We’re nearing the end of cold season, and many of you are still looking for protection against this common threat. Garlic has a tremendous effect as an antiviral and antimicrobial agent. This powerful herb also has antifungal, antiparasitic, lipid lowering and anti-clotting properties. In addition, it helps lower blood pressure, has anti cancer properties, and is also an antioxidant.
Garlic is an incredibly versatile substance. It has been used medicinally for 500 years. The herb was used in the Renaissance era to treat the plague and small pox. Albert Switzer used it in Africa to treat cholera and typhoid in the early 20th century.
Allicin is the main active component that is extracted to get the wonderful effect from garlic. You might find it
interesting that allicin itself is not in the garlic bulb. There are two different compounds, alliin and the enzyme
allinase, found in different compartments of the plant. When the plant is stressed or under attack, they combine to create this wonderful ingredient called allicin to kill off the attacking bacteria. After the attack, the plant goes back to normal.
That’s the magic of crushing the garlic to allow these products to join together, so we can get the benefit. The problem is that the allicin does not stay stable for very long. There are several supplemental products that have a unique, patented process for stabilizing allicin. On the bottle of the garlic supplement you are purchasing, you should see allicin offered in micrograms and not “allicin potential.”
Allicin is known to have a very broad spectrum antibacterial effect against E coli, Staphylococcus aurius,
strep, proteus, pseudomonas, and klebsiella. It is common to find klebsiella in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis, as well as other inflammatory conditions.
Allicin can also be helpful against Helicobacter pylori, which is one of the major causes of stomach ulcers.
Clostridium, shigella and salmonella are also very sensitive to allicin, as are most strains of yeast such as candida. There have also been studies with allicin and antibacterial resistant bacteria. One study was done with Staphylococcus aureus. Allicin was effective at killing this antibiotic resistant strain.
For parasites, using as little as 30 micrograms per/ml in studies was effective against Interamoeba histolytica,
giardia, and other parasites. There are also good studies with allicin against cytomegalovirus, herpes virus, and human rhinovirus.
Allicin is also great for the common cold. There was a 12- week study with 70 active treatment patients and 70 active placebo patients. The dosage used on the active treatment patients was only one capsule of allicin. The placebo group had a total of 65 colds and the allicin group had only 24.
The average duration of symptoms was much less in the allicin group, at around a day and a half. The placebo group had the cold for five days and the allicin treated group had a much better recovery.
There are also many studies looking at allicin as a cancer fighter, especially in the gastrointestinal tract. There are studies from China that show that large amounts of garlic can reduce the incidence of stomach cancer by 90%. An American study showed it reduced pre-cancerous colorectal polyps by 37%.
Allicin can also be used for Candida albicans infections of the stomach and for colds and flu, as well as strep throat, as part of a Lyme disease protocol. Allicin also has use as cardiovascular support, because of the anti-clotting effect that is has.
The dosage for allicin if there is an acute infection should be two to three capsules, four times a day. For acute Lyme disease, this dose should be maintained for 30 days. If your doctor has you on antibiotics for Lyme disease, the allicin will boost the power of the antibiotics so they work better.
To treat chronic Lyme disease, take three capsules, three times a day. For stomach problems, use two to three capsules, two or three times a day, for 14 days. To combat cardiovascular disease, start with two capsules, two times a day. These are general rules that should be discussed with your treating healthcare provider and tailored to your specific needs.