Garlic is a plant in the onion family that’s grown for its distinctive taste and health benefits. It contains sulfur compounds, which are believed to bring some of the health benefits.

• Cardiovascular Blood Pressure: High doses of garlic appear to improve blood pressure for those with known high blood pressure (hypertension). In some instances, supplements may be as effective as regular medications. Human studies have found garlic supplements to have a significant impact on reducing blood pressure in people with high blood pressure.¹ In one study, 600–1,500 mg of aged garlic extract was just as effective as the drug Atenolol at reducing blood pressure over a 24-week period.² Supplement doses must be fairly high to have the desired effects. The amount needed is equivalent to about four cloves of garlic per day.
• Cardiovascular Cholesterol: Garlic supplements seem to reduce total and LDL cholesterol by 10-15%, particularly in those who have high cholesterol.³ HDL cholesterol and triglycerides do not seem to be affected.
• Immunity: Garlic supplements are known to boost the function of the immune system.

One large, 12-week study found that a daily garlic supplement reduced the number of colds by 63% compared to a placebo.⁴ The average length of cold symptoms was also reduced by 70%, from 5 days in the placebo group to just 1.5 days in the garlic group.⁴