Arterial plaque is known to be a risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
The study, which took place in Berlin, Germany, is the longest ever to be conducted on heart attack risk reduction using a dietary supplement. Based on the heartening results of this study and more than 20 others, researchers believe that powdered garlic may have both a preventative and a curative role to play in cardiovascular disease. From the beginning, all participants had advanced plaque accumulation, in addition to at least one other established risk factor for heart disease, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes mellitus, or a history of smoking. Researchers used high-resolution ultrasound to measure the progression and regression of plaque volume in both the common carotid and femoral arteries. At the end of the study, those who took garlic demonstrated a 2.6 percent reduction in plaque volume, compared to a 15.6 percent increase in the placebo group.