The Best Garlic Supplements With No Garlic Odor

Garlic supplements vary greatly in the level and bioavailability of active compounds. Research supporting the beneficial effects of one type of garlic supplement may not apply to other types of garlic supplements. As such, the health benefits versus the odorless properties of each product need to be weighed on an individual basis.

Fresh Garlic

• Alliin and the enzyme alliinase are present in fresh garlic in separate chambers of the clove. When garlic is crushed, alliinase mingles with alliin and catalyzes the conversion of alliin to diallyl thiosulfinates. These sulfur compounds, in particular the thiosulfinate allicin, are thought to be responsible for many of the beneficial properties of garlic.

  Fresh garlic is readily available, inexpensive and the most natural form of garlic available. However, eating fresh garlic can produce undesirable side effects such as bad breath, body odor and indigestion.

Aged Garlic Extracts

• Aged garlic is made by placing pulverized garlic in diluted alcohol for periods as long as 20 months. The aging process converts the unstable allicin in fresh garlic to more stable, water soluble compounds. Removing allicin also removes the byproducts of allicin that are responsible for the unpleasant breath and body odors associated with garlic.

  There is some debate as to whether the destruction of allicin during the aging process also destroys the beneficial properties of garlic. Some research indicates that aged garlic extract has its own health benefits but not necessarily the same benefits as fresh garlic.

Garlic Oil

• Garlic essential oil is obtained from crushed garlic through steam distillation or extraction in an organic solvent. Water-soluble compounds and allicin are totally eliminated during the extraction process leaving behind a variety of oil soluble sulfides. Garlic oil is also produced by macerating ground garlic cloves in vegetable oil. Though the macerate may originally contain allicin, this compound decomposes quickly into dithiins, ajoene and sulfides.

  Garlic macerates and essential oils are sold as vegetable oil mixtures in capsule form. Research indicates that ajoene and some of the oil soluble sulfides in garlic oils have health benefits but not the full spectrum of health benefits provided by fresh garlic. However, the processes used to obtain garlic oil and the dilution of garlic oil with vegetable oil does reduce offensive garlic odors.

Dried Garlic

• Freeze-drying fresh garlic cloves results in a powdered product that retains most of the same compounds as raw garlic. Dried garlic powders are generally sold as enteric-coated capsules. Enteric-coating helps prevent the release of garlic powder from the capsule before it reaches the small intestine. If a pill dissolves in the stomach, the alliinase in the powder will be inactivated by the acid in the stomach and no allicin will be released.

  Garlic powder in capsule form allows for the ingestion of garlic without the immediate effect of garlic on the breath. However, if a capsule performs properly, the dried garlic powder will be digested in the small intestine in much the same way as fresh garlic and the breakdown products will include a certain amount of allyl methyl sulfide, the compound that causes the offensive smells associated with garlic. It can therefore be argued that the best dried garlic supplements are those that are the least effective at controlling garlic odors.