Garlic is a common cooking ingredient, famous around the world for its pungent flavor. Used for seasoning food and as a condiment, garlic is also known for its health benefits. In ancient times, garlic was used mainly for its medicinal properties. Garlic can help prevent heart disease, control cholesterol and blood pressure, and even lower the risk of certain cancers, such as prostate, brain, and lung cancer. In a study published in Basic and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, garlic was also found to be an effective treatment against lead poisoning.
What is lead poisoning?
Lead poisoning happens when your body accumulates large amounts of lead. Lead can enter your body through your mouth, or it can be inhaled. Cracks on your skin and mucous membranes can also allow lead to enter your body. Too much lead in the body can result in serious physical and mental impairment, especially in children aged six years old and below. Unlike adults, infants and children absorb lead faster, making them more susceptible. If left untreated, lead poisoning can cause damage to the kidneys and central nervous system, which can lead to seizures, loss of consciousness, coma, and even death.
Symptoms of lead poisoning
There are two types of lead poisoning, acute and chronic. In acute lead poisoning, symptoms appear almost immediately while in chronic lead poisoning, symptoms usually take time to appear.
Here`s a list of the most common symptoms of lead poisoning you should look out for:
- Abdominal pain and vomiting
- Black and watery stool
- Lethargy
- Jaundice
- Encephalopathy
- Slowed body growth
- Reduced IQ
- Loss of weight and appetite
- Blue tinge around your gums
- Anemia
- Loss of hearing
- Neurological weakness
How garlic can help treat lead poisoning
Iranian researchers compared the effectiveness of garlic with that of d-penicillamine in reducing blood lead concentrations. They recruited 117 workers at a car battery plant who were suffering from chronic lead poisoning and split the workers into two groups. The researchers gave the first group garlic extract three times a day and the other group d-penicillamine, a drug used to treat heavy metal poisoning.
