No, eating garlic does not keep mosquitoes away. Multiple studies have shown that ingesting garlic does not reduce a person's attractiveness to mosquitoes.
The Evidence Against Garlic as a Mosquito Repellent
Several reputable sources debunk the myth of garlic repelling mosquitoes:
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Scientific Studies: A double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial specifically investigated garlic's effect on mosquito attraction. The results concluded that there was no significant systemic mosquito repellence from garlic consumption. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15752181/ Other research supports this finding, stating there is no scientific evidence to suggest that ingesting garlic protects against mosquito bites. https://www.sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/news/2018/01/09/what-can-i-eat-to-stop-mosquitoes-biting-me-.html https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/mosquito-mythbusting-real-repellents-stand/story?id=10543307 https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/here-are-the-repellants-you-can-use-to-avoid-mosquito-bites
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Conflicting Anecdotal Evidence: While some anecdotal evidence suggests garlic may repel mosquitoes, this is not supported by scientific research. One source mentions that spraying garlic extract may deter mosquitoes temporarily due to the strong smell, but this is not the same as consuming garlic. https://www.reddit.com/r/homeowners/comments/v431i3/mosquito_season_is_upon_us_does_spraying_garlic/ Other sources suggest its repellent effects are limited and unreliable. https://mosquitonix.com/pages/does-garlic-repel-mosquitos
In summary, while garlic possesses antimicrobial properties, consuming it does not provide protection against mosquito bites. Reliable mosquito repellents are far more effective.
