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 .
Garlic powder, effect on plasma lipids, postprandial lipemia, low-density lipoprotein particle size, high-density lipoprotein subclass distribution and lipoprotein(a).
OBJECTIVES To test the hypothesis that a garlic supplement alters plasma lipoproteins , postpr and ial lipemia , low-density lipoprotein ( LDL ) size and high-density lipoprotein ( HDL ) subclass distribution differently in 50 moderately hypercholesterolemic subjects classified as LDL subclass pattern A or B. BACKGROUND Garlic has been variably reported to reduce or not affect plasma cholesterol values . Low-density lipoprotein pattern B is a common inherited disorder of lipoprotein metabolism that has been shown to have a significantly greater response to several lipid lowering treatments including low fat diet when compared with LDL pattern A individuals . METHODS A double blind , r and omized , placebo controlled trial in an outpatient lipid research clinic was performed and included fifty moderately hypercholesterolemic subjects ( mean LDL cholesterol = 166 + /- 22 mg/dl ) classified as LDL subclass pattern A ( predominantly large LDL , n = 22 ) or B ( predominantly small LDL , n = 28 ) . Following a two-month stabilization period , subjects were r and omly assigned to a placebo or 300 mg three times a day of a st and ardized garlic tablet for three months . RESULTS For all subjects , LDL pattern A and B subjects combined , garlic treatment for three months result ed in no significant change in total cholesterol , LDL cholesterol , HDL cholesterol , HDL subclass distribution , postpr and ial triglycerides , apolipoprotein B , lipoprotein ( a ) ( Lp[a ] ) , LDL peak particle diameter or LDL subclass distribution . There was no significant difference in response for the same parameters among subjects classified as LDL pattern A or B with the exception of significantly greater ( p = 0.01 ) reduction in mean peak particle diameter in pattern A subjects treated with either garlic or placebo . There was no significant change in LDL subclass distribution . CONCLUSIONS This investigation confirms that garlic therapy has no effect on major plasma lipoproteins and further , that it has no impact on HDL subclasses , Lp(a ) , apolipoprotein B , postpr and ial triglycerides or LDL subclass distribution .  Garlic may have a greater effect on LDL particle diameter in LDL pattern A compared with pattern B subjects . This difference was not reflected in other plasma lipid measurements
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 .