garlic? | Arthritis Information

some say it is a immune stimulant and I don't want that but it's helpful in keeping yeast at bay and since I am taking minocin I hardly want yeast to start I toke some garlic caps today and it really did not seem to make anything worse? but anyone have any thoughts or insights?

garlic is good for helping kill nasty things that might be in the good ole intestines from what I hear any Italians on here eat alot of garlic? any problems with it making things worse?

K~ Mark; I think you've been around long enough now that I can ask you a really personal question.

How does yeast affect men? I know how women get yeast infections; but how does it affect men? In the same sort of way?

Sorry. You know I'm blonde right? I know that seems like a really stupid question.

When I was taking MTX, I suffered through several bouts of thrush, sores on the tongue and mouth, caused by the yeast Candida. Most people already have Candida in their body, but if your immune system is suppressed it can get out of control.

Alan

That makes since.

What about taking acidophilis?kelstev39108.8035763889yeast can be nasty to men like alan said its better to just make sure it never gets outta control

Gotchya!

I know garlic is a natural antibiotic. I have no idea about if it would affect our immune systems adversely. I do know that Echinecha is a big no-no for us. I take Acidophillus along with the AP Minocin with great results. I highly recommend it as yeast can cause many problems.

This is from the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. http://nccam.nih.gov/health/garlic/index.htm

Side Effects and Cautions:

Garlic appears to be safe for most adults.
Side effects include breath and body odor, heartburn, upset stomach, and allergic reactions. These side effects are more common with raw garlic.
Garlic can thin the blood (reduce the ability of blood to clot) in a manner similar to aspirin. This effect may be a problem during or after surgery. Use garlic with caution if you are planning to have surgery or dental work, or if you have a bleeding disorder. A cautious approach is to avoid garlic in your diet or as a supplement for at least 1 week before surgery.
Garlic has been found to interfere with the effectiveness of saquinavir, a drug used to treat HIV infection. Its effect on other drugs has not been well studied.
Tell your health care providers about any herb or dietary supplement you are using, including garlic. This helps to ensure safe and coordinated care.

So.... if garlic boosts the immune system, should we not take it? We are lowering our immune systems for a reason yeah? I have always wondered about taking vitamins that do similar things if it was actually doing more harm than good. Why is echinacea no good for us?

Echinacea definitely boosts the immune system. I've seen on several sites that it is one herbal remedy that should be avoided by people with autoimmune diseases. I do not know if the same is true for garlic.