A study has found that Aged Garlic Extract can lower plaque buildup in arteries and prevent heart disease. Researchers from Harbor-UCLA Medical Center's Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute (LA BioMEd) analyzed the effects of taking daily Aged Garlic Extract in people with metabolic syndrome.
They found that Aged Garlic Extract can significantly lower the plaque buildup in arteries. The current study is the team's fourth research that focuses on the benefits of Aged Garlic Extract.
For the current study, the team enrolled 55 patients diagnosed with metabolic syndrome. The participants were between the ages of 40 and 75 years old. They were also on the brink of developing heart disease.
The participants' total coronary plaque volume and calcium deposits were measured. Their levels of low-attenuation plaque and non-calcified plaque were also determined using the non-invasive imaging tool Cardiac Computed Tomography Angiography (CCTA).
After a random selection, one group was given a 2,400 milligram dose of the Aged Garlic Extract while the other group was given a placebo. The participants took the supplements daily for one whole year.
During the follow-up screening one year later, the participants who took the Aged Garlic Extract successfully reduced the accumulation of total plaque by 80 percent. The extract also lowered the soft plaque. Notably, those who took the Aged Garlic Extract had less plaque during the follow-up screening.
"This study is another demonstration of the benefits of this supplement in reducing the accumulation of soft plaque and preventing the formation of new plaque in the arteries, which can cause heart disease," said LA BioMed researcher Dr. Matthew Budoff.
Budoff added that the team has already completed four randomized research which led them to conclude that Aged Garlic Extract can reduce the atherosclerosis progression and reverse the beginnings of heart disease.
Garlic is also known to keep cold weather flus and colds away. Packed with anti-fungal properties, garlic can help kill the fungus that causes athlete's foot. Garlic's anti-oxidant properties are also known to help treat bad skin.
The latest research was published in the Journal of Nutrition on Jan. 13.
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