglobin in the intervention group compared with the control group. That said, consuming garlic can help improve blood sugar control in people with diabetes.

In terms of blood lipids:

1. Total cholesterol: The results of 17 studies have shown that taking garlic can significantly reduce total cholesterol levels.

2. LDL cholesterol: 18 studies found that LDL cholesterol levels decreased significantly after garlic intervention.

3. HDL cholesterol: Garlic has been shown in 19 studies to help raise HDL levels of the "good" cholesterol.

4. Triglycerides: However, for triglycerides, another indicator of blood lipids, 16 studies did not find a significant improvement effect.

These data provide strong support for the previous view that garlic is beneficial for blood sugar and blood lipids. Whether it's lowering glycosylated hemoglobin and fasting blood sugar, or improving cholesterol and LDL levels, garlic has shown surprising results.

Where is the "mystery" of garlic?

As a natural "health care product", the key to garlic's ability to regulate blood sugar and blood lipids is its unique chemical composition.

Garlic contains a variety of beneficial substances, such as allicin, alliin, volatile sulfur compounds, etc. These natural active ingredients confer multiple physiological functions on garlic such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, regulation of insulin secretion and improvement of insulin sensitivity.

1. Antioxidant effect

Garlic is rich in active sulfur compounds, vitamin C and phytochemicals, which can effectively remove free radicals in the body and exert antioxidant effects.

Oxidative stress is a key factor in the development of diabetes and cardiovascular complications. Garlic fights oxidative stress and protects islet β cells from damage, thereby enhancing insulin secretion and improving the body's use of glucose.

2. Improve insulin resistance

Insulin resistance is a key cause of type 2 diabetes and other metabolic diseases. The active ingredient of garlic can promote the expression of glucose transporter (GLUT) and enhance the absorption and utilization of glucose by cells, thereby enhancing insulin sensitivity and improving insulin resistance.

3. Regulate lipid metabolism

Garlic helps to inhibit the synthesis of cholesterol and promote the excretion of cholesterol, thereby reducing the concentration of total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol in the blood. At the same time, compounds such as allicin can also raise HDL cholesterol levels. Therefore, garlic has a positive effect on improving blood lipid disorders.

4. Other mechanisms

The latest research has also found that garlic may be involved in the regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism by affecting the intestinal microbiota and regulating inflammatory responses. These deep-seated mechanisms of action need to be further elucidated.

In short, garlic is a "comprehensive health drink" from nature. It integrates antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, insulin regulation, insulin resistance, lipid metabolism and other effects, providing all-round protection for the prevention and improvement of diabetes and cardiovascular complications.

Dosage and precautions

Since garlic is so "magical", how much garlic do you need to eat every day to achieve the effect of improving blood sugar and blood lipids? According to the study, the recommended dosage for different forms of garlic also differs:

1. Raw garlic: Consume two to three cloves (about 4–6 grams) daily.
2. Cooked garlic: about 10 grams or so per day
3. Garlic powder: 1–2 grams per day
4. Garlic oils, extracts, etc.: Follow your doctor's advice or product instructions

In addition, depending on the duration of the intervention in each trial, it is recommended to continue taking it for at least 8 weeks in order to see significant results. Of course, the benefits of garlic will become more and more evident over time.

However, adverse effects can occur with any of the medications. For garlic, it is generally safe to consume in small amounts, but excessive intake may cause symptoms such as indigestion, nausea, diarrhea, etc. Pregnant and breastfeeding women, as well as those with bleeding tendencies, should also be cautious.

If you are taking other medications, it is best to consult a doctor first and consume them reasonably under the guidance of a doctor. At the same time, it should also be noted that raw garlic may irritate the gastrointestinal tract, and the use of garlic tablets or enteric-coated garlic preparations will be relatively mild.

参考文献：Zhao X, Cheng T, Xia H, Yang Y, Wang S. Effects of Garlic on Glucose Parameters and Lipid Profile: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on Randomized Controlled Trials. Nutrients (2024), DOI- 10.3390/nu16111692, https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/16/11/1692

Note: The purpose of this article is to introduce the auxiliary effect of garlic on improving blood sugar and blood lipids, and it is not to advocate the complete use of garlic as an alternative to drug treatment. For patients with diagnosed diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia and other diseases, please be sure to use drugs rationally under the guidance of a doctor, and at the same time, garlic can be consumed appropriately as an auxiliary means. Although there is a certain scientific basis for the efficacy of garlic, as an ingredient, its healing power is limited after all. Only by using both medication and diet can you better manage your condition and improve your health. Remember, under no circumstances should you stop taking your doctor's prescribed medication!