10 Proven Health Benefits of Turmeric and Curcumin

2. Curcumin is a natural anti-inflammatory compound ... Inflammation is incredibly important. It helps fight foreign invaders and has a role in repairing damage ... HealthConditionsDiscoverPlanConnectShopSubscribeNutritionHealthyEatingMealPrepVitamins&SupplementsLifestyleDietsWeightManagementConditionsProductsNutritionEvidenceBased10ProvenHealthBenefitsofTurmericandCurcuminWrittenbyKrisGunnars,BSc—MedicallyreviewedbyKathyW.Warwick,R.D.,CDE,Nutrition—UpdatedonMay10,2021Thespiceknownasturmericmaybethemosteffectivenutritionalsupplementinexistence.Manyhigh-qualitystudiesshowthatturmerichasmajorbenefitsforyourbodyandbrain.Manyofthesebenefitscomefromitsmainactiveingredient,curcumin.Readontolearnwhatthesciencesaysaboutturmericandcurcuminaswellastheirbenefits.Whatareturmericandcurcumin?Turmericisthespicethatgivescurryitsyellowcolor.IthasbeenusedinIndiaforthousandsofyearsasbothaspiceandmedicinalherb.Recently,sciencehasstartedtobackuptraditionalclaimsthatturmericcontainscompoundswithmedicinalproperties(1).Thesecompoundsarecalledcurcuminoids.Themostimportantoneiscurcumin.Curcuministhemainactiveingredientinturmeric.Ithaspowerfulanti-inflammatoryeffectsandisaverystrongantioxidant.Herearethetop10evidence-basedhealthbenefitsofturmericandcurcumin.1.TurmericcontainsbioactivecompoundswithmedicinalpropertiesHowever,thecurcumincontentofturmericisn’tthathigh.It’saround3%,byweight(2).Mostofthestudiesonthisherbuseturmericextractsthatcontainmostlycurcuminitself,withdosagesusuallyexceeding1gramperday.Itwouldbeverydifficulttoreachtheselevelsjustusingturmericasaspiceinyourfoods.That’swhysomepeoplechoosetousesupplements.However,curcuminispoorlyabsorbedintoyourbloodstream.Inordertoexperiencethefulleffectsofcurcumin,itsbioavailability(therateatwhichyourbodyabsorbsasubstance)needstoimprove(3).Ithelpstoconsumeitwithblackpepper,whichcontainspiperine.Piperineisanaturalsubstancethatenhancestheabsorptionofcurcuminby2,000%(4).Infact,thebestcurcuminsupplementscontainpiperine,andthismakesthemsubstantiallymoreeffective.Curcuminisalsofatsoluble,whichmeansitbreaksdownanddissolvesinfatoroil.That’swhyitmaybeagoodideatotakecurcuminsupplementswithamealthat’shighinfat.SummaryTurmericcontainscurcumin,asubstancewithpowerfulanti-inflammatoryandantioxidantproperties.Moststudiesuseturmericextractsthatarestandardizedtoincludelargeamountsofcurcumin.2.Curcuminisanaturalanti-inflammatorycompoundInflammationisincrediblyimportant.Ithelpsfightforeigninvadersandhasaroleinrepairingdamageinyourbody.Althoughacute,short-terminflammationisbeneficial,itcanbeaconcernifitbecomeschronicandattacksyourbody’sowntissues.Scientistsnowbelievethatchroniclow-levelinflammationcanplayaroleinsomehealthconditionsanddiseases.Theseinclude(5,6,7):heartdiseasecancermetabolicsyndromeAlzheimer’sdiseasevariousdegenerativeconditionsThat’swhyanythingthatcanhelpfightchronicinflammationispotentiallyimportantinpreventingandhelpingtreattheseconditions.Whilethetopicofinflammationismultilayeredandthere’slikelynosimpleanswer,thekeytakeawayregardingcurcuministhatitisabioactivesubstancethatcanfightinflammation.However,veryhighdosesarerequiredtoproducemedicinalresults(8,9,10).SummaryChronicinflammationcontributestosomecommonhealthconditions.Curcumincansuppressmanymoleculesknowntoplaymajorrolesininflammation,butitsbioavailabilityneedstobeenhanced.3.TurmericcanincreasetheantioxidantcapacityofthebodyOxidativedamageisbelievedtobeoneofthemechanismsbehindagingandmanydiseases.Itinvolvesfreeradicals,highlyreactivemoleculeswithunpairedelectrons.Freeradicalstendtoreactwithimportantorganicsubstances,suchasfattyacids,proteins,orDNA.Themainreasonantioxidantsaresobeneficialisthattheyprotectyourbodyfromfreeradicals.Curcuminisapotentantioxidantthatcanneutralizefreeradicalsduetoitschemicalstructure(11).Inaddition,animalandcellularstudiessuggestthatcurcuminmayblocktheactionoffreeradicalsandmaystimulatetheactionofotherantioxidants.Furtherclinicalstudiesareneededinhumanstoconfirmthesebenefits(12).SummaryWhilecurcuminhasantioxidanteffects,morestudiesareneededtoconfirmthesebenefits.4.Curcumincanboostbrain-derivedneurotrophicfactorBeforescientistshadabetterunderstandingofneurons,itwasbelievedthattheyweren’tabletodivideandmultiplyafterearlychildhood.However,theynowknowthatisn’tthecase.Neuronsarecapableofformingnewconnections,andincertainareasofthebraintheycanmultiplyandincreaseinnumber.Oneofthemaindriversofthisprocessisbrain-derivedneurotrophicfactor(BDNF).Thisisagenethat’sinvolvedinmakingaproteinresponsibleforpromotingthelifeofneurons.TheBDNFproteinplaysaroleinmemoryandlearning,anditcanbefoundinareasofthebrainresponsibleforeating,drinking,andbodyweight(13,14).ManycommonbraindisordershavebeenlinkedtodecreasedlevelsofBDNFprotein,includingdepressionandAlzheimer’sdisease(15,16).Interestingly,animalstudieshavefoundthatcurcuminmayincreasebrainlevelsofBDNF(17,18).Bydoingthis,itmaybeeffectiveindelayingorevenreversingmanybraindiseasesandage-relateddecreasesinbrainfunction.Still,sincethesestudieswereperformedinanimals,it’shardtosaywhattheresultsmeanforhumans(19,20).Itmayalsohelpimprovememoryandattention,whichseemslogicalgivenitseffectsonBDNFlevels.However,morestudiesareneededtoconfirmthis(21).SummaryCurcuminboostslevelsofthebrainhormoneBDNF,whichincreasesthegrowthofnewneuronsandmayhelpfightvariousdegenerativeprocessesinyourbrain.5.CurcuminmayloweryourriskofheartdiseaseHeartdiseaseisthenumberonecauseofdeathintheworld(22).Researchershavestudieditformanydecadesandlearnedalotaboutwhyithappens.Unsurprisingly,heartdiseaseisincrediblycomplicatedandvariousthingscontributetoit.Curcuminmayhelpreversemanystepsintheheartdiseaseprocess(23,24).Perhapsthemainbenefitofcurcuminwhenitcomestoheartdiseaseisimprovingthefunctionoftheendothelium,theliningofyourbloodvessels(25).Theendothelialdysfunctionisamajordriverofheartdisease.Thisiswhenyourendotheliumisunabletoregulatebloodpressure,bloodclotting,andvariousotherfactors(26).Severalstudiessuggestthatcurcumincanleadtoimprovementsinhearthealth(27,28).Additionally,onestudyfoundthatit’saseffectiveasexerciseinpost-menopausalwomen(29).Inaddition,curcumincanhelpreduceinflammationandoxidation(asdiscussedabove),whichcanplayaroleinheartdisease.Inonestudyof121peopleundergoingcoronaryarterybypasssurgery,researchersassignedthemeitheraplaceboor4gramsofcurcuminperdayafewdaysbeforeandafterthesurgery.Thecurcumingrouphada65%decreasedriskofexperiencingaheartattackinthehospital(30).SummaryCurcuminhasbeneficialeffectsonseveralfactorsknowntoplayaroleinheartdisease.Plus,it’sananti-inflammatoryagentandantioxidant.6.TurmericmayhelppreventcancerCancerisadisease,characterizedbyuncontrolledcellgrowth.Therearemanydifferentformsofcancerthatappeartobeaffectedbycurcuminsupplements(31).Curcuminhasbeenstudiedasabeneficialherbincancertreatmentandbeenfoundtoaffectcancergrowthanddevelopment(32).Studieshaveshownthatitcan(33,34):contributetothedeathofcancerouscellsreduceangiogenesis(growthofnewbloodvesselsintumors)reducemetastasis(spreadofcancer)Whetherhigh-dosecurcumin—preferablywithanabsorptionenhancerlikepiperine—canhelptreatcancerinhumanshasyettobestudiedproperly.However,thereisevidencethatitmaypreventcancerfromoccurringinthefirstplace,especiallycancersofthedigestivesystemlikecolorectalcancer(35).Ina30-daystudyin44menwithlesionsinthecolonthatsometimesturncancerous,4gramsofcurcuminperdayreducedthenumberoflesionsby40%(36).SummaryCurcuminleadstoseveralchangesonthemolecularlevelthatmayhelppreventandperhapseventreatcancer.7.CurcuminmaybeusefulintreatingAlzheimer’sdiseaseAlzheimer’sdiseaseisthemostcommonformofdementiaandmaycontributetoup70%ofdementiacases(37).Whiletreatmentexitsforsomeofitssymptoms,thereisnocureforAlzheimer’syet.That’swhypreventingitfromoccurringinthefirstplaceissoimportant.Theremaybegoodnewsonthehorizonbecausecurcuminhasbeenshowntocrosstheblood-brainbarrier(38).It’sknownthatinflammationandoxidativedamageplayaroleinAlzheimer’sdisease,andcurcuminhasbeneficialeffectsonboth(39).Inaddition,akeyfeatureofAlzheimer’sdiseaseisabuildupofproteintanglescalledamyloidplaques.Studiesshowthatcurcumincanhelpcleartheseplaques(40).WhethercurcumincansloworevenreversetheprogressionofAlzheimer’sdiseaseinpeopleiscurrentlyunknownandneedstobestudied.SummaryCurcumincancrosstheblood-brainbarrierandhasbeenshowntoleadtovariousimprovementsinthepathologicalprocessofAlzheimer’sdisease.8.ArthritispatientsrespondwelltocurcuminsupplementsArthritisisacommonprobleminWesterncountries.Thereareseveraldifferenttypesofarthritis,mostofwhichinvolveinflammationinthejoints.Giventhatcurcuminisapotentanti-inflammatorycompound,itmakessensethatitmayhelpwitharthritis.Infact,severalstudiesshowthatthereisanassociation.Inastudyinpeoplewithrheumatoidarthritis,curcuminwasevenmoreeffectivethanananti-inflammatorydrug(41).Mayotherstudieshavelookedattheeffectsofcurcuminonarthritisandnotedimprovementsinvarioussymptoms(42).SummaryArthritisisacommondisordercharacterizedbyjointinflammation.Manystudiesshowthatcurcumincanhelptreatsymptomsofarthritisandis,insomecases,moreeffectivethananti-inflammatorydrugs.9.CurcuminhasbenefitsagainstdepressionCurcuminhasshownsomepromiseintreatingdepression.Inacontrolledtrial,60peoplewithdepressionwererandomizedintothreegroups(43).OnegrouptookProzac,anothergrouptook1gramofcurcumin,andthethirdgrouptookbothProzacandcurcumin.After6weeks,curcuminhadledtoimprovementssimilartothoseofProzac.ThegroupthattookbothProzacandcurcuminfaredbest(44).Accordingtothissmallstudy,curcuminisaseffectiveasanantidepressant.DepressionisalsolinkedtoreducedlevelsofBDNFandashrinkinghippocampus,abrainareawitharoleinlearningandmemory.CurcumincanhelpboostBDNFlevels,potentiallyreversingsomeofthesechanges(45).There’salsosomeevidencethatcurcumincanboostthebrainneurotransmittersserotoninanddopamine(46,47).SummaryAstudyin60peoplewithdepressionshowedthatcurcuminwasaseffectiveasProzacinalleviatingsymptomsofthecondition.10.Curcuminmayhelpdelayagingandfightage-relatedchronicdiseasesIfcurcumincanreallyhelppreventheartdisease,cancer,andAlzheimer’s,itmayhavebenefitsforlongevityaswell.Thissuggeststhatcurcuminmayhavepotentialasananti-agingsupplement(48).Giventhatoxidationandinflammationarebelievedtoplayaroleinaging,curcuminmayhaveeffectsthatgowaybeyondjustpreventingdisease(49).SummaryDuetoitsmanypositivehealtheffects,suchasthepotentialtopreventheartdisease,Alzheimer’s,andcancer,curcuminmayaidlongevity.ThebottomlineTurmeric—andespeciallyitsmostactivecompound,curcumin—havemanyscientificallyprovenhealthbenefits,suchasthepotentialtoimprovehearthealthandpreventagainstAlzheimer’sandcancer.It’sapotentanti-inflammatoryandantioxidant.Itmayalsohelpimprovesymptomsofdepressionandarthritis.Whilethesebenefitsarepossible,theyarelimitedatthistimebecauseofcurcumin’sscarcebioavailability,andmoreresearchisneeded.LastmedicallyreviewedonMay10,2021Howwevettedthisarticle:HistoryTeamOurexpertscontinuallymonitorthehealthandwellnessspace,andweupdateourarticleswhennewinformationbecomesavailable.May10,2021Thearticlewasupdatedwithadditionalinformationtoensureitprovidesourreaderswithacomprehensiveoverviewofthetopic.Thearticlewasupdatedwithcurrentverifiedsourcesandlinkstorelevantinformation.Healthline’scontentiscreated,fact-checked,andreviewedbyqualifiedwriters,editors,clinicians,andothercontributors.KathyW.Warwick,R.D.,CDEMedicalReviewerKathyWarwickisaregistereddietitianandcertifieddiabetescareandeducationspecialistwithmorethan35yearsofexperienceinawidevarietyof…ReadfullbioKrisGunnars,BScAuthorKrisGunnarshasabachelor’sdegreeinmedicinefromtheUniversityofIceland.Nutritionishispassionandhisarticlesonnutritionandhealthhavebeen…ReadfullbioCherylS.GrantEditorSharethisarticleFEEDBACK:WrittenbyKrisGunnars,BSc—MedicallyreviewedbyKathyW.Warwick,R.D.,CDE,Nutrition—UpdatedonMay10,2021ReadthisnextTurmericandOtherAnti-InflammatorySpicesMedicallyreviewedbyGeorgeKrucik,MD,MBACertainherbsandspicesareknowntohaveanti-inflammatoryproperties.Learnaboutthepowerofturmeric,ginger,cinnamon,garlic,cayenne,cloves…READMORETurmericvsCurcumin:WhichShouldYouTake?WrittenbySharonO'BrienMS,PGDipTurmericcontainsmanyplantsubstances,butcurcuministhemostpowerful.Thisarticlelooksatthebenefitsofandkeydifferencesbetweenturmeric…READMOREWhatIsTurmericTea?7UniqueBenefitsWrittenbyCeciliaSnyder,MS,RDLearnaboutturmericteabenefits,whoshoulddrinkit,andhowtomakeitathome.READMORE10BenefitsofGolden(Turmeric)MilkandHowtoMakeItWrittenbyAlinaPetre,MS,RD(NL)Goldenmilk—alsoknownasturmericmilk—isahotIndiandrinkmadewithmilkandvariousspices.Hereare10science-basedbenefitsofgoldenmilk…READMORETurmericforSkin:BenefitsandRisksMedicallyreviewedbyDebraSullivan,Ph.D.,MSN,R.N.,CNE,COIForhundredsofyears,peoplearoundtheworldhavebeenusingturmericforitshealingpropertiesandcosmeticbenefits.Researchshowsthatit'sa…READMOREWhatIsJapaneseKnotweed,andShouldYouTryIt?WrittenbyJillianKubala,MS,RDHaveyoueverwonderedifherbslikeJapaneseknotweedareashealthyasadvertised?Thisarticleexploresthebenefitsandpotentialdownsidesof…READMORETheTop11HealthBenefitsofSeaBuckthornOilWrittenbyAlinaPetre,MS,RD(NL)Seabuckthornoilhaslongbeenusedintraditionalmedicineandmayprovidenumeroushealthbenefits.Hereare11science-backedbenefitsofsea…READMOREPeyote101MedicallyreviewedbyAlanCarter,Pharm.D.SomeindigenouspopulationsacrosstheAmericasbelievepeyotehasmedicalproperties,butitsuseoutsideofritualcontextsisillegalintheUnited…READMOREHorsetail:Benefits,Uses,andSideEffectsWrittenbyArianeLang,BSc,MBAHorsetailhasbeenusedasanherbalremedyforcenturies,mainlyforskin,hair,nail,andurinaryconditions.Thisarticlereviewsthebenefits…READMOREWhatIsNigellaSativa?Forms,Nutrients,andHealthEffectsWrittenbyAlinaPetre,MS,RD(NL)Nigellasativaisamedicinalherbusedincookingandtraditionalmedicine.Thisarticleexploresitsforms,benefits,andpotentialdownsides.READMORE