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 and fish-oil supplementation on serum lipid and lipoprotein concentrations in hypercholesterolemic men.
This study examined the effects of garlic and fish-oil supplementation ( alone and in combination ) on fasting serum lipids and lipoproteins in hypercholesterolemic subjects . After an initial run-in phase , 50 male subjects with moderate hypercholesterolemia were r and omly assigned for 12 wk to one of four groups : 1 ) 900 mg garlic placebo/d + 12 g oil placebo/d ; 2 ) 900 mg garlic/d + 12 g oil placebo/d ; 3 ) 900 mg garlic placebo/d + 12 g fish oil/d , providing 3.6 g n-3 fatty acids/d ; and 4 ) 900 mg garlic/d + 12 g fish oil/d . In the placebo group , mean serum total cholesterol , low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol ( LDL-C ) , and triacylglycerols were not significantly changed in relation to baseline . Mean group total cholesterol concentrations were significantly lower with garlic+fish oil ( -12.2 % ) and with garlic ( -11.5 % ) after 12 wk but not with fish oil alone .  Mean LDL-C concentrations were reduced with garlic+fish oil ( -9.5 % ) and with garlic ( -14.2 % ) but were raised with fish oil ( + 8.5 % ) . Mean triacylglycerol concentrations were reduced with garlic+fish oil ( -34.3 % ) and fish oil alone ( -37.3 % ) . The garlic groups ( with and without fish oil ) had significantly lower ratios of total cholesterol to high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol ( HDL-C ) and LDL-C to HDL-C. In summary , garlic supplementation significantly decreased both total cholesterol and LDL-C whereas fish-oil supplementation significantly decreased triacylglycerol concentrations and increased LDL-C concentrations in hypercholesterolemic men . The combination of garlic and fish oil reversed the moderate fish-oil-induced rise in LDL-C. Coadministration of garlic with fish oil was well-tolerated and had a beneficial effect on serum lipid and lipoprotein concentrations by providing a combined lowering of total cholesterol , LDL-C , and triacylglycerol concentrations as well as the ratios of total cholesterol to HDL-C and LDL-C to
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 .