Garlic Doesn't Help Children with High Cholesterol

Contacts:

Before and after meeting:
Liz Leake, Public Affairs, The Hospital for Sick Children
416-813-5046 or 504-670-8508
[email protected]

May 1 - 5:
Jennifer Donovan, PAS Press Room
504-670-8502 or 504-670-8503

Garlic doesn't help children with high cholesterol

TORONTO, Ontario -- A study conducted by researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto and St. Joseph's Hospital, Hamilton, has shown that while safe, garlic treatment for children with high cholesterol does not lower their cholesterol levels. The research, carried out by Dr. Brian McCrindle, a cardiologist at the Hospital, will be presented at the annual meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies, May 1 - 5 at the New Orleans Convention Center.

"Drug treatment of children with high cholesterol is controversial due to concerns about possible long-term side effects," explains Dr. McCrindle, who is an Associate Professor of Paediatrics at the University of Toronto. "Therefore, the use of natural products is appealing. The active ingredient in garlic, allicin, has been shown in some studies to reduce cholesterol levels in adults by 12 percent. We wanted to determine whether it would have the same effect in children."

The randomized double blind study involved 30 children (16 boys, 14 girls) who had high cholesterol and a family history of heart disease. The mean age was 14 years. Half the patients received garlic extract while the other half received placebo. Measurements taken at the beginning of the study and then eight weeks later included blood pressure, height and weight, fasting lipid profiles, fibrinogen, homocysteine, serum chemistry, and a complete blood count.

"The results of these tests indicate that, while safe, garlic extract has no significant effect on blood pressure, cholesterol levels, or growth of children with high cholesterol," says Dr. McCrindle.

The Hospital for Sick Children is Canada's foremost pediatric academic health sciences center. The Pediatric Academic Societies include the American Pediatric Society, the Society for Pediatric Research and the Ambulatory Pediatric Association.

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