Is too much garlic bad for you? Someone I know eats 2 heads of garlic a day.?

Question

I've told him he needs to redress the balance with cigarettes and booze, but he doesn't seem to agree.

Also, he stinks.

Answer 1

It is said in the countries that consume a lot of garlic is after eating to chew cardamon seeds. When eaten in quantity, garlic may be strongly evident in the diner's sweat and breath the following day. This is because garlic's strong smelling sulfur compounds are metabolized forming allyl methyl sulfide. Allyl methyl sulfide (AMS) cannot be digested and is passed into the blood. It is carried to the lungs and the skin where it is excreted. Since digestion takes several hours, and release of AMS several hours more, the effect of eating garlic may be present for a long time.

This well-known phenomenon of "garlic breath" is alleged to be alleviated by eating fresh parsley. The herb is, therefore, included in many garlic recipes, such as Pistou and Persillade. However, since the odour results mainly from digestive processes placing compounds such as AMS in the blood, and AMS is then released through the lungs over the course of many hours, eating parsley provides only a temporary masking. One way of accelerating the release of AMS from the body is the use of a sauna. Due to its strong odor, garlic is sometimes called the "stinking rose".

Because garlic passes into the bloodstream, it can be a useful mosquito repellent. This is most likely the cause of the myth that vampires hate garlic.


An overdose of garlic is unlikely to threaten life. Although uncommon, allergic reactions to garlic have been reported. Stop taking garlic and seek emergency medical attention if you experience symptoms of a serious allergic reaction including difficulty breathing; closing of your throat; swelling of your lips, tongue, or face; or hives.

Other less serious side effects have also been reported. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you experience

burning of the mouth, throat, and stomach;
nausea or vomiting;
diarrhea;
sweating;
lightheadedness; and
eczema or a rash.
Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.


Do not consume large amounts of garlic while taking the following medicines: (consult your physician)

a medicine to control blood sugar levels such as insulin, glipizide (Glucotrol), glyburide (Glynase, Diabeta, Micronase), chlorpropamide (Diabinese), tolbutamide (Orinase), tolazamide (Tolinase), pioglitazone (Actos), rosiglitazone (Avandia), repaglinide (Prandin), metformin (Glucophage), and others;
a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) including ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, Nuprin, others), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn, Naprelan, Anaprox, others), ketoprofen (Orudis KT, Orudis), indomethacin (Indocin), etodolac (Lodine), nabumetone (Relafen), oxaprozin (Daypro), piroxicam (Feldene), sulindac (Clinoril), tolmetin (Tolectin), and others;
a protease inhibitor such as amprenavir (Agenerase), indinavir (Crixivan), saquinavir (Invirase, Fortovase), lopinavir-ritonavir (Kaletra), ritonavir (Norvir), or nelfinavir (Viracept);
ardeparin (Normiflo), dalteparin (Fragmin), danaparoid (Orgaran), enoxaparin (Lovenox), tinzaparin (Innohep);
warfarin (Coumadin);
aspirin; or
heparin.

Answer 2

I don't have an answer but I do have a question related to the original one. I have never cooked with garlic but did tonight for the first time. Not knowing the difference of a clove or any other "quantity of measurement" I used what I'm realizing was 3 heads of raw garlic instead of 3 cloves in my dinner dish. Oops. It was mixed with hamburger and veggies and cooked a bit in with that then spread in a casserole dish and baked between small dinner rolls. I ate 2-3 small dinner rolls, would I have ate too much? I asked my doctor who couldn't exactly give me a straight answer and told me to call the poison control center because they would know best but they said not to worry and that there is no "lethal dose". I was told the only thing to watch for (which would make sense) is for allergic reaction but much less threatening is upset stomach and the smell on my breath or in sweat. I can't stop wondering and worrying... Does anyone have any other info? I can't find much else online

Answer 3

Garlic Overdose

Answer 4

Garlic is supposed to be very healthy and many nationalities eat it by the ton. If you don´t like the way he smells, have some garlic, too and then you won´t notice :-) I think two cloves is not too much, but I searched the web using "Health Effects of Garlic" and there on various webpages were mentioned its curative influence but also side effects of overdose, so have a look too if you are really interested and then share the info with your friend. Some of the info was about garlic supplements. There is a difference between the fresh/raw kind, the powdered kind and garlic capsules.

Answer 5

1 or 2 cloves a day is normal. And it kills viral and parasite infections.There's between 6 and 24 cloves in a head. So if anybody can eat that much in a day I am amazed. they would be not eating anything else. They would smell like a garlic field. And it would probably kill them in time. But that said I just talked to a nutritionist who said that is real good for you. So keep doing it. It cleans your blood and after your blood is clean it keeps cleaning but you won't stink anymore. So the 1st part of this answer is wrong. Your friend is right and I'm going to start eating it too.

Answer 6

hopefully you have a partner that loves garlic. Mine hates it but we have a compromise, I eat as much garlic as I can and he loves me anyway! Garlic is great for you! and I know you can't smell it but there is an old lady 2 blocks away that can smell it! Trust me. It oozes out of your pores, I have been told by several people. It's not too much to eat but offensive to others that have to smell your stinky breath. When I eat garlic, I eat s**t loads of it, especially raw, but because of other's I don't do it very often.

Answer 7

My husband used to have horrid breath the day after eating fresh garlic. I always knew when he ate garlic the previous day. But, now I found that if he eats it cooked there is no more smell. So, I cook up a couple of heads a week.

Answer 8

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Is too much garlic bad for you? Someone I know eats 2 heads of garlic a day.?
I've told him he needs to redress the balance with cigarettes and booze, but he doesn't seem to agree.

Also, he stinks.

Answer 9

That is the only problem with garlic. It will come out of your pours and make you smell horrible. Tell your friend, if indeed he is your friend that there are garlic pills you can take if you want to get the usefulness of it, and not stink like it. But, no it's not bad for you, garlic and onions are actually good for you...
Now Cigarettes and booze on the other hand......

Answer 10

In medicine,garlic is used as a digestive stimulant, diuretic, and antispasmodic. It also helps lowering the blood pressure if you have hypertension. Well, I don't care if he stinks just by eating garlic. I tried eating half of the head of a garlic and ended up having a head ache. I believe garlic has many uses and it really works. believe me.