Black Garlic Benefits for Liver

What Is Black Garlic?

Although black garlic has only recently become popular in the United States, it has been utilized in Asian countries for centuries. Black garlic is an aged garlic that was subjected to specific conditions. In order to make black garlic, raw garlic was fermented in low heat (60–90°C or 140-194°F) and high humidity (70–90%) for a prolonged period of time. Because of the listed fermentation conditions, the garlic cloves turn black, taste sweeter, and the texture becomes softer and chewier. Moreover, the chemical composition of garlic also changes after the aging process. Black garlic is richer in antioxidants than regular garlic and, thus, provides more health benefits. 

Black garlic can be enjoyed solo, blended with olive oil to create a salad dressing, mashed into a cheese dip, sliced and mixed into salads or pasta, spread on bread, or taken as a supplement.

Benefits Of Black Garlic For Liver

One study conducted on rodents demonstrated that aged black garlic interferes with liver damage caused by toxic substances and fatty liver disease. This study indicated hepatoprotective properties of black garlic against a wide range of hepatic injuries and suggested that black garlic supplements could be a promising adjuvant treatment for managing liver disease.

Another study on male Sprague–Dawley rats showed that black garlic could be a promising agent for liver protection against alcohol-induced damage. In this research, the rats were given ethanol to generate oxidative liver damage and aged black garlic to see its effect on the liver. The result demonstrated that black garlic reduced fat pad weight and overall body weight. Moreover, supplementation with black garlic decreased plasma markers of liver injury. According to the results of the study, black garlic provides strong antioxidative effects and might offer promise in protecting against chronic alcohol-induced liver injury.

Unfortunately, there is a lack of clinical studies on the effect of black garlic on liver health. Therefore, it is recommended that you consult with your physician before beginning a regimen of black garlic supplements.

Are Black Garlic Supplements Safe To Take?

Taking black garlic supplements is generally thought to be safe. Nevertheless, black garlic and its supplements should be consumed with caution or avoided by the following groups of people:

1. Pregnant or breastfeeding women and children. They should take black garlic in small amounts and only after consultation with the doctor. In addition, children, pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid applying black garlic topically as it may cause skin irritation.
2. People with diabetes. Taking black garlic supplements may reduce blood sugar levels. In diabetic patients, their consumption may significantly decrease blood sugar levels and result in a diabetic coma.
3. People with an increased risk of bleeding. Patients after surgery or those who experience a chronic bleeding disorder need to avoid taking black garlic supplements as they increase the risk of bleeding.
4. Those who have an allergy to raw garlic. People who experience allergic reactions to regular garlic should avoid taking black garlic and its supplements as it may also cause an allergic reaction.
5. People with low blood pressure. Those with a history of low blood pressure should avoid taking black garlic supplements as it may result in a considerable decrease in blood pressure (high amounts may even lead to coma).
6. People with digestive problems. Taking black garlic supplements may lead to gastrointestinal distress. Therefore, people with a history of digestive problems should consult their physicians prior to starting a regimen with black garlic supplements.
7. People who are taking blood-thinning medications should avoid taking black garlic supplements.

Furthermore, garlic may alter the effectiveness of some medications by interacting with them. Therefore, it is important for individuals using any medications to consult their healthcare provider before eating black garlic or using black garlic supplements.

Conclusion

Due to its high antioxidant content, black garlic has many health benefits, including immunostimulation, antioxidation, brain protection, control of blood sugar levels, and anticancer properties. As studies demonstrated, black garlic also provides hepatoprotection (liver protection). However, clinical studies are required to confirm its effect on human liver health. Therefore, it is recommended that you speak with your doctor before beginning a black garlic supplement course.