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When Garlic Isn’t Just Garlic

By on March 14, 2021
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By Lisa Roth Collins, RHN | NaturallySavvy.com

If you are a fan of garlic on your pizza, in your pasta sauce, on garlic bread, or in your salad, hey, we get it! But sometimes garlic isn’t just garlic, that flavor-packed herb we love to cook with: it’s also a special way to support your health.

Enjoying garlic in your food is still a good way to reap some health benefits. However, research suggests you need to consume five to 28 cloves daily to appreciate the health support it can provide. That’s a lot of garlic! Fortunately, there are aged garlic extract supplements.

What is aged garlic extract?

Aged Garlic Extract (AGE) is a supplement that is prepared using a special aging process that makes it highly bioavailable, odor-free, and gentle on the stomach. Basically, the preparation technique involves placing freshly sliced garlic in an aqueous ethanol solution for nearly two years, during which time any undesirable compounds are transformed into stable, mild ones, including S-allyl cysteine (SAC), which is unique to AGE and has potent antioxidant properties. Unlike allicin found in raw garlic, SAC is stable and extremely bioavailable. In fact, after taking Aged Garlic Extract, SAC is quickly absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract and has nearly 100% bioavailability.

Read about aged garlic extract loves your heart

AGE and cardiovascular health

Aged garlic extract is well documented for supporting cardiovascular health. AGE may be the most research herbal supplement on the market, with over 870 published scientific papers. For example, many studies show that AGE has the ability to help lower high blood pressure, cholesterol, homocysteine, and triglycerides, as well as improve blood circulation.

Kyolic heart health and cardiovascular health aged garlic extract

The results of a study in Frontiers in Nutrition showed that aged garlic extract reduced blood pressure in individuals who had uncontrolled hypertension and that it also had the potential to improve arterial stiffness and inflammation, two major factors involved in heart disease.

AGE can also stimulate the production of nitric oxide, a substance that improves blood circulation and suppresses hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis). If you’re looking to lower your blood pressure, then AGE may help. Research shows it can result in a significant decline in systolic blood pressure.

Read about aged garlic extract, AGE for a healthier you

AGE and immune system health

More and more people are concerned about ways to boost and support immune system health. AGE contains many compounds that may have a positive impact on immune function.

In a Journal of Nutrition double-blind, placebo-controlled study, for example, experts found that use of aged garlic extract was associated with reduced cold and flu severity, reduced number of symptoms and fewer days of work or school missed when compared with placebo. The authors concluded that “the immune system functions well with AGE supplementation, perhaps with less accompanying inflammation,” and that the supplement “may be partly responsible for the reduced severity of colds and flu reported.”

AGE and gut health

The intimate relationship between inflammation, heart health, and gut health can be boosted by taking garlic as well. Experts know, for example, that people with high blood pressure tend to have a significantly poorer diversity of microorganisms in their gut, which is associated with more inflammation and a greater risk of cardiovascular problems. The use of aged garlic extract has been shown to improve microbial richness and diversity after three months of supplementation.

How to use aged garlic extract supplements

Aged garlic extract supplements should be taken according to package directions. The supplements should be taken with food, either during or immediately after eating. This is recommended because the pH of the stomach is less acidic when food is present, and this allows the nutrients in AGE to be optimally absorbed. You should allow at least one month of use before you evaluate your response to the supplement.

Bottom line

When is garlic not just garlic? When it’s a tool in supporting and promoting heart health, immune function, and gut health. You can still enjoy your garlic broccoli and potatoes. However, aged garlic extract supplement provides a concentrated, specialized form of garlic to help achieve your health goals.

 

Sources

Campbell JH et al. Molecular basis by which garlic suppresses atherosclerosis. Journal of Nutrition 2001 Mar; 131(3s):1006S-9S.

Percival SS. Aged garlic extract modifies human immunity. Journal of Nutrition 2016 Feb; 146(2):433S-436S.

Ried K et al. The effect of Kyolic aged garlic extract on gut microbiota, inflammation, and cardiovascular markers in hypertensives: The GarGIC Trial. Frontiers in Nutrition 2018 Dec 11;5:122.

Ried K et al. The effect of aged garlic extract on blood pressure and other cardiovascular risk factors in uncontrolled hypertensives: the AGE at Heart trial. Integrative Blood Pressure Control 2016 Jan 27; 9:9-21.

 

Feature Photo by:  Karolina Grabowska

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