Effects of Garlic Pill on Blood Glucose Level in Borderline Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Women with borderline gestational diabetes mellitus (BGDM) have a greater risk of complications in comparison with normal women.

The aim of this randomized clinical trial was to determine the effects of garlic pill on fasting blood sugar (FBS) and relapse of prediabetes symptoms (primary outcomes), as well as blood pressure, neonatal anthropometric indices, and mode of delivery (secondary outcomes) in pregnant women with prediabetes.

This triple-blind, randomized clinical trial was conducted on 49 women with prediabetes at 24 to 28 weeks of gestation in Tabriz, Iran, 2015 - 16. The participants were assigned to the intervention (n, 26) and control (n, 23) groups using block randomization. The intervention group received a 400-mg garlic pill per day, while the control group received a placebo pill per day for 8 weeks. Four and eight weeks following the intervention, FBS and blood pressure were measured. The newborns’ anthropometric indices and mode of delivery were also recorded after delivery.

The mean FBS level in the garlic group decreased from 106.6 (11.1) mg/dL before the intervention to 83.6 (6.3) mg/dL at 4 weeks after the intervention and 79.4 (6.1) mg/dL at 8 weeks after the intervention (adjusted mean difference, -3.7). The garlic pill also led to a significant decrease in prediabetes symptoms at 4 weeks after the intervention (P

The results revealed that garlic pill could reduce FBS level, prediabetes symptoms, and diastolic blood pressure. However, further research with a larger sample size is required for more accurate results.