A study published in Clinical Nutrition ESPEN found that supplementing one’s diet with aged garlic extract can reduce overall body inflammation and improve the immune function of obese adults. The authors have noted that it takes around six weeks of continued and uninterrupted consumption of the extract for visible results to be seen.

• Fifty-one obese but healthy adults participated in the study.
• The parallel, double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized study found that aged garlic regulated immune-cell distribution and reduced bad cholesterol (LDL) levels in the blood.
• The results are statistically significant compared to the placebo group.
• Moreover, the extract was able to influence the secretion of inflammatory proteins from cells.
• This means that low-level inflammation can be treated with aged garlic extract.
• It takes around six weeks of consistent consumption of aged garlic extract for chronic inflammation to be reduced.
• Implications of these results are the prevention of chronic disease associated with obesity and an enhanced immune system among obese people.
• There are currently more than 600 million obese adults globally.
• Obesity is associated with other co-morbid conditions such as an increased risk of heart disease and type-2 diabetes.

The authors have concluded that aged garlic extract can also be beneficial for non-obese people. The mechanisms involved in its healthfulness can contribute to better overall health.

Journal reference

Changjie Xu, Anne E.Mathews, Camila Rodrigues, Brandon J. Eudy, Cheryl A.Rowe, Alison O’Donoughue, Susan S.Percival. AGED GARLIC EXTRACT SUPPLEMENTATION MODIFIES INFLAMMATION AND IMMUNITY OF ADULTS WITH OBESITY: A RANDOMIZED, DOUBLE-BLIND, PLACEBO-CONTROLLED CLINICAL TRIAL. Clinical Nutrition ESPEN, 2017. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnesp.2017.11.010