The Effect of Black Garlic Consumption on Lipid Parameters and Endothelial Function in Healthy and Hypercholesteremic Participants

by | Aug 28, 2023 | 2023, Cardiovascular Health, Garlic

Written by Harold Oster, MD. Results suggest that the consumption of black garlic has mixed effects on the lipid profile and markers of endothelial dysfunction.

cardiovascular healthCoronary artery disease (CAD) causes more than one-third of all deaths in those older than 35 years1. Levels of serum lipoproteins are predictors of coronary artery disease; specifically, elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and the associated apolipoprotein B (apoB) and low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and apolipoprotein A-1 (apoA1) increase the risk of CAD2.  Endothelial dysfunction, failure of the lining of the coronary arteries to dilate in response to mechanical stimuli, can lead to inflammation and an elevated risk of CAD and thrombosis3. The chemokine monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and the adhesion molecules vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1), intracellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), and E- and P-selectin, regulate inflammation of the endothelium and other tissues. Elevated serum levels of these proteins are associated with an increased risk of atherosclerosis and CAD4-6. Black garlic, a form of aged, fermented garlic, contains higher levels of several bioactive compounds than unfermented garlic. Consumption of black garlic has been associated with improved serum lipids and may have a favorable effect on endothelial cells7.

Débora Villaño et al. studied the effects of black garlic supplementation on lipid parameters and markers of endothelial dysfunction. Thirty-one healthy and 31 hypercholesterolemic volunteers met the inclusion criteria. They were given a product containing four cloves of black garlic to take daily for 12 weeks. At baseline and the end of the study, blood samples were drawn, questionnaires to assess physical activity and diet were given, and physical examinations were performed. Blood samples were tested for lipid parameters and markers of endothelial dysfunction. 

The authors noted the following:

  • There were no significant changes in blood pressure or body mass index in either group.
  • At the end of the study, both groups had increases in apoA1 of between 7% and 8%.
  • The hypercholesteremia group showed an increase in apoB of 6.9%.
  • LDL cholesterol and HDL cholesterol increased in the group of healthy participants.
  • MCP-1 levels decreased in both groups without a significant difference between groups.
  • VCAM-1 levels in the hypercholesterolemia group decreased significantly from baseline.
  • ICAM-1 levels decreased in both groups, significantly more so in the healthy participants.
  • E- and P-selectin levels increased in both groups, significantly more in the healthy participants.

Results of the study suggest that black garlic supplementation improves apoA1 and several markers of endothelial dysfunction but worsens apoB and other markers of endothelial dysfunction. A limitation of the study was the lack of a placebo group.

Source: Villaño, Débora, Javier Marhuenda, Raúl Arcusa, José Manuel Moreno-Rojas, Begoña Cerdá, Gema Pereira-Caro, and Pilar Zafrilla. “Effect of Black Garlic Consumption on Endothelial Function and Lipid Profile: A Before-and-After Study in Hypercholesterolemic and Non-Hypercholesterolemic Subjects.” Nutrients 15, no. 14 (2023): 3138.

© 2023 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

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Posted August 28, 2023.

Harold Oster, MD graduated from medical school in Miami, Florida in 1992 and moved to Minnesota in 2004. After more than 25 years of practicing Internal Medicine, he recently retired. Dr. Oster is especially interested in nutrition, weight management, and disease prevention. Visit his website at haroldoster.com.

References:

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  2. Thompson A, Danesh J. Associations between apolipoprotein B, apolipoprotein AI, the apolipoprotein B/AI ratio and coronary heart disease: a literature-based meta-analysis of prospective studies. J Intern Med. May 2006;259(5):481-92. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2796.2006.01644.x
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