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I get lots of inquiries. Here's a recent one just for a little Fri AM fun:
(Q) 01/2009
"Garlic bread-good or bad?
Hi Doc,
A mate and I have been meeting at the local pool each week to practice some static apnea, and my breath-hold time has steadily improved. Occassionally though, I have a week where I can't even match the time I started with a couple of months ago.
I realise there are many factors at play here, like how much recent exercise I've had, how much sleep, alcohol, caffiene, etc, but I've noticed that on the two occassions I've had really poor breath-hold times it's been after a delicious spaghetti and garlic bread the night before.
I seem to remember a sign in the local surgery asking people coming in for surgery not to eat garlic the night before, and I've often wondered what effect garlic has on my cardiovascular system. Is it a potent substance we should avoid before, for example, deep decompression diving?
Cheers
PB
Western Australia"
(A) 01/21/09
"Hi P....,
Along with it's ability to deter vampires, a large number of health benefits have been claimed for garlic over the years, from lowering cholesterol to fighting cancer. A very few appear to have a legitimate basis; the majority remain inadequately studied or seem ineffective.
Here's how the National Institutes of Health Division of Complementary and Alternative Medicine sees it:
Garlic (Allium sativum L.)
MedlinePlus Herbs and Supplements: Garlic (Allium sativum L.)
As regards your questions, garlic has mild anti-clotting activity. Therefore, excessive bleeding may be a concern and patient's preparing for surgery may be asked to refrain from eating it starting anywhere from a day to a week prior to the scheduled procedure. It is of particular concern in those who also are taking other products that may predispose to bleeding.
Taken in anything resembling normal concentrations it is not a "potent substance" (other than for the effects of eaten garlic on the breath) and there is no apparent reason for the diver with a normal blood clotting profile to avoid it before SCUBA, deep decompression or otherwise.
RE your comment that on the two occasions you've had really poor breath-hold times it's been after a dinner of spaghetti and garlic bread the night before. While it's possible that your breath-hold times may somehow have been adversely impacted by the amounts and nutritional composition of what you ate the prior evening, as well as by how much wine or other alcoholic beverages accompanied the meal and how late you partied, I can pretty much assure you that garlic, in and of itself, didn't contribute.
Helpful?
Cheers,
DocVikingo
This is educational only and does not constitute or imply a doctor-patient relationship. It is not medical advice to you or any other individual, and should not be construed as such."
(Q) 01/2009
"Garlic bread-good or bad?
Hi Doc,
A mate and I have been meeting at the local pool each week to practice some static apnea, and my breath-hold time has steadily improved. Occassionally though, I have a week where I can't even match the time I started with a couple of months ago.
I realise there are many factors at play here, like how much recent exercise I've had, how much sleep, alcohol, caffiene, etc, but I've noticed that on the two occassions I've had really poor breath-hold times it's been after a delicious spaghetti and garlic bread the night before.
I seem to remember a sign in the local surgery asking people coming in for surgery not to eat garlic the night before, and I've often wondered what effect garlic has on my cardiovascular system. Is it a potent substance we should avoid before, for example, deep decompression diving?
Cheers
PB
Western Australia"
(A) 01/21/09
"Hi P....,
Along with it's ability to deter vampires, a large number of health benefits have been claimed for garlic over the years, from lowering cholesterol to fighting cancer. A very few appear to have a legitimate basis; the majority remain inadequately studied or seem ineffective.
Here's how the National Institutes of Health Division of Complementary and Alternative Medicine sees it:
Garlic (Allium sativum L.)
MedlinePlus Herbs and Supplements: Garlic (Allium sativum L.)
As regards your questions, garlic has mild anti-clotting activity. Therefore, excessive bleeding may be a concern and patient's preparing for surgery may be asked to refrain from eating it starting anywhere from a day to a week prior to the scheduled procedure. It is of particular concern in those who also are taking other products that may predispose to bleeding.
Taken in anything resembling normal concentrations it is not a "potent substance" (other than for the effects of eaten garlic on the breath) and there is no apparent reason for the diver with a normal blood clotting profile to avoid it before SCUBA, deep decompression or otherwise.
RE your comment that on the two occasions you've had really poor breath-hold times it's been after a dinner of spaghetti and garlic bread the night before. While it's possible that your breath-hold times may somehow have been adversely impacted by the amounts and nutritional composition of what you ate the prior evening, as well as by how much wine or other alcoholic beverages accompanied the meal and how late you partied, I can pretty much assure you that garlic, in and of itself, didn't contribute.
Helpful?
Cheers,
DocVikingo
This is educational only and does not constitute or imply a doctor-patient relationship. It is not medical advice to you or any other individual, and should not be construed as such."
