Aged garlic extract with supplement is associated with increase in brown adipose, decrease in white adipose tissue and predict lack of progression in coronary atherosclerosis

BackgroundAged garlic extract with supplement (AGE-S) significantly reduces coronary artery calcium (CAC). We evaluated the effects of AGE-S on change in white (wEAT) and brown (bEAT) epicardial adipose tissue, homocysteine and CAC.MethodsSixty subjects, randomized to a daily capsule of placebo vs. AGE-S inclusive of aged garlic-extract (250 mg) plus vitamin-B12 (100 μg), folic-acid (300 μg), vitamin-B6 (12.5 mg) and l-arginine (100 mg) underwent CAC, wEAT and bEAT measurements at baseline and 12 months. The postcuff deflation temperature-rebound index of vascular function was assessed using a reactive-hyperemia procedure. Vascular dysfunction was defined according to the tertiles of temperature-rebound at 1 year of follow-up. CAC progression was defined as an annual-increase in CAC > 15%.ResultsFrom baseline to 12 months, there was a strong correlation between increase in wEAT and CAC (r2 = 0.54, p = 0.0001). At 1 year, the risks of CAC progression and increased wEAT and homocysteine were significantly lower in AGE-S to placebo (p < 0.05). Similarly, bEAT and temperature-rebound were significantly higher in AGE-S as compared to placebo (p < 0.05). Strong association between increase in temperature-rebound and bEAT/wEAT ratio (r2 = 0.80, p = 0.001) was noted, which was more robust in AGE-S. Maximum beneficial effect of AGE-S was noted with increase in bEAT/wEAT ratio, temperature-rebound, and lack of progression of homocysteine and CAC.ConclusionsAGE-S is associated with increase in bEAT/wEAT ratio, reduction of homocysteine and lack of progression of CAC. Increases in bEAT/wEAT ratio correlated strongly with increases in vascular function measured by temperature-rebound and predicted a lack of CAC progression and plaque stabilization in response to AGE-S.