大蒜有助于降低血壓

Garlic has been used for thousands of years as a remedy for everything from parasites and liver disorders to bronchitis and diabetes. Today, garlic's many health benefits continue to be studied. One of the most exciting discoveries about garlic is its ability to help reduce blood pressure.

數(shù)千年來，大蒜一直被用作治療寄生蟲、肝臟疾病、支氣管炎和糖尿病等各種疾病的藥物。今天，大蒜的許多健康益處仍在繼續(xù)研究。大蒜最令人興奮的發(fā)現(xiàn)之一是它有助于降低血壓。

In the United States, around 45% of adults suffer from high blood pressure, and many of them don't even know they have it. Millions more have prehypertension, a condition that will likely lead to high blood pressure if not treated (via MedAlertHelp). This is an epidemic of staggering proportions since high blood pressure is a leading risk factor for heart disease and stroke, as well as other serious health issues.

在美國，大約45%的成年人患有高血壓，其中許多人甚至不知道自己患有高血壓。還有數(shù)百萬人就處在高血壓前期，如果不進行治療，這種情況很可能導(dǎo)致高血壓。這是一種驚人的流行病，因為高血壓是心臟病、中風(fēng)以及其他嚴重健康問題的主要危險因素。

This is where the research into garlic's blood pressure-lowering abilities gets interesting. One review of 21 studies on garlic suggested that the herb has the ability to significantly reduce blood pressure by as much as 10%. "This review found evidence that garlic, in particular Kwai [brand], can reduce the stickiness of the blood, results in dilatation of the arteries, and has antioxidant activity," Dr. Catherine Hood, an independent expert in nutrition and dietetics, told The Daily Mail.

這就是大蒜降血壓能力的研究變得有趣的地方。一項對21項大蒜研究的綜述表明，大蒜能夠顯著降低10%的血壓。營養(yǎng)學(xué)和營養(yǎng)學(xué)獨立專家凱瑟琳·胡德博士告訴《每日郵報》：“這項研究發(fā)現(xiàn)證據(jù)表明，大蒜，尤其是Kwai[品牌]大蒜，可以降低血液粘性，導(dǎo)致動脈擴張，并具有抗氧化活性。”。

Scientists largely credit allicin, the main active compound in garlic, for its effect on blood pressure. Allicin is thought to inhibit the production of angiotensin II, the compound that is responsible for raising blood pressure. It's also thought to stimulate an increase in the production or availability of hydrogen sulfide and nitric oxide, both of which work to regulate blood pressure levels (via Healthline).

科學(xué)家們認為大蒜素是大蒜中主要的活性化合物，對血壓有影響。大蒜素被認為可以抑制血管緊張素 II 的產(chǎn)生，血管緊張素II是一種可以提高血壓的化合物。它還被認為可以刺激硫化氫和一氧化氮的產(chǎn)生和利用，這兩種物質(zhì)都可以調(diào)節(jié)血壓水平。

While there is debate over which form of garlic — raw, tablets, oil, or extract — offers the most benefits, studies have shown all of them to be effective in reducing blood pressure. The effect might not be enough for someone with very high blood pressure to completely stop their medications and only use garlic to manage their blood pressure, but it can certainly help. Furthermore, it has far fewer side effects than blood pressure medications.

雖然關(guān)于大蒜的哪種形式(生的、片劑的、大蒜油或提取物)最有益還存在爭議，但研究表明，所有這些形式的大蒜都能有效降低血壓。對于高血壓患者來說，這種效果可能不足以讓他們完全停止服藥，只用大蒜來控制血壓，但它確實有幫助。此外，它的副作用遠遠少于血壓藥物。

Not only that, but garlic has a host of other known health benefits. "Garlic is an excellent antioxidant, as well as an antibacterial and antifungal herb," Dr. Patrick Fratellone, an integrative cardiologist in New York City, told Livestrong. "There are many studies supporting the use of garlic for heart disease prevention." And, as if we needed more reason, it's delicious, too.

不僅如此，大蒜還有許多其他已知的健康益處。“大蒜是一種極好的抗氧化劑，同時也是一種抗菌和抗真菌的草本植物，”紐約市綜合心臟病專家帕特里克·弗拉泰隆博士告訴Livestrong。“有許多研究支持使用大蒜預(yù)防心臟病。”而且，如果我們需要更多的理由，它也很美味。