Lose friends, save your joints

It seems that garlic, and other allium vegetables, such as onions and leeks, have the effect of preventing hip osteoarthritis. Scientists discovered this in a careful study of 1,000 twins in Britain.

They found that in those who consumed a healthy diet with a high intake of fruit and vegetables, particularly alliums such as garlic, there was less evidence of early osteoarthritis in the hip joint. They found that that a compound called diallyl disulphide limits the amount of cartilage-damaging enzymes when introduced to a human cartilage cell-line in the laboratory.

"While we don't yet know if eating garlic will lead to high levels of this component in the joint, these findings may point the way towards future treatments and prevention of hip osteoarthritis," said Dr. Frances Williams, lead author from the Department of Twin Research at King's College London.

Probably a good signal to buy stock in companies selling breath mints.