Spotlight on Garlic: The Heart Health All-Star
If a garlic supplement isn’t already part of your heart health arsenal, hundreds of scientific studies suggest it should be. In fact, aged garlic extract, or AGE, is one of the most heavily researched herbal medicines today and is among the most commonly used supplements in people with heart disease. Numerous studies suggest aged garlic extract may help improve risk factors for heart disease, including:
Supporting healthy blood pressure levels: Studies have shown that garlic lowers systolic blood pressure 7 to 16 mmHg and diastolic pressure 5 to 9 mmHg, compared to a placebo.
Keeping bad cholesterol in check: Total cholesterol has been reduced by 7 to 29 mg/dL in garlic supplement studies, compared to a placebo. Scientists suggest this mild to moderate reduction may be helpful when added to statin medications or for people who can’t tolerate statin drugs.
Protecting LDL (bad) cholesterol from oxidation: Oxidized LDL is toxic to the cells lining your arteries and contributes to the buildup of plaque.
Increasing adiponectin: That’s a hormone that helps protect against inflammation and atherosclerosis, as well as helping improve insulin sensitivity and the management of blood sugar.
Thinning the blood: Garlic helps decrease stickiness of platelets, which are the components of blood involved in clotting. It’s important to note that if you’re taking a blood thinning medication like warfarin, consult your doctor before taking garlic supplements.
Staving off plaque in arteries: Preliminary evidence suggests aged garlic extract not only may help prevent plaque build-up in arteries, it may even help reverse it slightly.
What’s in garlic that produces beneficial effects isn’t completely clear. Although scientists used to think that a sulfur-containing compound from garlic called allicin was the active ingredient responsible for heart health benefits, numerous studies suggest it may be any number of compounds in garlic contributing to the benefits.
WHAT IS AGE?
AGE is an acronym for Aged Garlic Extract. It is a research-backed, odourless ingredient produced by extracting and then aging fresh garlic in order to increase potency and improve the ingredient’s stability and health-promoting properties.
The Kyolic® Aged Garlic Extract™ exclusive aging process removes the odour and harsh side effects of fresh garlic. Extensively researched, Kyolic® AGE is the best-selling odourless, aged garlic extract and has been proven safe and effective for over 47 years.
Kyolic® Aged Garlic Extract™ Cholesterol Control Formula 104 is a combination of lecithin and 100% organically grown garlic that supports healthy cholesterol levels and overall cardiovascular health.