Garlic And Blood Pressure

According to the American Heart Association 74.5 million adults have high blood pressure, otherwise known as hypertension. Hypertension is defined as a systolic blood pressure (SBP) higher than 140mmHg and a diastolic blood pressure (DBP) higher than 90mmHg. Hypertension is associated with sudden cardiac death, stroke, and heart attack.

Because of the serious negative outcomes that may occur in people with high blood pressure, the condition is often treated with medications. However, many people prefer to use natural supplements such as garlic to lower their blood pressure. In addition, many studies have demonstrated the added benefit of combining garlic and blood pressure medications to achieve control of hypertension.

Garlic and blood pressure go hand-in-hand; meta-analysis studies that examined randomized controlled trials testing the link between garlic and blood pressure demonstrated that garlic does have the ability to lower both SBP and DBP, especially in hypertensive people.

The association between garlic and blood pressure is impressive. Garlic lowers SBP by 8.4 to 16.33mmHg and DBP by 7.3 to 9.3mmHg on average as compared to placebo in hypertensive people. In comparison, most traditional medications used to lower blood pressure decrease it by 5 to 10mmHg on average as compared to placebo.

Garlic appears to be similarly effective in the treatment of blood pressure as compared to prescription medications. Combining garlic supplements and blood pressure medications together results in additional decreases in blood pressure with lower risks of side effects.

Garlic is generally well tolerated and safe. It can cause upset stomach and have an unpleasant odor. It may increase bleeding risks so discontinue use prior to surgeries or dental work.

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