High Blood Pressure

Garlic

There have been a number of studies examining the effects of garlic supplements on blood pressure. Garlic appears to lower blood pressure by 5 to 10%. It can also lower cholesterol, reduce triglyceride levels, discourage clot formation, and promote blood circulation. A typical dose of garlic is 900 mg of garlic powder per day, standardized to contain 1.3% alliin. This provides about 12,000 mcg of alliin per day. This dosage is also recommended for lowering high cholesterol.

Garlic can thin the blood. It should not be combined with prescription blood-thinners such as Coumadin (warfarin) or Trental (pentoxifylline) or with natural blood-thinners such as vitamin E or ginkgo. It is usually recommended that people taking garlic stop in the weeks before and after any type of surgery.