BioGrow Garlic Hawthorn Tablet

BioGrow Garlic Hawthorn Tablet is a herbal dietary supplement that combines two botanical ingredients in one tablet. Each tablet contains 100mg of garlic (Allium sativum) bulb powder, stated as equivalent to 800mcg of allicin, and 300mg of hawthorn (Crataegus laevigata) fruit dry extract at a 4:1 concentration, equivalent to 1200mg of dried hawthorn fruit. It is supplied in a pack of 60 tablets.

Garlic bulb powder provides alliin and related sulphur compounds; when garlic is crushed or moistened, the enzyme alliinase converts alliin into allicin, which is why garlic powders are often described by their allicin yield. Hawthorn is a shrub whose berries, leaves and flowers have been used in European herbal tradition, and the fruit contains natural plant compounds such as flavonoids and oligomeric procyanidins. The 4:1 extract means 4 parts of dried fruit were used to make 1 part of extract, so 300mg of extract represents 1200mg of dried fruit.

This combination may be taken by adults as a herbal dietary supplement alongside a balanced diet, but it does not replace any heart, blood pressure or other medicine prescribed by your doctor. Both ingredients have important safety considerations: garlic may increase bleeding risk and interact with blood thinners and the HIV medicine saquinavir, while hawthorn may interact with digoxin and other heart and blood pressure medicines. If you have any heart condition or take regular medicines, speak to your doctor before using this product.

Swallow the tablet whole with a glass of water, preferably with or after a meal to reduce stomach upset. Do not chew the tablet. If you find tablets hard to swallow, ask your pharmacist for advice before crushing or splitting it.

Adults: 1 to 2 tablets daily, or as recommended by your healthcare practitioner. Please confirm the serving against the directions on the product label.

Do not exceed the recommended daily intake. Not intended for children, or for use during pregnancy or breastfeeding. If you miss a dose, take the next dose at the usual time without doubling up.

Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight, heat and moisture. Keep the container tightly closed after use and out of reach of children. Follow any further storage instructions on the label.

• Common: Garlic breath or body odour, and a garlic aftertaste or repeating (burping).
• Common: Stomach upset, heartburn, gas, bloating or nausea — taking the tablets with meals may help.
• Less common: Diarrhoea or loose stools.
• Less common (hawthorn): Dizziness, headache, palpitations, tiredness or muscle aches.
• Serious: Unusual bruising or bleeding, nosebleeds, bleeding gums or blood in urine or stools — stop the product and seek medical advice promptly.
• Serious: Allergic reactions such as rash, itching, swelling of the face or lips, or difficulty breathing — stop the product and seek urgent medical help.
• Serious: Chest pain, fainting, a very slow or irregular heartbeat or severe dizziness — seek medical attention immediately.

• Allergy to garlic or other plants in the onion (Allium) family, such as onion, leek or chives, or to any ingredient in this product.
• Bleeding disorders (such as haemophilia), a low platelet count or active bleeding.
• Planned surgery or dental procedures — stop taking garlic supplements at least 2 weeks beforehand.
• People taking saquinavir or other HIV medicines, unless the treating doctor has approved it, because garlic supplements can lower the levels of some HIV medicines.
• Allergy to hawthorn or other plants in the rose (Rosaceae) family.
• People taking digoxin or other medicines for heart failure or heart rhythm problems, unless their doctor has approved it.
• Pregnancy, breastfeeding and children, as the safety of hawthorn in these groups has not been established.

• Anticoagulants: Warfarin, apixaban, rivaroxaban, dabigatran and heparins — garlic supplements may increase the risk of bleeding; use only with your doctor’s approval and monitoring.
• Antiplatelet medicines and NSAIDs: Aspirin, clopidogrel, ticagrelor, ibuprofen, naproxen and similar medicines — combined use may add to bleeding risk.
• Saquinavir and other HIV medicines: Garlic supplements have been shown to substantially lower blood levels of saquinavir and may affect some other HIV medicines, which can reduce their effectiveness.
• Other supplements: Ginkgo, nattokinase, high-dose fish oil, high-dose vitamin E and other garlic products may further increase bleeding risk; avoid doubling up.
• Digoxin: Hawthorn may add to the effects of digoxin on the heart and may affect digoxin test results; do not combine unless your doctor approves and monitors you.
• Heart and blood pressure medicines: Beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, nitrates (such as glyceryl trinitrate or isosorbide) and other blood pressure medicines — hawthorn may add to their effects and cause dizziness or low blood pressure.
• Sildenafil, tadalafil and similar medicines: Combined with hawthorn, these may increase the chance of a drop in blood pressure; seek advice before use.

• If you take any heart, blood pressure or blood-thinning medicine, check with your doctor before starting — hawthorn and garlic can both interact with them.
• Never use this product in place of prescribed heart or blood pressure medicines, and do not stop those medicines on your own.
• Take the tablet with or after food to reduce stomach upset and garlic aftertaste.
• Get up slowly from sitting or lying down if you notice dizziness, and tell your doctor if it continues.
• Avoid doubling up with other garlic or hawthorn products.
• Stop at least 2 weeks before planned surgery or dental procedures and let your care team know.

Precautions: Hawthorn may interact with digoxin and other heart and blood pressure medicines, and may cause dizziness or low blood pressure in some people; anyone with a heart condition should use it only under a doctor’s guidance. Garlic may increase the risk of bleeding with anticoagulants, antiplatelet medicines or NSAIDs and can lower blood levels of saquinavir. Stop at least 2 weeks before surgery or dental procedures. Not recommended during pregnancy, breastfeeding or for children. Herbal origin does not mean the product is free from side effects or interactions.

When to See a Doctor or Pharmacist: Consult your doctor or pharmacist before use if you have any heart, blood pressure or bleeding condition, or take any regular medicine. Seek medical attention immediately if you experience chest pain, shortness of breath, fainting, a very slow or irregular heartbeat, unusual bleeding or bruising, or signs of an allergic reaction.