Curcumin: Turmeric’s Anti-Inflammatory Powerhouse?

Having been harvested and cultivated since 3,000 B.C., turmeric (Curcuma longa) has played an integral role in Eastern culture, especially in Indonesia and Southern India where it is native. Turmeric is part of the ginger family, and is most often found in powder form. The flavor can be described as peppery, bitter, with hints of orange and ginger. It is used in curry powder and is also used in mustard to give it that bright yellow hue.

What may have been long collecting dust in your cupboard is now hitting market shelves, and is becoming a mainstream ingredient. Turmeric tonics, turmeric smoothies, turmeric lattes, turmeric hot chocolate, turmeric yogurt and golden milk—a mixture of coconut milk or oil with turmeric—seem to be riding alongside kombucha on the popularity train. Turmeric also has become a very popular supplement, and is popping up on the shelves of health food stores and your local Walgreen's. Daily Mail has gone as far as to call it “Nature’s Wonder Drug,” but possibly for good reason.

According to Michael Murry, author of Encyclopedia of Healing Foods, Turmeric is still used in Chinese and Indian medicine as an anti-inflammatory agent, as well as for jaundice, menstruation difficulties, toothache, chest pain, and colic (521). Curcumin, which gives turmeric its yellow pigment, is the compound which also gives turmeric its healing and anti-inflammatory properties. According to Dr. Weil, a medical doctor, and also practitioner and teacher of integrative medicine, curcumin makes up between two and six percent of the spice.

What is Chronic Inflammation?

We often hear the words “chronic inflammation” and “dangerous” in the same sentence, but what exactly is chronic inflammation? Generally speaking, inflammation is when our body recognizes an invader such as bacteria or if there is an injury. Our immune system kicks in, and fights against harm. In this case, inflammation is good. Chronic inflammation, on the other hand, can be extremely harmful and cause chronic diseases. In Chronic inflammation, your immune system is turned on all of the time, and starts to attack healthy cells. Stress, obesity, increased sugar intake, alcohol consumption, and smoking tobacco all can cause chronic inflammation. Doctors can test for the level of inflammation by looking at the amount of C - reactive protein in a person’s blood. The higher the number, the more inflammation present.

Research

There is unquestionably not a lack of research which has been done and continues to be performed on curcumin. In PubMed.gov alone, 10,589 studies can be found when searching for the word “curcumin” in the article title. In the past 5 years alone, 5,580 studies have been published on the topic. In 2017, 19 articles have been published with both the words “inflammation” and “curcumin” in the title.

Several studies suggest curcumin may help to reduce inflammation and the symptoms of arthritis, and delay chronic disease. In one 2015 study, published in the journal Clinical Nutrition, researchers performed a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial on 117 study participants with metabolic syndrome. Each person was blindly given curcumin supplements daily for 8 weeks, along with piperine (black pepper) to help with absorption. At the end of the trial, the curcumin-piperine supplement group had reduced C-reactive protein levels when compared to the group which did not receive the supplement. A 2012 pilot clinical study published in the journal Phytotherapy Research provides the “first evidence for the safety and superiority of curcumin treatment in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis.” In a 2017 study published in the journal Molecular Medicine Reports, researchers found curcumin may be able to reduce the oxidative and inflammatory effects of particulate matter found in the air, which can produce cardiovascular illness. In a 2012 study, researchers found curcumin plays a role in the inhibition of inflammation in fat tissue, which may help improve insulin resistance and prevent the development of diabetes.

What We Still Do Not Know

While curcumin supplementation does look promising according to past and recent research, we still have much to learn. We need to learn more about absorption rates and how exactly it is processed in the body. Curcumin is also often administered with other substances, such as black pepper, to enhance its absorption, and we still need to figure out what it is best taken with for each ailment. We also need to learn more about dosage amount and timing.

