Project Description

The Effect of Three Sources of Garlic on Plasma Lipids

This project is no longer enrolling participants.

Garlic supplements are the most consumed herbal products in the US and are frequently consumed to lower cholesterol. Despite garlic's popularity, this claim has not received adequate research support.

We conducted a rigorous trial directly comparing the effects of three different types of garlic preparations - fresh garlic and two commonly used garlic supplements - on serum lipids in subjects with moderately high LDL cholesterol levels.

Our results showed that neither fresh garlic nor the garlic supplements, given at an approximate dose of a 4-gram garlic clove per day, 6 days per week for 6 months, were able to lower LDL cholesterol. To learn more about the details of the study, read the Stanford University News Release or the Abstract published in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine.

Although this project is completed, we are now enrolling participants for two new nutrition studies. Go to the Antioxidant Study or the Omega-3 Study home pages to learn if you qualify to participate in these studies.