Eating foods that contain garlic can reduce the problems of memory decline and cognitive abilities associated with aging, according to a US study.
The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Louisville and presented at the annual conference of the American Physiological Society, which was held from April 6-9 in Florida.
The researchers explained that they found that eating garlic helps to reduce age-related changes in beneficial intestinal bacteria associated with memory problems.
According to the study, there are billions of living bodies in the human body, and research shows that these types of bacteria affect our immune system, and also have a role in autoimmune, which is produced directly automatically when some diseases or sensitivities.
The beneficial intestinal bacteria end up in the human abdomen a few months after birth and are associated with it throughout its life. It plays a key role in digesting the food contents and maintaining the biological balance between the different bacterial groups that settle in the intestines.
The researchers found that beneficial intestinal bacteria play an important role in the disposal of food waste, and help to absorb some minerals and vitamins, and also produces a substance that mimics the work of antibiotics and its goal to fight harmful bacteria and diseases that attack the body.
In a study of older mice aged 56 to 69 years, the researchers found that the benefits of garlic in the fight against memory decline are due to the fact that it contains the "algin sulphide" compound, a compound known for its health benefits.
The researchers found that mice who took supplements containing the "allele sulfide" compound improved their short- and long-term memory levels, especially spatial memory, compared to those who did not.
The leader of the research team Giutermaya Bihra said garlic can help maintain the diversity of microorganisms in the intestine and improve the cognitive health of older people.
The decline in the diversity of beneficial intestinal bacteria in the intestines of the elderly is associated with the development of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, and these diseases are accompanied by a decline in memory and cognitive abilities.