ConsumerLab.com Reviews Garlic Supplements & Cholesterol-Lowering Supplements
ConsumerLab.com, White Plains, NY, has released the results of its study on garlic supplements, which found only six of the 14 products it selected to contain the amount of garlic expected from the labels. There were also issues with quality. One product did not contain any of a key garlic compound, allicin, and another had less than 1% of the expected amount of this compound. In the tests, the strength of garlic products was measured by the amount of allicin each could produce. Allicin is made when garlic is crushed or chewed and is associated with the efficacy of fresh garlic. In the tested products, allicin amounts ranged from none to over 6000 mcg. Most products that passed the testing provided 4000 to 6000 mcg of allicin per day, about the amount expected from a small clove of garlic and in line with typical dosage recommendations.
ConsumerLab.com has also released the results of a major review of dietary supplements used to improve cholesterol and triglyceride levels. According to the company, this new report includes test results for 16 products made with sterols, policosanol, and/or guggulsterones, as well as links to recent reviews of 75 additional products made with fish oil, garlic, niacin and soy protein. The new report summarizes the evidence for these potential cholesterol-lowering ingredients, in addition to red yeast rice and stanols. ConsumerLab.com testing found a sterol-containing supplement would not release its ingredients, and two guggulsterone-containing products each provided less than half the ingredient expected.