17 Surprising Garlic Side Effects You Must Be Aware Of

February 17, 2023 by Pranay David

Garlic, which we know in our homes as Lehsun, looks like onions and is widely used as a flavoring agent in the food. It is also very famous for medicinal remedies. Though, it also has a few side effects too which can be possibly undesirable and in some cases, may be harmful too.

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17 Serious Garlic Side Effects

1. Heartburn

Some people may experience a feeling of heartburn after consuming garlic. Make sure you consume only less quantities of garlic is you are prone to heartburn.(1)

2. It May Upset The Stomach

Garlic may upset the stomach in many people. If you don’t want your stomach to be upset, make sure to avoid it.(2)

3. Swelling, Redness And Blisters On The Skin

In some cases, Garlic, when applied on the skin can cause redness, swelling and even blisters on the skin. People who are prone to skin problems such as these must make sure that the what they apply topically on their skin is safe for them and does not contain garlic. If it does, they should ask their skin specialist for something without garlic.(3)

4. Difficulty in Breathing and A Feeling of Obstruction in The Chest

Garlic is said to cause a difficulty in breathing in some people. It can also make your airway feel obstructed. Avoid garlic if these are the symptoms with you and talk to your physician about the problem.(4)

5. May Lower The Blood Pressure

Garlic is known to help in lowering the blood pressure. Though the claim is contested by many, it should be avoided by people who already have lower blood pressure problem as low blood pressure can cause complications such as weakness.(5)

6. Nausea and Vomiting

Garlic can also possibly lead to a feeling of nausea and vomiting in many people. In case you suffer from nausea after consuming garlic, don’t eat it for your own good as no one desires to feel nauseated.(6)

7. Diarrhea

Garlic causes diarrhea in many people. If you are one of those, avoid consuming garlic and take medicine from your doctor to stop the diarrhea.(7)

8. Foul Breath

Garlic has a pungent odor and can cause our breaths to smell very pungent. To avoid these pungent, foul smelling breaths, it is advisable to eat less garlic.(8)

9. Smelly Odor in The Body

The Allyl methyl sulfide in garlic also causes foul odor from the body. Since none of us like to smell bad, we must make sure we do not eat so much garlic for the flavor that we emanate bodily odor.(9)

10. Allergic Reactions

Some people may also experience an anaphylactic shock if they are severely allergic to garlic. Such people must be rushed to the hospital immediately without any kind of delay. Otherwise the allergic reaction can be highly harmful and even fatal if ignored. It would be better to get it ascertained whether you suffer from a garlic allergy well in advance by getting an allergy test done.(10)

11. Bleeding Risk

Garlic increases the risk of bleeding severely and patients suffering from bleeding disorders or those about to undergo a surgery must refrain from consuming garlic for a few weeks at least before they are to get operated. If you are taking a blood thinning medicine prescribed to you by your doctor, then you should avoid garlic in that case too.(11)

12. Bleeding In Gums Or From The Nose

Garlic can cause bleeding of the gums or from the nose in some people. If you suffer from these, avoid garlic at all costs and consult your doctor about the issue.

[ Read: What Are Cinnamon Side Effects ]

13. Could Cause Inflammation And Vasodilation

Researches have concluded that garlic can result in severe inflammation and vasodilation. Inflammation, as the above picture shows is a major cause of lots of harmful diseases. So, garlic must be eaten in moderation to avoid inflammation and the resulting diseases.

[ Read: What are Side Effects Of Turmeric ]

14. Burnt Skin

Applying garlic on the skin can cause burns on the skin in many people. Such people must not apply garlic on the skin topically and must apply treatment and ointment for burns on the affected area.

15. Hampers The Action Of HIV Medicines

Garlic is also said to cause interference in the action of a medicine called Saquinavir which is widely used to treat HIV. So, patients of HIV who are under this medication must stay away from garlic and even others infected with HIV who are under any kind of treatment must consult their doctor if consuming garlic is safe for them.

16. Interferes With Diabetes Medications

Garlic is also said to interfere with several medications used to treat diabetes and maintain insulin levels in diabetes patients. It is specifically advisable for those who take insulin, Glucotrol, chlorpropamide, tolazamide, tolbutamide, glyburide, rosiglitazone, pioglitazone, repaglinide, metformin, etc.to stay away from garlic or else they would be facing the adverse reaction between their medication and garlic which would impact them negatively in any case. Diabetes patients must consult their doctor to check if they should consume garlic or not.

17. Unsafe for Pregnant and Lactating Women

Pregnant and lactating women must also avoid garlic as it is known to have an aspirin like effect which reduces the aggregation of platelets. Garlic can cause bleeding during pregnancy and may risk the health of the fetus and the mother. It should be avoided if you are still wet-nursing your infant as its side effects could possibly be seen on the delicate young one.

We have seen all known side effects of garlic here and now know how to stay away from these side effects. We hope this information is helpful to you.

Scientific Evidence: