How many garlic pills can i take

In another case study, a person experienced excessive discoloration and bruising after surgery. The possible cause was a dietary supplement the person had been taking, which contained fish oil and 10 mg of garlic concentrate, both of which affect blood clot formation 4. Garlic contains a variety of sulfur compounds , which are often credited with its many health benefits 1. However, these compounds may cause bad breath, especially when eaten in large amounts.

This is especially true for raw garlic, as cooking decreases the content of these beneficial sulfur compounds 5 , 6. Still, you can try several home remedies to get rid of garlic breath. Like onions, leeks, and asparagus , garlic is high in fructans, a type of carb that may cause bloating, gas, and stomach pain in some people 7. Instead, it travels to the colon intact and is fermented in your gut, a process that may contribute to digestive issues 7.

As such, people following a low FODMAP diet — an elimination diet intended to identify specific foods that trigger digestive issues — are often encouraged to limit their garlic intake 8.

If you have gastroesophageal reflux disease GERD , you may want to consider lowering your garlic intake. GERD is a common condition that occurs when stomach acid flows back up into your esophagus, causing symptoms like heartburn and nausea 9. Garlic may decrease lower esophageal sphincter LES tone, which is the ability of the muscles at the bottom of your esophagus to close and prevent acid from entering.

In turn, this may trigger acid reflux However, certain foods affect people with GERD differently. Eating large amounts of garlic may cause garlic breath, digestive issues, and heartburn. Although no official recommendations exist for how much garlic you should eat, studies show that eating 1—2 cloves 3—6 grams per day may have health benefits 1. If you notice any side effects after eating more than this amount, consider reducing your intake.

Cooking garlic before eating it may also help prevent side effects like garlic breath, digestive issues, and acid reflux Cooking it may also help prevent side effects. According to the Sloan-Kettering Memorial Cancer Center, the health benefits of garlic include cancer prevention and treatment, prevention of high cholesterol, hypertension, microbial infection, skin infections and atherosclerosis. Taking garlic can interact with some medications such as protease inhibitors, blood thinning medications and antiplatelet medications.

If you are taking any of these medications, ask your doctor before you take any garlic supplements. Nutrition Nutrition Basics Vitamins and Supplements. By Allison Adams. Allison Adams. Allison Adams has worked as a registered dietitian since She began writing professionally in , with work featured in a variety of medical publications such as "Women's Health Magazine" and the "New England Journal of Medicine.

Two bulbs of garlic sit on a white counter. Video of the Day. Enteric Coating. Learn more. Address correspondence to Ellen Tattelman, M. Reprints are not available from the author. Garlic: the science and therapeutic application of Allium sativum L. Murray MT. Rocklin, Calif. Effect of garlic on total serum cholesterol.

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Garlic powder and plasma lipids and lipoproteins: a multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Arch Intern Med. Effect of a garlic oil preparation on serum lipoproteins and cholesterol metabolism: a randomized controlled trial. Garlic for treating hypercholesterolemia. A meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.

Garlic shows promise for improving some cardiovascular risk factors. Garlic: effects on cardiovascular risks and disease, protective effects against cancer, and clinical adverse effects. October AHRQ publication no. Comparison of the efficacy and tolerance of a garlic preparation vs. Garlic extract therapy in children with hypercholesterolemia. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med.

Comparing effects of 3 sources of garlic on cholesterol levels. A meta-analysis of the effect of garlic on blood pressure. J Hypertens. Wien Med Wochenschr. The antiatherosclerotic effect of Allium sativum.

Siegel G, Klussendorf D. The anti-atherosclerotic effect of Allium sativuum : statistics re-evaluation. Protective effect of chronic garlic intake on elastic properties of aorta in the elderly. Allium vegetables: their role in the prevention of cancer. Biochem Soc Trans. Fleischauer AT, Arab L. Garlic and cancer: a critical review of the epidemiologic literature. J Nutr. Herbal medicine: expanded Commission E monographs. Newton, Mass. The effect of garlic supplements on the pharmacokinetics of saquinavir.

Clin Infect Dis. Effect of short-term administration of garlic supplements on single-dose ritonavir pharmacokinetics in healthy volunteers. Br J Clin Pharmacol. Burnham BE. Garlic as a possible risk for postoperative bleeding. Plast Reconstr Surg. This content is owned by the AAFP.

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