Benefits of garlic when You Have Diabetes?

Cardiovascular

As of 2015, clinical research to determine the effects of consuming garlic on hypertension found that consuming garlic produces only a small reduction in blood pressure (4 mmHg). There is no clear long-term effect on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. A 2016 meta-analysis indicated no effect of garlic consumption on blood levels of lipoprotein(a), a biomarker of atherosclerosis. Because garlic might reduce platelet aggregation, people taking anticoagulant medication are cautioned about consuming garlic.

Cancer

A 2016 meta-analysis of case-control and cohort studies found a moderate inverse association between garlic intake and some upper digestive tract cancers. Another meta-analysis found decreased rates of stomach cancer associated with garlic intake but cited confounding factors as limitations for interpreting these studies. Further meta-analyses found similar results on the incidence of stomach cancer by consuming allium vegetables, including garlic. A 2014 meta-analysis of observational epidemiological studies found that garlic consumption was associated with a lower risk of stomach cancer in Korean people.

A 2016 meta-analysis found no effect of garlic on colorectal cancer. A 2014 meta-analysis found garlic supplements or allium vegetables not to affect colorectal cancers.

A 2013 meta-analysis of case-control and cohort studies found limited evidence for an association between higher garlic consumption and reduced risk of prostate cancer. Still, the studies were suspected of having publication bias. A 2013 meta-analysis of epidemiological studies found garlic intake to be associated with decreased risk of prostate cancer.

Common cold

A 2014 Cochrane review found insufficient evidence to determine the effects of garlic in preventing or treating the common cold. Other reviews concluded a similar absence of high-quality evidence for garlic having a significant effect on the common cold.

Other uses

The sticky juice within the bulb cloves is used as an adhesive in mending glass and porcelain. An environmentally benign garlic-derived polysulfide product is approved for use in the European Union (under Annex 1 of 91/414) and the UK as a nematicide and insecticide, including for control of cabbage root fly and red mite in poultry.

Adverse effects and toxicology

Garlic is known to cause bad breath (halitosis) and body odor, described as a pungent “garlicky” smell to sweat. This is caused by allyl methyl sulfide (AMS). AMS is a volatile liquid absorbed into the blood during the metabolism of garlic-derived sulfur compounds; from the blood, it travels to the lungs (and from there to the mouth, causing bad breath; see garlic breath) and skin, where it is exuded through skin pores. Washing the skin with soap is only a partial and imperfect solution to the smell. Studies have shown sipping milk at the same time as consuming garlic can significantly neutralize bad breath. Mixing garlic with milk in the mouth before swallowing reduced the odor better than drinking milk afterward. However, plain water, mushrooms, and basil may also reduce the odor; the mix of fat and water found in milk was the most effective.

The green, dry “folds” in the center of the garlic clove are especially pungent. The sulfur compound allicin, produced by crushing or chewing fresh garlic, produces other sulfur compounds: ajoene, allyl polysulfides, and vinyldithiins. Aged garlic lacks allicin but may have some activity due to the presence of S-allyl cysteine.

Some people suffer from allergies to garlic and other species of Allium. Symptoms can include irritable bowel, diarrhea, mouth and throat ulcerations, nausea, breathing difficulties, and, in rare cases, anaphylaxis. Garlic-sensitive people show positive tests to diallyl disulfide, allyl propyl disulfide, allyl mercaptan, and allicin, all of which are present in garlic. People who suffer from garlic allergies are often sensitive to many other plants, including onions, chives, leeks, shallots, garden lilies, ginger, and bananas.

Several reports of serious burns resulting from garlic being applied topically for various purposes, including naturopathic uses and acne treatment, indicate care must be taken for these uses, usually testing a small area of skin using a low concentration of garlic. Based on numerous reports of such burns, including burns to children, topical use of raw garlic and insertion of raw garlic into body cavities are discouraged. In particular, the topical application of raw garlic to young children is not advisable.

The side effects of long-term garlic supplementation are largely unknown. Possible side effects include gastrointestinal discomfort, sweating, dizziness, allergic reactions, bleeding, and menstrual irregularities.

Some breastfeeding mothers have found, after consuming garlic, that their babies can be slow to feed and have noted a garlic odor coming from them.

If higher-than-recommended doses of garlic are taken with anticoagulant medications, this can lead to a higher risk of bleeding. Garlic may interact with warfarin, saquinavir, antihypertensives, calcium channel blockers, the quinolone family of antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin, hypoglycemic drugs, hypoglycemic drugs other medications. Alliums might be toxic to cats or dogs.