Garlic's active components can help lower blood pressure

Cardiovascular diseases, such as heart attack and stroke, causes more deaths than practically any other disease. One of the most important factors that might contribute to these disorders is high blood pressure, sometimes known as hypertension.

Garlic supplements have been shown in human studies to significantly lower blood pressure in persons with high blood pressure. In some instances, supplements may be as effective as regular medications. Over a 24-week period, 600–1,500 mg of aged garlic extract were just as effective as the drug Atenolol for lowering blood pressure. To obtain the desired effects, supplement doses must be fairly high. The amount required each day is around four garlic cloves.