Six Garlic Benefits for Men

Although he may or may not have known it, Emeril Lagasse was spot on when he added copious amounts of “gahh-lic” to practically all of his dishes. Not only is garlic delicious and flavorful, but this aromatic ingredient also has a number of health benefits, too.

Natural solutions for improving our health are increasingly more popular. Garlic has been used for centuries for its purported medicinal benefits. Men, in particular, may be able to support their health by increasing their garlic consumption.

Let’s review six benefits of garlic — we’ll also talk about other compounds found in food that can help support men's and women’s health alike, especially with age.

What Is Garlic?

Your favorite herb isn’t really an herb at all, but rather a root vegetable similar to beet. Garlic, or Allium sativum, is a member of the onion family and has an edible root and stems. Garlic is made of 10-20 cloves wrapped in a papery husk.

You can eat garlic raw or cooked, however, cooking the garlic may eliminate some of the potential health benefits in the vegetable.

Why Garlic Is Considered a Superfood

Garlic is powered by several potent compounds, the most famous of which is allicin. This compound is a liquidy yellow substance that gives garlic its famed spell and taste. Allicin is responsible for the purported health benefits that make garlic a superfood, i.e. food that has particularly dense, rounded nutritional benefits.

Garlic’s health claims range from increased athletic performance to enhancing how attractive you are to your partner. Let’s look at which ones are research-backed, and which are urban myths.

Here are six benefits garlic has to offer men.

Six Benefits of Garlic for Men

Men’s health often gets lumped into two generic categories: sexual health and athletic performance. It goes without saying there are numerous other elements to keeping men healthy, and supporting men’s health from a foundational level is the solution for keeping all aspects of their health functioning properly.

Garlic is beneficial for everyone, not just men. Here, however, we’ll focus on what men can expect in terms of health benefits if you decide to increase your garlic consumption.

1. Supports Healthy Blood Pressure

Healthy blood pressure can be elusive to men, especially as they age. In fact, over 40 million men in the United States have high blood pressure. High blood pressure is defined by having blood pressure numbers at or above 130/80.

High blood pressure happens when a compound in our bodies called angiotensin II causes our blood vessels to constrict. Allicin may help prevent the production of angiotensin II, allowing our blood to flow more freely.

2. Heart Health

The leading cause of death in American men is heart disease, which means focusing on heart health is an important part of staying well. Maintaining healthy cholesterol numbers helps support heart health by preventing the buildup of plaque in the arteries that leads to heart disease.

Cholesterol itself is a waxy substance that our bodies need to make new cells and carry out cellular processes, but the amount of cholesterol circulating in our blood matters.

A few small studies have indicated that a combination of garlic and lemon juice positively impacts cholesterol numbers in patients already suffering from elevated cholesterol, but more research is needed to determine if this is a viable solution for supporting healthy cholesterol levels.

3. Immunity Booster

Garlic is packed with antioxidants that can help support a healthy immune system. Our body needs antioxidants to prevent oxidative stress brought on by free radicals both inside and outside our bodies.

Free radicals attack healthy molecules and damage the cells where they live. This damage is sometimes non-repairable, causing a decline in our immunity and aging us biologically faster than we age chronologically.

Antioxidants act like a shield, protecting our cells against oxidative stress.

4. Sexual Health

Because allicin has the effect of increasing blood flow, men who experience potency issues may find that increasing the garlic content of their diet positively impacts their sexual health and performance.

In addition, there is anecdotal evidence that garlic boosts libido and even makes you more attractive to your partner.

5. Physical Performance

As we age, physical stamina and performance begin to decline. This happens because of aging within our cells. The mitochondria in our cells power them to carry out their specific cellular functions.

As we age, mitochondrial function and integrity begins to decline, leaving our cells weaker. Cellular decline, or cellular degradation, causes us to lose our edge.

Although garlic can increase blood flow, which may give your muscles a boost before physical exertion, it doesn’t effectively treat an underlying cause of decreased stamina and performance — decreased mitochondrial efficiency.

