One of the most popular health supplements that has often been hyped up to treat almost every medical disorder under the sun is garlic. For decades, garlic has been sold by health food stores in every type of formulation. There are pills, tablets, lotions, liquids, potions, pastes, and even creams containing garlic. Garlic mania has hit North America and is getting stronger every day. For decades, one medical disorder which garlic has been most frequently used to treat is the common cold.
The common cold is associated with a high rate of morbidity and is one of the most common reasons why people take off from work during winter months. On average, children have at least 4-6 cold a year and some adults have at least 2-4 colds a year. Many individuals take garlic based on the belief that it has good anti bacterial and anti viral properties.
Consumers spend an enormous amount of money on health supplements, many of which have no relevant clinical data to back up the claims made by the vendors. Therefore, the question is, “Can garlic supplements prevent or treat the common cold?”
Recently, Cochrane Reviews conducted analysis of the literature to determine whether garlic (allium sativum) was effective for either prevention or treatment of the common cold, when compared to placebo or no treatment. From the literature, only one randomized trial study comprising 146 participants was evaluated since it met the criteria. Individual took 180 mg of allicin garlic for 12 weeks and self reported their symptoms.
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