Garlic is definitely more powerful than previously thought. It’s known that garlic is a type of natural antibiotic and therefore has antibacterial properties. However, it was previously unknown that garlic could even fight infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In experiments, garlic was able to kill bacteria that cause urinary tract infections, but which antibiotics were no longer effective against.

Garlic for urinary tract infections

Urinary tract infections are among the second most common infectious diseases that primary care physicians encounter every day. Worldwide, 150 million people are diagnosed with a UTI each year. Treatment costs amount to billions of euros.

Garlic has a strong antibacterial effect and can apparently also fight bacteria that cause persistent urinary tract infections but have already developed resistance to antibiotics.

Garlic – Impressive remedy

Garlic can help with many health problems because:

1. Garlic improves the flow properties of the blood, thus having a blood-thinning effect.
2. Garlic has a vasodilating effect.
3. Garlic reduces blood lipids.
4. Garlic lowers blood pressure.
5. Garlic has anti-cancer properties.
6. Garlic protects the liver.
7. Garlic has antimicrobial properties and is therefore considered a natural antibiotic.

Due to its antibiotic properties, garlic has been the focus of research into antibiotic resistance for years.

For example, a group of scientists from the Indian Birla Institute of Technology and Sciences published an interesting garlic study in the Pertanika Journal of Tropical Agricultural Science in the summer of 2015 .

More and more antibiotic-resistant pathogens

Antibiotics are usually prescribed immediately for urinary tract infections. However, it is becoming increasingly common for these to no longer be effective because many bacteria have already developed resistance—especially those that cause urinary tract infections.

Therefore, according to the authors of the garlic study, it is necessary to look for remedies and herbal preparations in traditional medicine that could be used instead of antibiotics, such as garlic.

Garlic works when antibiotics fail

Garlic (Allium sativum) has been used in traditional medicine since ancient times to treat many diseases, as a wide range of microorganisms—including bacteria, fungi, and viruses—are sensitive to garlic preparations. The antimicrobial substances in garlic are allicin and other sulfur compounds.

In this study, researchers found that more than half (56 percent) of 166 bacterial strains extracted from the urine of people with urinary tract infections exhibited a high degree of resistance to antibiotics. Antibiotics are therefore no longer effective against these bacteria.

Garlic for urinary tract infections

Surprisingly, however, 82 percent of the resistant bacteria were extremely susceptible to a raw aqueous garlic extract. Garlic therefore appears to offer promising potential in the fight against urinary tract infections and other infectious diseases (1). The researchers therefore suggest developing alternative medicines from garlic to keep these superbugs in check in the future.

Since it was nothing more than an aqueous garlic extract that was effective against the pathogens tested where antibiotics failed, raw garlic could always be used to destroy the causative bacteria in advance.

Garlic and D-Mannose

For urinary tract infections, garlic therapy can be combined with D-mannose. D-mannose is also considered a good preventative for people who suffer from recurring bladder infections. Further information can be found at the bottom of this page.

Garlic cure

Eating raw garlic every day isn’t for everyone. However, you can make a garlic tincture in advance and keep it in your medicine cabinet in case of a urinary tract infection. It takes about two weeks to make, so you can’t wait until you get sick. However, it’s safe to keep for a year.

The only ingredients you need are garlic and high-proof alcohol, as well as the appropriate containers.

Black garlic probably not useful for urinary tract infections

Black garlic (fermented white garlic) is now available and many people wonder whether they can use it for urinary tract infections just like white garlic.

Black garlic is said to have at least three times the antioxidant power of white garlic, and it also doesn’t produce a garlicky odor. However, its possible antibacterial effect on urinary tract infections has not yet been studied.

If you already have black garlic at home, you could also use it as an accompaniment to urinary tract infections (since every infection also causes oxidative stress, which can be alleviated by the antioxidant properties of black garlic).

Nevertheless, we would rather use black garlic to protect the liver, blood vessels and for the prevention and accompanying treatment of arteriosclerosis and other cardiovascular problems, while we would prefer white garlic for urinary tract infections.

You may also find published relevant studies here:

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