TY - JOUR T1 - Supplementation with aged garlic extract improves both NK and γδ-T cell function and reduces the severity of cold and flu symptoms: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled nutrition intervention. AU - Nantz,Meri P, AU - Rowe,Cheryl A, AU - Muller,Catherine E, AU - Creasy,Rebecca A, AU - Stanilka,Joy M, AU - Percival,Susan S, Y1 - 2012/01/24/ PY - 2011/09/15/received PY - 2011/10/30/revised PY - 2011/11/24/accepted PY - 2012/1/28/entrez PY - 2012/1/28/pubmed PY - 2012/10/10/medline SP - 337 EP - 44 JF - Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland) JO - Clin Nutr VL - 31 IS - 3 N2 - BACKGROUND & AIMS: Earlier studies show that dietary bioactive compounds can modify proliferation of γδ-T cells. Garlic contains numerous compounds that have this potential and, in addition, has been shown to influence NK cell function. Our primary aim was to demonstrate that aged garlic extract could modify these immune cells. METHODS: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel intervention study recruited 120 healthy subjects (60 per group) to determine the effect of aged garlic extract supplementation (2.56 g/d) on immune cell proliferation and cold and flu symptoms. RESULTS: After 45 d of consuming an encapsulated aged garlic extract, γδ-T cells (p = 0.039, n = 56) and NK cells (p = 0.043, n = 56) were shown to proliferate better compared to placebo. After 90 d of supplementation, illness diary entries showed that the incidence of colds and flu, a secondary outcome, were not statistically different; however, the group consuming the aged garlic extract appeared to have reduced severity as noted by a reduction in the number of symptoms reported (21% fewer, p < 0.001, z-test of proportions), a reduction in the number of days (61% fewer, p < 0.001, z-test) and incidences (58% fewer p < 0.001, z-test) where the subjects functioned sub-optimally and the number of work/school days missed due to illness (58% fewer, p = 0.035, z-test). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that supplementation of the diet with aged garlic extract may enhance immune cell function and that this may be responsible, in part, for reduced severity of colds and flu. SN - 1532-1983 UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/22280901/Supplementation_with_aged_garlic_extract_improves_both_NK_and_γδ_T_cell_function_and_reduces_the_severity_of_cold_and_flu_symptoms:_a_randomized_double_blind_placebo_controlled_nutrition_intervention_ L2 - https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0261-5614(11)00231-7 DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -