One study in Germany ran for twelve weeks. At the end of the run, those who had taken garlic daily had their cholesterol drop by 12%!
As science has learned more about the make-up of cholesterol, the details of garlic's assistance has become more refined. We used to think cholesterol was just one number. Now we know that monitoring cholesterol involves watching the numbers for LDL, HDL, and triglycerides. Garlic leaves alone the HDL (good) cholesterol and gently brings down the LDL (bad) cholesterol levels. It also helps substantially with triglyceride levels.
Garlic has been used in Chinese medicine for thousands of years. In addition to the healthy effects on cholesterol, it's also been shown to help fight fungus - so it can even help with yeast infections! People low in sulfur can have fatigue, muscle soreness, and sensitivity to stress.
Sulfur is found in garlic, and is a critical nutrient that many people do not get enough of. So by making sure you get adequate amounts of garlic in your diet, you take care of getting enough sulfur, too. Sulfur is critical for Clearing your System of Mercury, for example.
Interestingly, with all the healthy benefits of garlic and sulfur, there is no established RDA value for sulfur. Dr. Mercola, a health expert, recommends starting around 2,500mg a day and working your way up to 5,000mg a day. You want to do this slowly because sulfur acts as a body cleanser. It binds with unhealthy items and removes them from your system. While this is great, it also takes your body a little while to get used to this process.
As a personal anecdote, during my early adult years I had four mercury fillings in my mouth. Over time they were replaced with non-mercury fillings. I made sure to eat ample sulfur / garlic during the process, to help any remaining mercury get removed from my system. A dental drill, while fairly precise, creates tiny bits of mercury which end up in the digestive system. I did indeed feel much better after those fillings were all replaced. I have heard this from a number of friends who went through that process as well. So it's something to consider.
Cholesterol Information and FAQ
Lisa Shea's Library of Low Carb Books
