[Question #12879] Garlic and PrEP?

4 months ago

Recently, I read that garlic supplements can decrease the efficacy of HIV drugs. Studies I’ve found have suggested that garlic, ingested at a high dose via supplements, will decrease the efficacy of the HIV drug being absorbed and working efficiently.

My question is whether this extends to pre exposure prophylactics like Descovy or Truvada? I typically consume a clove of garlic each day as part of my diet and was wondering if eating this amount of garlic could negatively affect the efficacy of PrEP?

Edward W. Hook M.D.

4 months ago

Welcome back to the Forum. I'll start by suggesting that you stay off the internet for questions like this. On the internet misinformation is common and there is no way to sort out what is true and what is not. The suggestion that garlic might reduce the effectiveness of PrEP is one of those sorts of things. There is no solid data on whether or not garlic might reduce the effectiveness of PrEP and if it did, it is most likely that one would have to take far, far more than a single clove a day to have any effect. I would have no concerns that a clove of garlic a day might reduce the effectiveness of PrEP- garlic ingestion is so widespread that if that were the case, there would be solid evidence that this is the case. EWH---