Key takeaways:
~ Curcumin is anti-inflammatory and decreases oxidative stress.
~ It inhibits TNF-alpha and decreases NF-kB.
~ Curcumin has been studied in a lot of human clinical trials with numerous beneficial outcomes.
~ It is not well absorbed, but absorption can be boosted in a couple of ways.
Members will see their genotype report below, plus additional solutions in the Lifehacks section. Consider joining today.
Talk with your doctor if you have any questions about supplements, especially if you are on prescription medications.
Benefits of curcumin:
Curcumin, a polyphenol found in turmeric, is a spice used in traditional Indian cuisine and in other areas of Asia as a drink. Turmeric is harvested from the rhizome of Curcuma longa, which is a member of the ginger family. It has a long history of use both as a spice and in traditional Ayurvedic medicine.
As a supplement, curcumin is well-studied, with randomized, placebo-controlled trials as well as tons of animal and cell studies.
The main effect of curcumin is a decrease in inflammation through a reduction in inflammatory cytokines. This decrease in inflammation impacts a variety of different chronic conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, NAFLD, and cognitive function.
Safety of Curcumin:
A new study looked into the reported liver injuries from 2004 to 2022 in the US. The researchers found that 10 of the liver injury cases over the last decade were attributed to turmeric combined with black pepper. Genetically, the researchers found that half of those 10 with liver injuries also carried a specific HLA type, HLA-B*35:01 (not found in 23andMe or AncestryDNA data). [ref]
While clinical trial data shows that curcumin is relatively safe, always keep in mind that any supplement could cause problems for some people.
Clinical trials using curcumin:
Hundreds of randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials have investigated the efficacy of curcumin for a variety of different conditions. Here are just a few of the trials:
Diabetes prevention:
A clinical trial that included 240 participants assessed the efficacy of curcumin for preventing diabetes. The participants all had prediabetes, and half of the group took a curcumin supplement (500 mg/3 times a day). After 9 months, almost 1/5 of the control group had progressed to diabetes, but none of the curcumin group had progressed. In fact, the curcumin-treated group had a decrease in HOMA-IR.[ref]
Related article: Read about diabetes and blood glucose genes
COVID-19:
A clinical trial with 80 participants tested nano-curcumin for the effect on cytokine production in COVID-19 patients. Nano-curcumin decreased IL-6 and IL-1B secretion, which may be important in severe cases of COVID-19.[ref]
Depression:
A randomized clinical trial showed curcumin (500 mg/2x per day) to be more effective than placebo for improving depression. The benefits were shown at 4 to 8 weeks after starting the supplement.[ref]
Related article: Depression and Inflammation (check to see if your genes make you more susceptible to depression or anxiety due to inflammatory cytokines)
Osteoarthritis:
A curcumin-phosphatidylcholine complex (Meriva) was effective in decreasing inflammatory markers and in decreasing joint pain.[ref] Another clinical trial found that curcumin (500mg / 3x per day) was as effective as diclofenac for osteoarthritis – but with fewer side effects.[ref]
NAFLD:
A clinical trial with 50 fatty liver disease patients found that 1500mg/day of curcumin significantly decreased liver fibrosis and inflammatory markers.[ref]
Related article: Fatty Liver Disease Genetic Risk Factor
PCOS:
This clinical trial included women with PCOS who were taking metformin. The addition of curcumin additionally decreased blood glucose levels as well as LDL cholesterol.[ref]
Related article: PCOS genes
Gulf War Illness:
A clinical trial looked at the effect of curcumin and several other natural supplements on the symptoms of Gulf War Illness. Only curcumin significantly reduced symptoms of GWI.[ref]
Related article: Genetic risk factors for Gulf War Illness
Schizophrenia:
As an adjunct to regular antipsychotic medication, the addition of nanocurcumin significantly improved psychiatric symptom scores.[ref]
Sarcopenia (muscle loss):
Muscle mass decline is a serious problem in the elderly. Curcumin supplementation increased handgrip strength and weight lifting strength compared to placebo.[ref]
Cognitive Performance:
Curcumin supplementation improved cognitive performance in middle-aged, overweight people.[ref]
Neuroinflammation:
A trial of curcumin plus fish oil showed a significant reduction in IL-1β levels.[ref]
Muscle pain after exercise:
In a clinical trial, curcumin supplementation reduced delayed-onset muscle pain after exercise.[ref]
Curcumin decreases chronic inflammation:
While the many human clinical trials show that curcumin is effective at reducing symptoms in chronic inflammatory conditions, cell and animal studies elucidate the mechanism of action:
IL-17 reduction:
Curcumin reduces IL-17 production through the induction of IDO (tryptophan enzyme in the kynurenine pathway).[ref]
Inflammatory cytokines:
A randomized clinical trial of curcumin (1g/day) in people with metabolic syndrome showed statistically significant reductions in TNF-α, IL-6, TGF-β, and MCP-1.[ref]
What are the side effects of curcumin?
Phase I clinical trials show that curcumin is safe at high doses of 12 g/day.[ref]
Anecdotally, curcumin at higher doses may give some people intestinal issues. Thus, keep an eye out for gastrointestinal side effects and cut back if needed.
Research shows that curcumin can stimulate the gall bladder.[ref] For someone with gallstones, this could cause issues.
Some research studies show that curcumin increases the excretion of oxalates in the urine.[ref] People who are prone to kidney stones may want to talk to their doctor about curcumin.
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Conclusion:
Curcumin is a well-studied natural supplement that has been tested in a myriad of clinical trials. It offers anti-inflammatory properties that may help with chronic diseases. There are many options for curcumin supplements, and you may find that experimenting with several types is the best way to find out what works for you.
Related articles and topics:
ABCB1 (P-glycoprotein): Response to Medications, HRT, and Environmental Toxins
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