Hypocholesterolemic effect of an enteric-coated garlic supplement

Objective: To evaluate the hypocholesterolemic effect of an enteric-coated garlic supplement standardized for allicin-releasing potential in mild to m oderate hypercholesterolemic patients. Methods: A double-blind randomized, placebo-controlled intervention study w as conducted in 46 hypercholesterolemic subjects who had failed or were nor compliant with drug therapy. Each subject was given dietary counseling to lower fat intake and enteric-coated Australian garlic powder tablets with 9 .6 mg allicin-releasing potential or matching placebo tablets. Results: After 12 weeks, the garlic supplement group (n=22) had a significa nt reduction in total cholesterol (TC, -0.36 mmol/L, -4.2%)and LDL-choleste rol (LDL-C, -0.44 mmol/L, -6.6%) while the placebo group (n=24) had a non-s ignificant increase in TC (0.13 mmol/L, 2.0%) and LDL-C (0.18 mmol/L, 3.7%) . HDL-cholesterol was significantly increased in the placebo group (0.09 mm ol/L, 9.1%), compared to the garlic group (-0.02 mmol/L, -0.9%), and no sig nificant difference in triglycerides or in LDL/HDL ratio was observed betwe en groups. Conclusions: The study demonstrates that enteric-coated garlic powder suppl ements with 9.6 mg allicin-releasing potential may have value in mild to mo derate hypercholesterolemic patients when combined with a low fat diet. Tak en with other evidence, the efficacy of garlic for lipoprotein metabolism m ight require allicin bioavailability to be enhanced through the use of, for example, an enteric-coated dose form, if this is the cast, the possibility remains that greater hypocholesterolemic efficacy may be evident at a high er allicin dose. Also noteworthy in this study was a small reduction in ene rgy intake with garlic compared with placebo, attributable to reduction in fat, carbohydrate and alcohol intakes. This may also have contributed to th e effects on blood lipids. This study suggests that garlic supplementation has a cholesterol-lowering effect, which may be mediated by direct action o f a biologically active compound or compounds and in part through the effec t on food and nutrient intake.