Known as “The Stinking Rose,” garlic elevates the flavors of countless dishes and boasts a rich medicinal history. As a doctor involved in integrative medicine for many years, I have witnessed the powerful effects allicin has on the human body.
Garlic’s allicin is a powerhouse of health benefits, offering advantages such as cardiovascular support, immune enhancement, weight management, skin health improvement, and even cancer prevention. Allicin also has aphrodisiac properties and can ward off bacteria, worms, and the common cold. Understanding these benefits will empower you to make informed health choices and leverage the full potential of this natural remedy.
In this article, I will cover all the powerful benefits of allicin to empower you to make informed health choices and explain why Longevinex provides one of the best allicin supplements on the market. (1-2)
Unlocking Allicin’s Benefits – A Multifaceted Ally for Health
In clove form, garlic, due to aliin, an unscented compound nestled within each cell, is relatively odorless. When the clove is crushed or cut, aliin reacts with an enzyme, alliinase, from the cell’s outer wall, beginning a cascade of chemical reactions. (4)
The journey to garlic’s aromatic peak is a unique and intriguing one. From the mild, buttery whole clove to the increasingly pungent aroma unleashed as we chop it finer, garlic’s transformation is a fascinating process. It’s a journey that engages all your senses and makes cooking with garlic a truly unique experience. Tears may be involved – though perhaps that’s more of an onion thing.
The type of allicin produced during this process determines whether garlic enhances your meal or sits in your medicine cabinet. Microwaving unpeeled, uncrushed garlic for 60 seconds or baking it in a traditional oven for 45 minutes destroys the therapeutic elements generated by aliin and alliinase. Pre-cooking a crushed or minced garlic clove and allowing it to rest for ten minutes retains some of allicin’s health benefits.
Note: Aged garlic extracts (AGE) offer all the benefits of garlic without the odor. To create these extracts, producers brine garlic cloves in ethanol and water for up to 20 months. However, unlike fresh garlic, AGEd extracts lack pure allicin, converting instead to allyl sulfides. This conversion makes AGEd extracts beneficial as blood thinners or cholesterol-lowering agents but less potent than a pure allicin preparation such as Garlinex™. (5)
The Healing Properties of Garlic: The Allicin (Five)
1. Germ-Fighting Capabilities:
Allicin targets and neutralizes harmful microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. By breaking down the lipid membranes of pathogens, allicin ensures comprehensive and robust germ eradication. Unlike other agents, allicin effectively disrupts microbial function without fostering resistance, making it a dependable long-term solution. (6)
But wait! There’s more. Allicin inhibits yeast and fungi growth, demonstrating its broad range of medicinal properties. Allicin enhances the activity of white blood cells, strengthening the immune system. (7)
Don’t go yet. There’s still more! Allicin inhibits the growth of Helicobacter pylori, a bacteria associated with stomach ulcers and gastric cancer. Allicin extract reduces the activity of bacterial enzymes that break down urea, a necessity for H. pylori survival. (8)
2. Allicin Boosts Natural Antioxidants:
Allicin significantly boosts the natural production of antioxidants glutathione, catalase, and superoxide dismutase by activating the Nrf2 pathway, which is essential for neutralizing free radicals and reducing oxidative stress. (9)
Allicin’s antioxidant prowess reduces inflammation, a common factor in chronic conditions such as arthritis and heart disease. Allicin aids in liver detoxification, removing harmful substances from the body.
3. Circulation
Powdered garlic extracts, derived from fresh, crushed cloves and encased in a buffered coating, induce a surge of gases, hydrogen sulfide, and nitric oxide. Hydrogen sulfate and nitric oxide are crucial for vasodilation, resulting in increased circulation, reduced risk of clot formation, smooth blood movement, and lower incidence of thrombosis and other vascular complications. (10)
Improved circulation improves oxygenation and essential nutrient delivery at the cellular level, along with reduced blood viscosity, smoother blood flow, and reduced heart strain.
