According to the American Heart Association, 116.4 million—or nearly half of all US adults—are estimated to have high blood pressure. But a recent study review published in the journal Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine reports that supplementing with Kyolic Aged Garlic Extract (AGE) effectively reduces blood pressure in people with hypertension while also improving arterial stiffness and gut microbiota (the bacterial balance in the gut).
Study Review Breakdown
This groundbreaking review focused on 12 clinical trials involving 553 people with high blood pressure. It confirms earlier findings that AGE lowers systolic blood pressure (the top number) an average of 8.3 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) an average of 5.5 mmHg. The author of the study, Karin Ried, PhD, MSc, GDPH, of the National Institute of Integrative Medicine in Melbourne, Australia, noted that these findings were linked to an impressive 16 to 40 percent drop in the risk of having a heart attack or stroke. The effectiveness of this plant-based supplement is comparable to the benefits provided by standard drugs used to treat high blood pressure, without the potential drug side effects.
But the most surprising finding during this meta-analysis was that AGE acts like a prebiotic, feeding the beneficial bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract. This boosts microbial diversity and improves gut microbiota. These changes matter because high blood pressure has been linked to a bacterial imbalance in the gut. This imbalance—technically known as dysbiosis—means that there is less microbial variety and lower levels of key bacteria that contribute to good health. The study review specifically noted a marked increase in two specific types of “good” bacteria—Lactobacillus and Clostridia—in the hypertensive patients taking AGE.
Together, these results provide hope to people with high blood pressure—especially since it doesn’t come from just one study, but a dozen. By comparing the data from numerous studies, researchers conducting a study review (also called a meta-analysis) can identify patterns and trends that provide a more accurate picture and more reliable results.
Key Takeaways
This study review adds to earlier studies showing that a daily dose of AGE can effectively lower blood pressure and improve overall cardiovascular health. But Dr. Ried cautions that, “Simply increasing the amount of garlic in your diet does not provide the same results that you would get from AGE. This is because cooking destroys S-allyl cysteine, the bioavailable and active compound in garlic that provides these benefits.”
“This study review confirms AGE’s ability to support healthy blood pressure levels and highlights a new way it can benefit both cardiovascular and gut health,” says Jay Levy, Director of Sales for Wakunaga of America. “Because AGE is both safe and effective with few, if any, side effects, it’s an easy addition to a healthy lifestyle for anyone concerned about supporting a healthy cardiovascular system.”
References
Reid, K. Garlic lowers blood pressure in hypertensive subjects, improves arterial stiffness and gut microbiota: A review and meta-analysis. Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine2020;19:1472-1478
This article is for informational purposes only. This article is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and should never be relied upon for specific medical advice.
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