Garlic, solution to fatigue

Stories by Sade Oguntola

Fatigue is typically the result of working, mental stress, jet lag or active recreation, depression, and also boredom, disease and lack of sleep. It may also be due to other chemical causes, such as poisoning or mineral or vitamin deficiencies.

The word fatigue is used in everyday life to describe a range of afflictions, varying from a general state of exhaustion in one’s muscles to inability to continue functioning at the level of one’s normal abilities.

In some cases when it is for a short period of time, it could be as result of minor infections like the common cold. On the other hand, when it is for six months or more, it may be a symptom of a large number of different diseases or conditions such a cancer, diabetes, arthritis, pregnancy and sleep deprivation or sleep disorders.

Basically if you have ruled out that the fatigue is not due to prolonged lack of sleep, it might be a good idea to try to use garlic to find a lasting solution to it.
Currently available data strongly suggest that garlic may be a promising anti-fatigue agent. According to researchers in the 2007 November edition of Molecular Nutrition Food Research, garlic produces improvement in persons with physical fatigue, systemic fatigue due to cold, or tiredness of indefinite cause, suggesting that garlic can resolve fatigue through a variety of actions in human.

Though it is still unclear how garlic treats fatigue, the researcher, suggested that it might be closely related to its many favourable biological and pharmacological effects. In addition, they declared that how the garlic is processed before it is used might affect its effectiveness in treating fatigue. They said that its most favourable form is the natural aging garlic whose reactive substance could be extracted using water-ethanol mixture.

Several studies in animals before now had also suggested the effectiveness of garlic diet in reducing exercise-induced fatigue One of such is that in rats by researchers from Duksung Women’s University, Seoul, Korea in the 2006 edition of Annals of Nutrition Metabolism. Ninety rats were fed either a control diet or a diet that contains different species of garlic and they found that the associated fatigue as a result of the exercise in those that took diets with garlic was reduced.

Aged garlic extract similarly received attention as a physically induced fatigue remedy in the 2006 edition of Biological & Pharmaceutical Bulletin. The researchers using rats found that the aged garlic extract ameliorated the physical fatigue by ensuring an improved the blood sugar level, soothe oxidative stress, and promoted oxygen supply to the important parts of the body that requires it, hence ameliorating the various damages associated with physical fatigue.

In other studies, aged garlic extract have improved physical strength following chemical and physical stresses, stress-induced low immunity and, stress induced activation of the peripheral sympathetic system. Further, intake of Aged Garlic Extract also showed a reduction in stress-induced ulcer formation.

Interestingly, several studies, including one undertaken at the Nihon University School of Medicine (Japan) also demonstrated that aged garlic had important anti-fatigue effects.

It should also be remembered that the World Health Organisation (WHO) recognised garlic’s effectiveness in “treating symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections.”

An impressive amount of research focused on garlic’s many health uses, including the treatment of diseases such as hypertension, diabetes and heart disease.

Standardised garlic powder tablets reduce the risk of stroke by up to 40 per cent and the risk of a heart attack by up to 25 per cent.

Researchers in a study published in the proceeding of the National Academy of Science said eating garlic appears to boost the body’s natural supply of hydrogen sulphide, a substance which acts as antioxidant and transmits cellular signals that relax blood vessels and increase blood flow.

In ancient Egypt and Rome, garlic was given to labourers and soldiers, probably to alleviate fatigue or to prompt recovery from physical exhaustion.

However, it is not practical to use raw garlic because it has various side effects such as anaemia, weight loss and growth reduction. Aged garlic extract is less irritating and toxic.

Moreover, AGE has been shown to be superior to raw garlic to enhance of physical strength and endurance. Aged Garlic Extract AGE is prepared by rinsing garlic cloves with purified water, slicing them, and then soaking them in a water–ethanol mixture, which was then naturally extracted/aged for more than 10 months at room temperature.

In tackling fatigue, it might also be helpful to lead a healthy life. This means a good diet, exercise and plenty of sleep. Vitamins and minerals are necessary for many of the body’s processes, and a healthy diet ensures your body can function at its best.

It may sound strange, but lack of exercise can increase feelings of fatigue. If you are not used to doing exercise, long walks are a good way to start. Exercise that involves all the major muscle groups such as swimming can be recommended.