What has been proven about the benefit of garlic treatment?
Two anti-carcinogenic agents in garlic were identified, and when administered to rats, in conjunction with exposure to certain colon or esophageal carcinogens, significantly reduced the growth and progression of pre-cancerous lesions. A literature review of garlic completed by the San Antonio Evidence-based Practice Center for the U. S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality identified twelve human studies applicable to cancer. Several of the studies reported that consumption of garlic and other allicin-containing vegetables was associated with a reduced risk of several types of cancer. Garlic should only be used as a preventative agent, not as a curative therapy. What is known about the potential risk or harm of garlic? Some patients may experience heartburn and gas from ingestion of garlic. Frequent handling of garlic may lead, on rare occasion, to allergic reactions. Garlic is known to have some anti-clotting activity. Therefore, patients taking anticoagulant drugs, including as
