Compelling evidence shows that Aged garlic Extract helps prevent cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and lowers the risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease

The same risk factors that increase the chances of developing cardiovascular disease, including high cholesterol, high homocysteine, high blood pressure, and a high level of inflammation, increase the risk of dementia including its most common form, Alzheimer's disease. High cholesterol is also associated with an elevated level of beta-amyloid protein, the hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. Free radical damage (oxidative damage) is a major factor in the development of cardiovascular disease and dementia, both of which are diseases whose risk increases with age. Garlic, extracted and aged to form antioxidant rich Aged garlic Extract may help reduce the risk of these diseases. Aged Garlic Extract is an antidote to free radicals that cause oxidative damage, increases levels of enzyme system antioxidants such as glutathione peroxidase and Glutathione, Superoxide Dismutase and Catalase, while inhibiting the peroxidation of lipids (rancidification of fats) and reduces the levels of particular prostaglandin that trigger inflammation. Aged Garlic inhibits the enzyme HMG coenzyme A reductase and thereby decreases the formation of cholesterol, and also its ability to reduce lipid peroxidation inhibits the ability of LDL-cholesterol to contribute to damaging the circulatory system; this inhibits hardening of the arteries. Aged Garlic also has a modest effect of thinning the blood. Aged garlic helps reduce homocysteine, lowers blood pressure and increases microcirculation. All of these attributes are important for diabetics; a condition that increases the incidence of heart disease and dementia. Aged Garlic may help prevent cognitive decline by protecting brain cells from the toxicity caused by beta-amyloid protein and by protecting brain nerve tissue from dying. The Aged Garlic helps prevent death of brain cells caused by a lack of blood flow and oxygen and improves learning and memory retention. Compelling evidence supports the beneficial health effects attributed to Aged Garlic Extract in helping prevent cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and lowering the risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. The research review was performed at the Department of Public Health and Family Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, in Boston and is published in the March 2006 issue of the Journal of Nutrition, the journal of the American Society for Nutrition.

Studies show it is not the caffeine which helps decrease the risk of developing diabetes but probably the polyphenols.

Higher intake of Green Tea protects cognitive function in the elderly

A comprehensive Geriatric Assessment of 1003 elderly Japanese community living residents over the age of 70 was conducted in 2002. It turns out that a higher intake of Green Tea in these elderly subjects was associated with protection of cognitive function. The Mini Mental State Examination is a measure of cognitive status in adults. It can be used to screen for cognitive impairment or to estimate the degree of cognitive impairment and to assess changes to cognitive function over time. With a cutoff of 26, an accepted cutoff for assessing cognitive status, it was found that for 3 cups of Green Tea a week there was an even chance of cognitive decline, for 4 to 6 cups a week the risk of cognitive decline was 48% lower, and for 2 cups or more per day the risk of cognitive decline dropped by 64%. A higher intake of Green tea is associated with a lower prevalence of cognitive impairment in humans. The study was performed at Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan and is published in the February 2006 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.