News Release

Conference To Focus On Garlic Health Benefits

Meeting Announcement

Penn State

University Park, Pa. --- Can consuming garlic improve cognition, protect against ulcers, or help prevent cancer and heart disease?

Researchers from around the world will meet Nov. 14 through 17 to consider such claims and more at an international conference on "Recent Advances on the Nutritional Benefits Accompanying the Use of Garlic as a Supplement" at the Marriott Newport Center, Newport Beach, Calif.

The conference is a continuing and distance education service of Penn State's College of Health and Human Development Department of Nutrition in cooperation with Wakunaga of America Co., Ltd. The conference is supported by Wakunaga, National Cancer Institute and Rexall-Sundown Inc.

Dr. John Milner, professor and head of Penn State's Department of Nutrition and conference director, says, "Garlic is widely touted around the world as an herb with nutritional benefits. It also has been the focus of attention as a food with potential health benefits. While the overall benefits of any food probably depends on a person's entire diet, the concept of functional foods, or foods that interact with specific organs in the body or reduce the risk of disease, is more than marketing strategy."

Researchers from universities and laboratories in the U.S., Australia, England, Japan and The Netherlands are scheduled to make presentations as well as representatives of the U.S. National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplement, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the U.S. Pharmacopoeia.

Sally Squire, health reporter at The Washington Post, also will be a speaker. She will discuss "The Media as a Promoter of Health."

A session will be devoted to new health claims associated with garlic, including improved cognition and protection against ulcer-causing bacteria. Other sessions will feature papers and discussion of garlic's preventive and therapeutic effects against heart disease and cancer. The conference will conclude with a session devoted to regulatory issues.

Editor's Note: A staffed press room will be available at the conference. There is no charge for registration, but reporters should register by contacting Barbara Hale of Penn State's Department of Public Information, at (814) 865-9481 or bah@psu.edu by email.

Contacts:
Barbara Hale (814) 865-9481 (o) (814) 238-0997 (h) bah@psu.edu
Vicki Fong (814) 865-9481 (o) (814) 238-1221 (h) vyf1@psu.edu

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