A compound from aged garlic may help preserve muscle strength in old age, a study suggests.
An ageing population with muscle frailty in older people is increasing the healthcare burden worldwide. Scientists have been looking for possible drug candidates that could target aged tissues in the body and restore them to younger forms.
The new study found that S1PC, a compound in aged garlic, promotes communication between fat tissue, muscles and the brain, ultimately improving muscle strength with age.
The finding could lead to potential new supplements to improve muscle frailty in older people.
Kiyoshi Yoshioka, an author of the study, said: “We hope our findings will help improve fitness and muscle strength in older individuals by the simple inclusion of a nutraceutical as part of the daily diet.”
In the study, researchers found that S1PC triggered a cascade of changes in mice that led fat tissue to secrete the enzyme eNAMPT.
This enzyme promotes the production of NAD+ in muscle tissue, an essential molecule involved in cell protection, DNA repair and energy production.
The eNAMPT enzyme also travels through the bloodstream and acts on the brain’s hypothalamus, a region that helps regulate body functions, contributing to improved muscle function.
Shin-ichiro Imai, another author of the study, said: “Our findings present a previously unrecognised and unique function of S1PC.”
Through its actions, scientists said S1PC promotes communication between organs that “ameliorates muscle frailty”.
They said: “We anticipate that S1PC is likely to have a broader anti-ageing effect that warrants detailed investigation.”
Long-term administration of S1PC to mice reduced frailty scores and increased skeletal muscle force, the study found.
Aged garlic is part of several traditional medicine systems and has been consumed for generations with no reports of adverse events, suggesting a favourable safety profile, scientists noted.
Dr Imai said: “We have succeeded in expanding the current understanding of how different organs coordinate responses during ageing.
“Further research is needed to determine improvements in muscle function in humans and to evaluate the long-term effects of S1PC.
“The presence and possible role of LKB1 in the brain also needs evaluation.”