* Cancer.  Garlic prevents and treats a long list of cancers including colon cancer, stomach cancer, rectal cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer and lung cancer. A 2007 study led by Suong Ngo, of the Sansom Institute, School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of South Australia, published in "The Journal of Nutrition," found that colon tumors reduced in size and number by 29 percent for cancer patients taking aged garlic supplements. Colon cancer is the third leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States.

 

* Infections. Garlic has antimicrobial properties can help to prevent and treat colds and flu, and for strengthening the immune system. A 2001 study led by Peter Josling, Garlic Centre, Battle, East Sussex, United Kingdom, published in "Advances in Therapy," evaluated 146 participants from November until January, and the group taking garlic capsules daily had significantly fewer colds and shorter duration of symptoms than the placebo group. The study's researchers concluded that an allicin-containing garlic supplement can prevent the common cold virus.

 

* Prevents Tick Bites. Lyme's disease is a significant problem in Sweden where researchers evaluated 100 Swedish military members and their tick bite frequency after taking garlic supplements. The 2001 study, published in the "Journal of the American Medical Association," led by Louise Stjernberg, RN, MPH Lund University Malmö, Sweden, found that the participants who consumed 1200 mg of an aged garlic supplement daily had significantly fewer tick bites than the placebo group.

 

* Gastrointestinal. Heliobacter pylori is a type of bacteria that causes inflammation of the stomach lining, which enhances the risk for stomach ulcers and cancer. Preliminary scientific investigations reveal that garlic oil may be a useful alternative treatment for Heliobacter pylori-related gastrointestinal infections. A study published in May 2008 in the "Journal of Applied Microbiology" found that in vitro in a clinically simulated stomach environment, garlic oil reduced the amount of Heliobacter pylori. However, when combined with rapeseed oil derived from the Indian mustard crop, the anti-Heliobacter activity of garlic oil was greatly reduced. Yet, rapeseed oil demonstrated its own protective effects against the gastrointestinal virus.

 

* Anti-coagulation. Garlic oil may be useful as an anticoagulant. An anticoagulant is a substance that prevents the blood from clotting. In rats, garlic oil was found to provide anticoagulant effects and it prolonged bleeding time, in a study published in March 2007 in "Food and Chemical Toxicology." The garlic oil was rich in diallyl trisulfide, the organic sulfur found in plants in the garlic family. The effective dose was 5 mg for every 2.2 lbs. of body weight in rats.

 

* Liver. Evidence suggests that garlic oil may have liver-protecting abilities. A study published in July 2008 in "Chemico-Biological Interactions" found that in mice with clinically-induced liver damage, garlic oil displayed anti-fatty liver effects. Fatty liver disease is a reversible condition where cholesterol fats accumulate in the liver and can lead to side effects such as weight loss, fatigue and abdominal pain.

 

* Anti-Inflammatory. Garlic oil may help reduce inflammation in the body. Although a normal function of the immune system, inflammation can become imbalanced and lead to painful conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. A study published in 2009 in "Planta Med" found that garlic oil regulated the immune function of T cells, which reduced inflammation. T cells are a type of white blood cell that normally protects the body from infection and disease such as cancer.

 

* Lower Blood Pressure. According to a 2008 study by The University of Adelaide published in "BMC Cardiovascular Disorders," garlic oil may help lower blood pressure in some individuals. Kathi Keville, in her book "Herbs for Health and Healing," recommends taking one garlic oil capsule per day to help lower blood pressure. The supplement may take effect in as little as four weeks. Additionally, sprinkle small pieces of fresh garlic on foods like pasta and meat to help lower blood pressure.

 

* Atherosclerosis. People with atherosclerosis, a condition in which arteries become hardened because of cholesterol deposits, may benefit from using garlic supplements. Studies have shown the cholesterol deposits that cause the condition do not grow as rapidly in people who are taking garlic, according to the National Institutes of Health. This may be due to garlic's effect on cholesterol levels or another property found in the plant.