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Press Release   

APRIL 2003

Scientists determine how aged garlic extract safely reduces 

cholesterol levels
New study by Pennsylvania State University helps determine how this supplement actually inhibits cholesterol production

A new study completed by Pennsylvania State University researchers has found that an ingredient in aged garlic extract (AGE) helps inhibit the liver's ability to produce cholesterol. This is significant because it shows that AGE works much the same way as cholesterol-lowering drugs, such as statins, but without any known side effects. 

AGE has long been recognized for its cholesterol lowering properties. The Pennsylvania State University researchers, led by Dr. Yu-Yan Yeh, isolated an ingredient within AGE called S-allyl cysteine (SAC). Then they tested various concentrations of SAC on liver cells, and determined that it successfully inhibited the formation of cholesterol by reducing the production of a liver enzyme called HMG-CoA. This enzyme is necessary for cholesterol synthesis. 

"AGE can help people who are working to reduce their cholesterol levels in conjunction with drug treatments," said Dr. Yeh. His study relied on Kyolic®/AGE because its SAC concentrations are standardized. He found that SAC was effective even at the lowest concentrations tested. 

"Aged Garlic Extract can be useful for the general public to help achieve the desired cholesterol level of 200 or less," he says. He noted that AGE has been shown in other studies to reduce total serum cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol while at the same time raising HDL (good) cholesterol levels, and that more research is necessary to completely understand how that happens. 

Recent separate clinical study has shown that AGE can be combined with statins on the heart surgery patients and has significant inhibition of plaque formation in coronary artery without any additional adverse effects.