Does Garlic Ward off Mosquitoes?
I have always been one of those unfortunate ones who attracts mosquitoes. My mother always told me it was because I was so sweet! Hah! All I knew was that while others around me had a bite or two, I spent days scratching what seemed like hundreds of bites.
A couple of years ago I discovered garlic as a seasoning when I decided to cut down on salt. Now I love garlic and eat it just about every day. I hadn’t really thought about the old wives tale about garlic warding off mosquitoes until last summer. I was hiking around Crater Lake with my daughter. While she wound up with many bites including some huge ones, I was virtually bite free. Naturally I figured it was the garlic.
After doing some research, I question my decision. There have been lots of studies, but none were conclusive. It is known that mosquitoes are attracted to the carbon dioxide that we exhale, our body heat and the chemicals in sweat like lactic acid. Apparently some people just emit more of these odors than others.
You can lessen your body odors if you wear unscented deodorants, lotions and soaps. Most studies conclude that DEET is the most effective mosquito repellant, even in small amounts. These same studies also found that citronella only works for a few minutes.
I did find a field study conducted in India which used a preparation made of 1 percent garlic oil, petroleum jelly and beeswax that was rubbed on the arms and legs. This experiment was found to be effective in preventing mosquito bites for up to eight hours. It was suggested that the sulfur compounds from the garlic were present on the skin and breath which kept the mosquitoes away.
Me, I’m sticking to the garlic.
April 22nd, 2009 at 1:44 pm
I’m so dyslexic that I read on my blog list, “Does Gothic Ward off Mosquitoes?” Interesting article, anyway. Perhaps my garlic consumption is why I don’t get bitten anymore.