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For centuries, people have relied on the power of garlic for everything
from enhancing athletic performance to thinning blood. In recent
times, researchers have uncovered what is perhaps garlic's most
important effect: lowering the risk of heart disease.
New reasearch focused on studies investigating the effect of garlic
on risk factors for heart disease.
They found several studies which suggest that garlic may:
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lower total cholesterol
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lower LDL ("bad") cholesterol
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lower blood pressure
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help keep blood thin, reducing the risk of blood clots and
stroke,
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function as an antioxidant.
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There are also some preliminary findings suggesting that garlic
may lower elevated serum levels of homocysteine.
These effects are wide-ranging and likely result from several different
mechanisms. Below are some of the proposed mechanisms of action
of garlic on improving the various cardiovascular risk factors.
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Garlic may lower cholesterol by inhibiting the enzymes HMG-CoA
reductase or squalene epoxidase.
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Lowering of blood pressure likely results from inhibition of
angiotensin-converting enzyme activity.
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Antithrombosis effects may be related to inhibition of adenosine
deaminase.
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Antioxidant effects may be related to the inhibition of lipoxygenase.
"The published studies in their aggregate suggest that appropriate
usage of allium derivatives from garlic may potentially play a role
in the maintenance of optimal cardiac function," according
to Michelle H. Loy and Dr. Richard S. Rivlin of Memorial Sloan-Kettering
Cancer Center and Weill Medical College of Cornell University in
New York.
Nutrition in Clinical Care August
2000;3:145-152.
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