Garlic reduces TC to a modest extent , an effect driven mostly by the modest reductions in TAG , without appreciable LDL lowering or HDL elevation .
Higher baseline line TC levels and the use of dietary modification may alter the effect of garlic on these parameters .
In order to determine the impact of  garlic on total cholesterol ( TC ) , TAG levels , as well as LDL and HDL  , and establish if any variables have an impact on the magnitude of this effect , a meta- analysis was conducted .
Effect of garlic powder on C-reactive protein and plasma lipids in overweight and smoking subjects.
BACKGROUND Epidemiologic studies suggest that garlic may have beneficial effects on risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease ( CVD ) . However , these findings are not unambiguously supported by r and omized placebo-controlled clinical trials . OBJECTIVE We sought to investigate the effects of a chemically well-characterized garlic preparation on biomarkers for inflammation , endothelial function , and lipid metabolism in subjects with risk factors for CVD . DESIGN This was a double-blind , r and omized , placebo-controlled trial in 90 overweight [ body mass index ( in kg/m2 ) > 24.5 ] subjects aged 40 - 75 y who smoked > 10 cigarettes/d . The subjects were r and omly assigned to 3 parallel treatment groups : garlic powder ( 2.1 g/d ) , atorvastatin ( 40 mg/d ) , or placebo . Duplicate measurements were performed at baseline and after 1 and 3 mo of treatment . Treatments were compared with analysis of covariance with baseline as the covariate , and differences between the treatments were reported as mean percentage difference and corresponding 97.5 % CI . RESULTS None of the variables showed significant differences between the garlic-treated and the placebo groups . In contrast , compared with the placebo group , atorvastatin treatment result ed in significantly lower plasma concentrations of C-reactive protein ( 20.2 % ; 1.7 % , 35.3 % ) , total cholesterol ( 37.2 % ; 33.1 % , 41.1 % ) , LDL cholesterol ( 52.7 % ; 47.9 % , 57.1 % ) , triacylglycerols ( 31.9 % ; 20.8 % , 41.5 % ) , and tumor necrosis factor alpha ( TNF-alpha ; 41.9 % ; 19.0 % , 58.3 % ) and increased the ratio of ex vivo whole blood lipopolysaccharide-stimulated to nonstimulated TNF-alpha concentrations ( 109.7 % ; 37.9 % , 218.9 % ) . CONCLUSION We conclude that a chemically well-characterized garlic preparation has no significant effect on inflammatory biomarkers , endothelial function , or lipid profile in normolipidemic subjects with risk factors for CVD
Garlic reduces TC to a modest extent , an effect driven mostly by the modest reductions in TAG , without appreciable LDL lowering or HDL elevation .
Higher baseline line TC levels and the use of dietary modification may alter the effect of garlic on these parameters .
In order to determine the impact of  garlic on total cholesterol ( TC ) , TAG levels , as well as LDL and HDL  , and establish if any variables have an impact on the magnitude of this effect , a meta- analysis was conducted .