Garlic rides to the rescue

Better Nutrition, Nov, 1998 by Victoria Dolby

Garlic's liver supportive-properties help keep our bodies detoxified.

Everyday our bodies are exposed to a wide variety of potentially toxic substances -- from pesticides in our foods and pollution in our air and water to over-the-counter and prescription medications taken (ironically enough) to enhance our overall health. Fortunately, our bodies have built-in defenses to handle many of these potential toxins before any harm is done. And the liver is at ground zero of the body's detoxification process.

A closer look at garlic's liver-friendly actions

The unassuming liver often takes a backseat to the heart, brain, and other crucial internal organs. But, truth be told, the liver is woefully underrecognized. This important organ -- aside from storing extra glucose as glycogen, regulating blood levels of amino acids, and producing important proteins for blood plasma -- clears the blood of drugs and poisonous substances that would otherwise accumulate to dangerous levels in the body. This is accomplished when the liver absorbs toxic substances from the bloodstream and alters their chemical structure, if needed, to be water-soluble. The toxic substances can then be excreted from the body in the bile.

Acetaminophen, the popular pain-reliever and fever-reducer, is associated with many cases of liver damage, especially when taken in overdoses, but even when used moderately in combination with other drugs or alcohol. A damaged liver is less able to metabolize the medications or other potential toxins it encounters.

Research conducted at Rutgers University, N.J., has found that fresh garlic protects the liver from acetaminophen-induced damage, according to animal-based experiments. The more garlic in the diet, the greater this protection. This liver protection is thought to be related to the alteration of certain liver enzymes, as well as garlic actually binding to toxins.

Similarly, research with a form of garlic extract demonstrates that the activity of liver toxins is suppressed and detoxifying enzymes are enhanced by the presence of garlic.

Heavy-metal poisoning (the accumulation in the body -- especially the liver -- of cadmium, mercury, and other metals) can wreak havoc in the body. This is where garlic comes in. According to a presentation given at the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, "garlic has been shown to be effective in the treatment of lead, mercury, cadmium, and arsenic poisoning." The effect of garlic, and garlic-derived products, is most pronounced when it is in the diet before and during inadvertent exposure to heavy metals, rather than solely after the fact.

Aside from the unique compounds found in garlic products, part of garlic's detoxifying benefits may be traced back to its selenium and sulfur content -- minerals that each play important roles in detoxification. Selenium binds with heavy metals to prevent their toxic effects, and the sulfur-containing compounds in garlic also have a detoxifying role, namely for detoxifying metabolic sulfuric acid.

It should go without saying that the first choice in preventing toxicity in the body is to avoid environmental and other toxins in the first place; however, this is not always possible, such as when medications with potentially harmful effects on the liver are prescribed. A real-world solution is to minimize, when possible, exposure to potential toxins and consume plenty of garlic (or take garlic-derived supplements, if preferred) as nutritional support for a healthy liver.

REFERENCES

Abdullah, T.H., Kandil, O., Elkadi, A., et al. "Garlic revisited: Therapeutic for the major diseases of our times?," J Natl Mod Assoc 80:439-445, 1988.

Cha, C.W. "A study on the effect of garlic to the heavy metal poisoning of rat," J Kor Med Sci 2:213-224, 1987.

Nakagawa, S., et al. "Prevention of liver damage by aged garlic extract and its constituents in mice," Phytother Res 1:1-4, 1988.

Wang, E., Li, Y., Lin, M., et al. "Protective effects of garlic and related organosulfur compounds on acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity in mice," Tox Appl Pharaco 136:146-154, 1996.

Victoria Dolby, M.P.H., takes a comprehensive look at the history and health benefits of green tea in The Green Tea Book (Avery, 1998). Ask your retailer to call: (800) 548-5757.