Verdict

Evidence and research is growing on the effectiveness of curcumin in fighting inflammation and chronic disease. We still have a ways to go until we reach a definitive answer on its efficacy, but we are on the right path. Curcumin has minimal side effects when the appropriate dose is taken, is relatively low in cost, and easy to find. Curcumin can be found in a tincture, fluid, or as a powder in a capsule.

According to The University of Maryland Medical Center, the appropriate dosing is recommended for adults:

• Powder in a capsule : 400 to 600 mg, 3 times per day

• Fluid extract (1:1) 30 to 90 drops a day

• Tincture (1:2): 15 to 30 drops, 4 times per day

The University of Maryland Medical Center also notes if you are taking any of the below medications, you should speak to your health care provider first before taking curcumin:

Blood-thinning medications – Turmeric/Curcumin may strengthen the effects of these drugs, raising the risk of bleeding. Blood thinners include warfarin (Coumadin), clopidogrel (Plavix), and aspirin, among others.

Drugs that reduce stomach acid – Turmeric/Curcumin may interfere with the action of these drugs, increasing the production of stomach acid:

• Cimetidine (Tagamet)

• Famotidine (Pepcid)

• Ranitidine (Zantac)

• Esomeprazole (Nexium)

• Omeprazole (Prilosec)

• Lansoprazole (Prevacid)

Diabetes Medications – Turmeric/Curcumin may strengthen the effects of these drugs, increasing the risk of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).

Lastly, be sure the curcumin you are taking also includes black pepper or piperine, as curcumin cannot be absorbed on its own.

*Photo credit: www.drweil.com

References

Chandran, B., & Goel, A. (2012). A Randomized, Pilot Study to Assess the Efficacy and Safety of Curcumin in Patients with Active Rheumatoid Arthritis [Abstract]. Phytotherapy Research,26(11), 1719-1725. Accessed on September 1, 2017 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22407780. doi:10.1002/ptr.4639.

Curcumin - Scientific Review on Usage, Dosage, Side Effects. (2017, July 03). Retrieved September 01, 2017, from https://examine.com/supplements/curcumin/#how-to-take

Golden Milk | Anti-Inflammatory Golden Milk Recipe | Dr. Weil. (2017, July 27). Retrieved September 01, 2017, from https://www.drweil.com/diet-nutrition/anti-inflammatory-diet-pyramid/anti-inflammatory-golden-milk/

Murray, M. T., Pizzorno, J. E., & Pizzorno, L. (2006). The encyclopedia of healing foods. New York , NY: Atria Books.

Panahi, Y., Hosseini, M. S., Khalili, N., Naimi, E., Majeed, M., & Sahebkar, A. (2015). Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of curcuminoid-piperine combination in subjects with metabolic syndrome: A randomized controlled trial and an updated meta-analysis [Abstract]. Clinical Nutrition,34(6), 1101-1108. Accessed on September 1, 2017 from http://www.clinicalnutritionjournal.com/article/S0261-5614(15)00002-3/fulltext. doi:10.1016/j.clnu.2014.12.019.

Shao, W., Yu, Z., Chiang, Y., Yang, Y., Chai, T., Foltz, W., . . . Jin, T. (2012, January 9). Curcumin Prevents High Fat Diet Induced Insulin Resistance and Obesity via Attenuating Lipogenesis in Liver and Inflammatory Pathway in Adipocytes. Retrieved September 01, 2017, from http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0028784

Shi, J., Deng, H., & Zhang, M. (2017). Curcumin pretreatment protects against PM2.5‑induced oxidized low‑density lipoprotein‑mediated oxidative stress and inflammation in human microvascular endothelial cells [Abstract]. Molecular Medicine Reports,16(3), 2588-2594. Accessed on September 1, 2017 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28713935. doi:10.3892/mmr.2017.6935.

Turmeric vs. Curcumin - What's the Difference? (n.d.). Retrieved September 01, 2017, from http://www.curcuminforhealth.com/the-difference-between-turmeric-and-curcumin/

What is inflammation? (2017, February). Retrieved September 01, 2017, from https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-disease-overview/ask-the-doctor-what-is-inflammation