For more than 30 years, Aged Garlic Extract (AGE) has been the subject of numerous clinical studies regarding its effects on maintaining healthy blood pressure.
Most recently, Brazilian researchers found that supplementing with AGE significantly reduced both systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels within just four weeks. Four earlier studies conducted by Dr. Karen Ried, Director of Research at the National Institute of Integrative Medicine in Australia, also showed a significant reduction in blood pressure in patients with hypertension after 12 weeks. Additional studies, many of which are double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled human trials, have been conducted over the past three decades that show similar results.
The ability of AGE to significantly lower blood pressure levels in study after study gives hypertensive patients a natural, clinically proven alternative to pharmaceuticals that often carry negative side effects. And for anyone with a family history of hypertension, supplementing with AGE can be an effective way to maintain healthy blood pressure levels.
In the US, AGE is available in liquid or pill format in daily dosages of 1000-1200 mg. If you have high blood pressure, please talk to your healthcare professional about what supplements and lifestyle changes are right for you.
Clinical Studies Recap of Blood Pressure Lowering Effects of AGE
The following is a roundup of just some of the clinical trials and reviews confirming the effectiveness of aged garlic extract for hypertension.
- Vila-Nova TMS, Barbosa KBF, Freire ARS, et al. Effect of aged garlic extract on blood pressure and other cardiovascular markers in hypertensive patients and its relationship with dietary intake. Journal of Functional Foods. 2024;112:105931.
In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, participants taking 1.2g of aged garlic extract were evaluated at four and twelve weeks. During this period, their systolic blood pressure showed significant decreases of 18.6 (P = 0.26) and 18.1 (P = 0.02) mmHg, respectively. In the same group, their diastolic blood pressure showed a significant decreasing trend at week 4 of 10.6 mmHg (P = 0.07).
- Ried K. Garlic lowers blood pressure in hypertensive subjects, improves arterial stiffness and gut microbiota: A review and meta-analysis. Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine. 2020;19(2):1472-8.
This meta-analysis of 12 trials involving 553 hypertensive participants confirmed that aged garlic extract lowers systolic blood pressure by an average of 8.3±1.9 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure by 5.5±1.9 mmHg, which is similar to standard anti-hypertensive medications. This reduction in blood pressure was associated with a 16–40% reduction in the risk of suffering from cardiovascular events.
- Borghi C, Cicero AF. Nutraceuticals with a clinically detectable blood pressure-lowering effect: a review of available randomized clinical trials and their meta-analyses. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. 2017;83(1):163-71.
This study highlighted a recent meta‐analysis of nine randomized controlled trials that involved 482 individuals. Those treated with aged garlic extract for 8 to 26 weeks showed that systolic and diastolic blood pressure were reduced more effectively by treatment with the garlic preparations than with placebo.
- Ried K, Travica N, Sali A. The effect of aged garlic extract on blood pressure and other cardiovascular risk factors in uncontrolled hypertensives: the AGE at Heart trial. Integrated Blood Press Control. 2016;9:9-21.
Patients with uncontrolled hypertension were given 1.2 g of AGE or placebo daily in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 12 weeks. Average blood pressure was significantly reduced by 5.0 ± 2.1 mmHg systolic. In addition, within this group, 58% of responders had an even better response with a reduction of 11.5 ± 1.9 mmHg systolic and 6.3 ± 1.1 mmHg diastolic compared to placebo. Central blood pressure, central pulse pressure, mean arterial pressure, augmentation pressure, pulse wave velocity and arterial stiffness also tended to improve in the garlic group more than in the placebo group. Trends in beneficial effects of garlic on tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and apolipoproteins were also observed.
- Ried K, Frank OR, Stocks NP. Aged garlic extract reduces blood pressure in hypertensives: a dose-response trial. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2013;67(1):64-70.
Patients with uncontrolled systolic hypertension (systolic blood pressure [SBP] ≥ 140 mm Hg) participated in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled dose-response trial of 12 weeks. Participants were allocated to 300, 600, or 1,200 mg of AGE daily or a placebo. Average systolic blood pressure was significantly reduced by 11.8 ± 5.4 mm Hg in the 600 mg group over 12 weeks compared with placebo, and reached borderline significant reduction in the 1,200 mg group at 8 weeks (-7.4 ± 4.1 mm Hg).
- Ried K, Frank OR, Stocks NP. Aged garlic extract lowers blood pressure in patients with treated but uncontrolled hypertension: a randomized controlled trial. 2010;67(2):144-50.
In a parallel, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, patients with treated but uncontrolled hypertension (systolic blood pressure [SBP] ≥ 140 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure [DBP] ≥ 90 mm Hg) were given 1.2g of AGE or a placebo daily for 12 weeks. Patients taking AGE for 12 weeks were shown to have lower systolic blood pressure, on average 10.2 ± 4.3 mm Hg (7.5%) compared to the control group.
- Steiner M, Khan AH, Holbert D, et al. A double-blind crossover study in moderately hypercholesterolemic men that compared the effect of aged garlic extract and placebo administration on blood lipids. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1996;64(6):866-70.
Another double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study of hyperlipidemic patients (with cholesterol levels of 220-290 mg/dL) on the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Step I diet showed a 5.5% decrease in systolic blood pressure following a 6-month oral intake of AGE.
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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