Berlin - Garlic supplements can dramatically reduce the build-up of fatty deposits in the arteries, according to German researchers.

In laboratory tests, the formation of early deposits, or "nanoplaques", was cut by up to 40 per cent.

The size of existing nanoplaques was also reduced by 20 percent after exposure to the supplement Kwai garlic.

The findings were presented at an American Heart Association meeting held in Washington DC.

Professor Gunter Siegel, from the University of Medicine in Berlin, who led the study, said: "Of course, the results on nanoplaque build-up have to be confirmed in a clinical trial.

"A positive outcome of such a study would complement the already existing clinical studies and not only give hope to the millions of men and women especially at risk for cardiovascular disease because they have high cholesterol or blood pressure, or because they are overweight, smoke or engage in low physical activity, but also benefit those with only normal concerns about general cardiovascular health.
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