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Garlic Supplements Review

Find the Best Garlic Supplements. CL Tests Reveal Big Differences in Garlic Strength -- Some Have Little to No Garlic!.

Latest Update

Garlic, Ginger & Bleeding

Medically reviewed and edited by Tod Cooperman, M.D.

Updated August 01, 2024 ⓘ

Garlic Supplements Reviewed by ConsumerLab.com

Products tested in 2020

+— 23 sources

In addition the results of its expert testing, ConsumerLab uses only high-quality, evidence based, information sources. These sources include peer-reviewed studies and information from agencies such as the FDA and USDA, and the National Academy of Medicine. On evolving topics, studies from pre-print journals may be sourced. All of our content is reviewed by medical doctors and doctoral-level experts in pharmacology, toxicology, and chemistry. We continually update and medically review our information to keep our content trustworthy, accurate, and reliable. The following sources are referenced in this article:

Summary

What does garlic do?
Garlic can modestly reduce cholesterol levels (by reducing triglycerides) and blood pressure. It may also slightly reduce the risk of atherosclerosis, and may help prevent colds, but garlic does not help treat an existing cold. Preliminary evidence suggests garlic may have some protective role with regard to gastric cancer in limited situations (See What It Is).
What are the best forms of garlic?
Clinical studies have typically used garlic extract (providing allicin or potentially providing it from an allicin precursor, alliin) or aged garlic (providing an allicin-derivative known as S-allylcysteine or SAC). Some studies have used fresh garlic or dried garlic as garlic powder. Be aware that black garlic (not tested in this Review) has little allicin potential and has not been found to lower cholesterol, although it may have some benefit for chronic heart failure (see Forms of Garlic).
What did ConsumerLab's independent tests of garlic supplements find?
One widely sold garlic supplement appeared to contain little or no garlic, based on finding no detectable amounts of alliin, allicin, or SAC. In contrast, all others had significant amounts, ranging from roughly 5,000 to 40,000 mcg of total allicin and from 27 to 12,900 mcg of SAC per daily serving. Interestingly, some of the products that were not labeled as aged garlic had higher amounts of SAC than the aged garlic supplements. None of the supplements exceeded acceptable limits of contamination with lead, cadmium, or arsenic, and products claiming to be enteric-coated were found to live up to this claim (see What CL Found and How Products Were Evaluated).
Which are the best garlic supplements?
ConsumerLab selected three garlic supplements as Top Picks based on their total allicin and/or SAC levels, overall quality, and value.
Does garlic have side effects?
Other than bad breath (which is not a problem with aged garlic and some odor-controlled garlic), the most common side effect of garlic supplements is gastrointestinal upset. These and other side effects, as well as potential drug interactions, are discussed in the Concerns and Cautions section.

Make sure you're choosing the best garlic supplements approved in our tests!

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Alphabetical list of garlic supplement brands compared in this review

AllMax Allicin

Garlique

Kyolic Aged Garlic Extract Extra Strength Reserve

Life Extension Optimized Garlic

Nature's Way Garlinase 5,000

Solgar Garlic Powder 500 mg

Spring Valley Garlic 1,000 mg

Swanson Best Galric Odor-Controlled Garlic

The Vitamin Shoppe Aged Garlic Extract

You must be a member to get the full test results along with ConsumerLab.com's recommendations and quality ratings. You will get results for nine garlic supplements selected by ConsumerLab.com and two others that passed testing in its voluntary Quality Certification Program. In this comprehensive review, you'll discover:

Which garlic supplements failed or passed our tests and why.
CL's Top Picks, representing the best garlic garlic supplements based on amounts of garlic compounds, overall quality, and value
Amounts of key garlic compounds allicin, alliin and/or S-allylcysteine (SAC) found in each product

The clinical evidence for garlic supplementation for reducing cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure
The different forms of garlic in supplements, including non aged and aged garlic, garlic powder and dried garlic, garlic extracts, garlic oil and black garlic
Amounts of key garlic compounds in fresh garlic and garlic cloves and how these compare to supplements
Garlic supplement side-effects, drug interactions, and cautions