People have been using garlic to treat bacterial infections for centuries, but only recently have the mechanisms behind this natural remedy been explained by science. The active ingredient in garlic, that is known to have a variety of anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-fungal affects, is called allicin.

Recently, allicin, in the form of an extract, has been getting a lot of media coverage as it has successfully treated patients suffering from the most deadly and resistant form of bacteria: MRSA.

Why Treat Infections With Allicin?

For years, doctors have been prescribing various synthetic antibiotics to treat infections; however, bacteria such as staph and impedigo have been able to evolve faster than drug development. This has lead to many strains of bacteria being resistant to common antibiotics. Sufferers of MRSA, and those experiencing repeat attacks, are now turning to garlic-derived allicin to treat their stubborn infections.

Allicin works by attacking and completely destroying harmful microbes. When a clove of garlic is exposed to harmful pathogens, as it regularly is when it’s growing in the wild, allicin is released to defend its host. Allicin is the result of two chemicals mixing within a garlic clove after it has been partially destroyed. This new compound immediately goes to work attacking bacterial, fungal and viral invaders within its vincinity.

Can You Get Allicin From Eating Garlic?

Unfortunately, allicin is a very unstable compound. To acquire it from a regular clove of garlic, the clove must be crushed and consumed immediately. Furthermore, garlic that has been heated, boiled or cooked will not retain its allicin.

For many people, eating raw cloves of garlic can cause stomach discomfort and a smell that others may find offensive. Additionally, to get the necessary amount of allicin to treat and cure infections, a person would have to eat dozens of cloves daily! Obviously, this is not practical for most people.

Allicin Pills

Recently, drug manufacturers have developed new ways for capturing allicin. Garlic that is harvested for medicinal use is first flash frozen to remove all of its water content. Without moisture, allicin cannot be formed, thus making it possible for the garlic to be crushed into granules and packaged into capsules. The best garlic pills are enteric-coated so that stomach acids cannot destroy the allicin before it is absorbed into the bloodstream. This form of allicin has been tested in various hospital case studies to treat bacterial infections when conventional treatment has failed.

If you suffer from bacterial infections, such as staph or MRSA; fungal infections, such as yeast or athlete’s foot; or viral infections, such as cold sores or other forms of herpes, then you might want to consider trying allicin pills (often called garlic pills) for the prevention and treatment of your ailments.