Millions of people around the world
suffers or prone to high blood pressure. Due to increasing tasty yet oily foods
and diminishing physical activities, cases of hypertension is rapidly
increasing.
Medical nutrition therapy, centered on
the DASH diet, weight management and increased physical activity, has proven to
be effective in hypertension management, while physicians often will prescribe
medications.
Recent interests in supplements, their
effectiveness and potential drug interactions may prompt inquiries from
patients diagnosed with hypertension.
With a long, varied history of
medicinal use, garlic supplementation for decreasing diastolic and systolic
blood pressure is rated as possibly effective on the Natural Medicines
Comprehensive Database. To some pharmaceuticals, garlic appears to help in
vasodilation, or widening of blood vessels due to relaxation of the muscular
walls of the vessels. It also may reduce angiotensin II, a naturally occurring substance
in the body that narrows blood vessels and increase blood pressure.
Though these are some good effects,
the evidence is not strong enough to suggest that garlic preparations may be
used as an alternative prescription medication, and garlic supplementation
should not replace dietary, lifestyle or medical interventions for
hypertension. More recent research, however, suggests garlic may have a modest effect
on lowering systolic and diastolic blood pressure on individuals with
hypertension.
So what does the garlic have in it?
Antioxidant allicin – a sulfur
compound that not only responsible for the garlicky aroma, but also has been
identified as the potential beneficial constituent for health. Allicin is
formed when fresh garlic is crushed and begins degrading almost immediately.
Due to the noted possible side effects
such as malodorous breath or body odor, nausea, vomiting, flatulence or
diarrhea and allergic reactions, matters still needs to be discussed with
patients before taking in such supplement.
Due to the wide range of product types
– and because dietary supplements do not require FDA approval --- consumers
should look for independent quality assessment seals and third party
verification about a product’s ingredients and qualities.
Source: www.foodandnutrition.org
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