6. Mental Health

Garlic is high in sulfur, a compound which is thought to trigger the release of an antioxidant called glutathione. Your body produces glutathione as a natural response to stress, to help calm you. It’s not known exactly how much garlic is needed to trigger the release of additional glutathione, because it’s been shown to be specific to each individual.

Side Effects of Garlic

Garlic has health benefits, but it also has a really strong taste! Garlic is packed with fiber, which is great for your colon and can even help support healthy blood sugar levels, but can come with the side effect of gastrointestinal discomfort.

Taking too much garlic or eating raw garlic can result in side effects like:

• Bad breath
• Heartburn
• Gas
• Diarrhea

These symptoms usually increase with raw garlic, but as it works out, eating garlic raw helps you get more of the health benefits of the vegetable. Also, whether or not your significant other will appreciate your garlic aroma is not an exact science we can speak to, but we can sure make an educated guess.

Other Options for Men’s Health

The real need for supporting all aspects of men’s health (and everyone’s health) starts in the cells. As our cells age, we age, and our tissues, organs, and systems begin to experience natural decline.

Protecting our cellular health is vital for keeping the rest of our bodies functioning properly.

While some supplements may help ease the discomfort and symptoms associated with aging, attacking the root of the problem by supporting cellular health can be a better route to take.

Thankfully, there’s an essential fatty acid for that, and it’s called C15:0.

What Is C15:0?

If the thought of raw garlic isn’t an appealing one, know that there are other options for supporting your health, including a completely odorless, tasteless fatty acid supplement that can help support your health in more ways than one.

C15:0, also known as pentadecanoic acid, is an odd-chain, essential, saturated fatty acid that is found mostly in whole fat dairy products like full fat butter and whole milk.

This fatty acid supports your health on the cellular level in three important ways:^*

1. Cell membrane support. As our cells age, their protective membranes begin to erode, becoming flimsy and making the cell susceptible to external stressors like oxidative stress. C15:0 is a sturdy fatty acid that integrates itself into cell membranes, fortifying them and making them strong and resilient.
   1. Mitochondrial function support. Mitochondria get a boost with C15:0, which has been shown to improve mitochondrial function by 45%.

1. PPAR activation. C15:0 also activates special receptors in the body called PPARs that help regulate immunity, appetite, mood, and sleep. By interacting with these receptors, C15:0 helps advance cellular homeostasis, improving the way our cells are balanced.

How To Take C15:0

Because it’s only found in trace amounts in whole dairy products, it’s hard to get enough C15:0 in your diet without also consuming not-so-healthy even-chain saturated fats, sugars, and calories.

The solution? Fatty15, the first and only supplement to contain just one ingredient: FA15™. This compound is the pure, vegan-friendly version of C15:0 that you can take in a once-a-day, easy to swallow capsule that can help you feel healthier and age smarter.^*

Supporting Men’s Health, the Fatty Way

Garlic is a vegetable that contains various compounds that may have health benefits. Allicin, a powerful compound inside garlic, is responsible for its potent aroma and for many of its health claims. Using garlic may be beneficial, but it doesn't come without some unpleasant side effects.

Fatty15 is a science-backed supplement that supports your cellular health, giving your cells a fighting chance, so you can feel healthier, longer. Along with a healthy diet and proper exercise, it’s the smart solution for supporting your health.

Get started with fatty15 today here, and save your garlic for seasoning while C15:0 supports your cellular health.

Sources:

Historical perspective on the use of garlic|NCBI

Consumption of garlic positively affects hedonic perception of axillary body odour - ScienceDirect

Garlic supplementation prevents oxidative DNA damage in essential hypertension|PubMed

Garlic Lowers Blood Pressure in Hypertensive Individuals, Regulates Serum Cholesterol, and Stimulates Immunity: An Updated Meta-analysis and Review | The Journal of Nutrition | Oxford Academic

Allicin: chemistry and biological properties|PubMed

Reviewed by Eric Venn-Watson, MD, MBA.