Garlic isn’t only delicious — it may reduce inflammation from joint pain. That’s thanks to the anti-inflammatory sulfur compounds found in garlic. Garlic is part of the genus Allium, which is known for its production of organosulfur compounds. When extracted and isolated, these compounds have a broad spectrum of benefits. The potential effects of garlic on longevity are basically impossible to prove in humans. But given the beneficial effects on important risk factors like blood pressure, it makes sense that garlic could help you live longer. The fact that it can fight infectious disease is also an important factor, because these are common causes of death, especially in the elderly or people with dysfunctional immune systems.
Garlic was one of the earliest "performance enhancing" substances. It was traditionally used in ancient cultures to reduce fatigue and enhance the work capacity of laborers. Most notably, it was given to Olympic athletes in ancient Greece. Rodent studies have shown that garlic helps with exercise performance, but very few human studies have been done. People with heart disease who took garlic oil for 6 weeks had a 12% reduction in peak heart rate and better exercise capacity.
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