wide-eyed true-believer Lesley wrote:

> > <...>
> > > > Part of the problem is simply education. Some people don't even
> > > > know of the medicinal properties of garlic,
> > >
> > > Can you cite any double blind studies, preferably written and
> > > available in English, which demonstrate "medicinal properties" of
> > > garlic?
> >
> > How effective is garlic?
> > Research on medicinal uses of allicin in
> > fresh garlic indicate it can lower blood pressure
> > and cholesterol. Ajoene may be useful in
> > slowing blood clotting. In this way, garlic
> > protects against heart disease and stroke. These
> > results do not apply to garlic supplements,
> > however. Studies also show that fresh garlic, in
> > large quantities, can lower cholesterol levels.
> > Because garlic thins the blood, it may lower
> > blood pressure.
> > Other findings suggest that high levels of
> > garlic may prevent development of cancer by
> > stimulating the immune system and hindering
> > growth of cancer cells. Labora-
> > tory studies show that garlic can
> > inhibit bacteria growth and may
> > fight infection. However, those
> > results are unproven in humans.
> > http://tinyurl.com/zb3qt
> >
> > Not much, eh. Just as I suspected.
>
> Not much!

Correct, not much:

Thirty-seven randomized trials, all but one in adults, consistently
showed that compared with placebo, various garlic preparations led to
*SMALL*, statistically significant reductions in total cholesterol at 1
month (range of average pooled reductions 1.2 to 17.3 milligrams per
deciliter [mg/dL]) and 3 months (range of average pooled reductions 12.4
to 25.4 mg/dL)...Eight placebo-controlled trials reported total
cholesterol outcomes at 6 months; pooled analyses showed NO SIGNIFICANT
REDUCTIONS of total cholesterol with garlic compared with placebo. It is
not clear if statistically significant positive short-term effects?but
negative longer term effects?are due to: systematic differences in
studies that have longer or shorter followup durations; fewer longer
term studies; or time-dependent effects of garlic....

Twenty-seven small, randomized, placebo-controlled trials, all but one
in adults and of short duration, reported MIXED BUT NEVER LARGE effects
of various garlic preparations on blood pressure outcomes. Most studies
did not find significant differences between persons randomized to
garlic compared with those randomized to placebo....

Twelve small, randomized trials, all in adults, suggested that various
garlic preparations had NO CLINICALLY SIGNIFICANT EFFECT on
glucose in persons with or without diabetes. Two small short trials,
both in adults, reported NO STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT EFFECTS of
garlic compared with placebo on serum insulin or C peptide levels.

Ten small, randomized trials, all but one in adults and of short
duration, showed promising effects of various garlic preparations on
platelet aggregation and mixed effects on plasma viscosity and
fibrinolytic activity. Because the trials had only 409 participants,
short followup periods, unclear randomization processes, no
intention-to-treat analyses, missing data, and variability in techniques
used to assess outcomes, NO FIRM CONCLUSIONS CAN BE DRAWN.

There were INSUFFICIENT DATA to confirm or refute effects of garlic on
clinical outcomes such as myocardial infarction and claudication. One
3-year randomized trial with 492 participants found NO STATISTICALLY
SIGNIFICANT DECREASES in numbers of myocardial infarctions and deaths
when placebo was compared with 6 to 10 grams of garlic ether extract....

SCANT DATA, primarily from case-control studies, suggest, but DO NOT
PROVE, dietary garlic consumption is associated with decreased odds of
laryngeal, gastric, colorectal, and endometrial cancer and adenomatous
colorectal polyps. Single case-control studies suggest, but DO NOT
PROVE, dietary garlic consumption is NOT associated with breast
or prostate cancer....

ADVERSE EFFECTS of oral ingestion of garlic are "smelly" breath and body
odor. Other possible, but not proven, adverse effects include
flatulence, esophageal and abdominal PAIN, small intestinal OBSTRUCTION,
contact DERMATITIS, RHINITIS, ASTHMA, BLEEDING, and MYOCARDIAL
INFARCTION.

Conclusions

There are insufficient data to draw conclusions regarding garlic's
effects on clinical cardiovascular outcomes such as claudication and
myocardial infarction. Garlic preparations may have small, positive,
short-term effects on lipids; whether effects are sustainable beyond 3
months is unclear. Consistent reductions in blood pressure with garlic
were not found, and no effects on glucose or insulin sensitivity were
found. Some promising effects on antithrombotic activity were reported,
but few data are available for definitive conclusion.

Using "any" garlic supplement for less than 3 to 5 years was not
associated with decreased risks of breast, lung, gastric, colon, or
rectal cancer. Some case-control studies suggest that high dietary
garlic consumption may be associated with decreased risks of laryngeal,
gastric, colorectal, and endometrial cancers, and adenomatous colorectal
polyps.

Multiple adverse effects, including smelly breath and body odor,
dermatitis, bleeding, abdominal symptoms, and flatulence, have been
reported. Whether adverse effects occur more commonly with certain
preparations than others was not established. Furthermore, the causality
of the adverse effects was not clear, except for breath and body odor,
and the expected frequency of adverse effects was not determined.

http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/epcsums/garlicsum.htm