When to take Garlic Extract | PlanYourVitamins.com

What is garlic extract good for?

Short answer: Garlic extract has potential benefits for antioxidants, cardiovascular health, the immune system, cholesterol levels, inflammation, cancer prevention and bone health.

Garlic is a flowering plant in the onion family that is grown in many parts of the world, and its distinct bulb is an extremely popular ingredient in most, if not all cuisines around the world, thanks to its distinct aroma and powerful taste, although I'm sure you probably already knew that!

In addition to its culinary importance, garlic has also been used for millennia for medicinal purposes, with documented usage dating back to ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Romans and Chinese, to name but a few. In more recent times, garlic extract aims to provide these benefits in a refined, concentrated form.

Nutritional value of garlic

Garlic is a fantastic source of minerals such as selenium and manganese, as well as vitamin C and vitamin B6, although many of its benefits are due to certain compounds which only form when fresh garlic cloves are crushed or chopped, namely a compound called allicin.

However, allicin is unstable, in the sense that it is only available for a brief period after formation, so it is important to consume fresh garlic shortly after preparation in order to take advantage of the allicin compounds that it so kindly provides.

Allicin, the principle compound found in garlic, is only available for a short period after the garlic has been chopped or crushed.

Effects on the immune system

Research shows that many of garlic's compounds have antioxidant and antiviral properties, and they are thought to boost the immune system in particular, while also preventing viruses from entering cells, as well as preventing them from replicating within cells that they may have already entered.

A study performed in 2016 found that taking aged garlic extract for the duration of the flu season reduced the severity of symptoms during infection and increased recovery speed.

These same compounds also display promising anticancer properties, including the ability to prevent a cancerous cell from duplicating, and the ability to induce death in cancer cells, a process known as as apoptosis.

Effects on the cardiovascular health

Garlic is also known to have a substantial effect on cholesterol levels, in particular its ability to lower LDL, which we understand to be the bad form of cholesterol. Several studies have demonstrated that incorporating garlic into your diet, or taking garlic extract supplementation for several months, can reduce your LDL cholesterol levels by up to 10%.

They also found that it is particularly effective in people that already suffer from high cholesterol levels, helping them to bring their cholesterol back down to normal levels.

Garlic is also known for its blood-thinning effect and its ability to lower blood pressure, especially in people that suffer from high blood pressure. Research shows that garlic supplementation can be just as effective at this as some blood pressure medications, but with the added benefit of having less adverse side effects.

In some cases, the overall result from taking garlic supplements was a staggering 40% reduction in the risk of suffering a cardiovascular event.

Benefits for bone health

All of these factors combine to contribute towards a significant improvement in cardiovascular health, which garlic is historically well known for, however, garlic also has other, lesser known benefits. For example, did you know that garlic is also beneficial for bone health? I only found this out very recently.

Studies have shown that garlic supplementation is able to improve our body's ability to absorb calcium, as well as helping reduce oxidative stress on bone structure, and this is also thought to show promise for the treatment of bone conditions such as osteoporosis.

So there you have it. Add extra garlic to your meal tonight!

Aged Garlic Extract (AGE)

In addition to garlic extract, you have no doubt also heard of "Aged Garlic Extract", also known as AGE. This is a proprietary form of garlic extract produced under the Kyolic brand by the company Wakunaga, made by aging the garlic through a special procedure that can last up to 20 months.

Several key properties of the garlic are modifed when undergoing the aging process, perhaps most the most important being the stabilization of the allicin compound and several other compounds, enhancing its antioxidant effects. The distinct garlic aroma is also neutralized during the process, making it preferable for those who would rather not radiate a constant aura of garlic throughout the day.

AGE has been featured extensively in academic studies, with many peer-reviewed analysis concluding that AGE offers significant benefits to the immune system and cardiovascular health.

When should I take garlic extract?

Short answer: Garlic extract is best taken with a meal, at any time of day.

There is no particular time of day that seems to be best suited for taking garlic extract, however it is recommended to take it in combination with a meal, the reason being that the stomach's overall acidity is reduced while food is present, allowing the garlic extract to survive initial digestion and pass through the stomach into the intestine, which is where the absorption process takes place.

What does garlic extract combine well with?

Short answer: Garlic Extract has been shown to work well together with B-complex, L-arginine, ubiquinol, vitamin B6, vitamin B9 and vitamin B12.

Garlic extract with ubiquinol, for cardiovascular health

One study tested a combination of aged garlic extract and CoQ10, known as ubiquinol in its refined form, to see if such a combination had favorable effect on atherosclerosis, a condition characterized by the narrowing and hardening of the arteries due to an accumulation of plaque in the artery walls.

After adjustment for age, gender, and other risk factors, it was found that the combined supplementation of aged garlic extract and CoQ10 significantly reduced the progression of atherosclerosis, as well as reducing inflammatory markers that are associated with the disease.

Garlic extract with L-arginine and B-vitamins, for cardiovascular health

It has also been found that aged garlic extract, when combined with L-arginine and vitamins B6, B9 and B12, was likewise able to reduce the progression of atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular risk factors.

What should I avoid taking garlic extract with?

Short answer: Avoid taking garlic extract supplements at the same time as fish oil, krill oil, omega-3, vitamin E or blood thinners.

Avoid with omega-3 or vitamin E

It is recommended to avoid taking garlic extract at the same time as supplements that could affect the blood's ability to clot, such as vitamin E or fish oil, as garlic extract already has blood-thinning effects, and a combination of both could cause bleeding or bruising.

It is not recommended to take garlic extract together with any anticoagulant, or with blood-thinning medication, as garlic naturally already has a blood-thinning effect.

Garlic Extract data sources & further reading

Last updated by Asklepios on 30th January, 2025