4. Cardiovascular Health
Allicin aids in blood pressure control by preventing arterial rigidity and promoting smooth muscle relaxation within blood vessel walls. Regular allicin consumption lowers (bad) LDL cholesterol while increasing (good) HDL cholesterol, supporting heart health. Allicin prevents the formation of arterial plaques by reducing cholesterol deposits, thereby minimizing the risk of atherosclerosis and promoting overall cardiovascular well-being. (11)
Allicin’s anti-inflammatory properties decrease vascular inflammation, a contributing factor to heart disease. Its antioxidant effects protect against oxidative damage to the cardiovascular system, ensuring long-term heart health.
5. Garlic Potpourri
What else does garlic do? In no particular order, let us count the ways:
- Garlic creates a diverse microbiome. It helps heal a “leaky” gut. (12)
- Garlic mimics antihypertensive ACE inhibitors and calcium blockers. (13)
- Garlic is a potent antifungal agent. It kills off yeast infection (Candida albicans) better than most drugs. (14)
- Garlic works when bacteria are resistant to antibiotics (15)
- Garlic saves baby’s lives during pregnancy, conquering maternal Strep B infections (16)
- Garlic works where drug-resistant TB drugs do not. (17)
- Garlic abolishes anthrax better than 5 antibiotics. (18)
- Garlic acts as a pre-biotic. (19)
- Garlic chelates lead better than the common detox agent d-penicillamine (20)
- Garlic (1 clove daily for 16 weeks) decreases cholesterol by 21% (21)
- Garlic consumption and cardiovascular disease are inversely related. The more garlic consumed, the lower the risk of CV disease (22)
Garlinex™: The Best Form of Garlic
Just as man does not live by bread alone, the medicinal properties of garlic are best derived when combining the benefits of allicin with other powerful natural ingredients. Garlinex™, Longevenix’s designer garlic compound, stands out as it maximizes garlic’s cardiovascular, immune, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant health benefits through a patented Alkemy buffered garlic delivery system.
Key Ingredients in Garlinex™
- Allicin (of course): The show’s star, allicin, provides all the benefits mentioned above with an emphasis on its antimicrobial, antioxidant, and cardiovascular benefits.
- IP6 (Inositol Hexaphosphate): enhances immunity, inhibits cholesterol absorption, and has antibacterial properties against pathogens like Salmonella and E. coli. Found in whole grains and legumes, IP6 disrupts cell wall membranes, bollixing the enzymatic activity of foodborne pathogens Salmonella, Escherichia coli, and Listeria monocytogenes. (23) IP6’s antibacterial activity extends to Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains, notorious for being resistant to many commonly used antibiotics. (24)
- Ginger: containing gingerol, shogaol, and zingerone is a potent anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial ingredient. Medicinal uses for ginger include alleviating nausea, arthritis, and pain. (25)
- Allspice and Clove’s: medicinal component, eugenol, disrupts bacterial cell membranes and enzymes, making it an effective antimicrobial. (26) Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, fungi, and parasites, including Giardia lamblia, Fasciola gigantica, and Haemonchus contortus, are susceptible to Eugenol in solution and Eugenol protects the liver when exposed to carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). Eugenol’s activity includes antioxidant, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties. (27)
Summary
Encapsulated in vegicaps, Garlinex™, is an all-natural product with no artificial fillers or inactive ingredients. It is free from GMOs, gluten, and artificial colors and is hermetically sealed to optimize shelf life.
In this author’s opinion, Garlinex™ is THE comprehensive garlic-based supplement designed to support cardiovascular, digestive, and immune health.
Dose: Take one 500mg capsule twice daily with a meal (to reduce the risk of GI upset).
Side Effects are minimal but include bad breath, dizziness, nausea, and upset stomach episodes. (29)
Conclusion:
Garlinex’s™ Alkemy buffered garlic delivery system is ideal for older adults looking to promote cardiovascular health and overall well-being. It is a safe, natural supplement with immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer benefits. Garlinex’s™proprietary formula delivers bioavailable allicin, making it a potent option, along with a healthy diet and regular exercise regimen to maintain health and vitality. (30)
References
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