Turmeric is a spice used around the world and is commonly thought of in conjunction with curries. We also know that turmeric may be one of the most effective nutritional supplements as it contains compounds called curcuminoids, which are known to have medicinal properties. The most important of these is curcumin, a polyphenol which gives turmeric its golden color. It has powerful anti-inflammatory properties, and is a strong antioxidant.
The most commonly known benefit of turmeric is its anti-inflammatory effects. Turmeric contains more than two dozen anti-inflammatory compounds, including multiple COX-2 inhibitors. These COX-2 enzymes promote pain, swelling, and inflammation in the body. We know that chronic, low-level inflammation plays a major role in almost every western disease. This includes heart disease, arthritis, cancer, metabolic syndrome, Alzheimer’s and various degenerative conditions. There are a multitude of studies exploring the benefits of curcumin and turmeric. We've linked some of these studies below each category if you would like to further your research.
http://69.164.208.4/files/Anti-inflammatory%20Properties%20of%20Curcumin,%20a%20Major%20Constituent%20of%20Curcuma%20longa:%20A%20Review%20of%20Preclinical%20and%20Clinical%20Research.pdf
Curcumin acts against oxidative and inflammatory responses generated during depression. It increases the level of neurotrophic factors (NTFs) that are responsible for the growth and survival of nerve cells, and has been found to modulate neurotransmitter levels in the brain. NTFs are peptides and small proteins that support the growth of neurons in the brain.
Depression is linked to reduced levels of NTFs, as well as a shrinking hippocampus, which is responsible for learning and memory. Curcumin has been found to boost BNDF levels (Brain-derived neurotrophic factor). BDNF is a member of the neurotrophin family of growth factors, which are related to the canonical Nerve Growth Factor. This boost in BNDF has been found to reverse the reduction of NTFs and enhance activity in the hippocampus. There is also evidence that curcumin can boost the brain neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23832433
https://www.hindawi.com/journals/tswj/2009/624894/abs/
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00213-008-1300-y
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0014299905006230
While studies in humans are still in the early stages, many animal-based studies have shown evidence that curcumin is a powerful agent in fighting cancer. These studies are exploring curcumin with respect to many forms of cancer including bone, breast, colon, liver, pancreatic, stomach, bladder, kidney, prostate, leukemia, ovarian, and melanoma. Curcumin does this by interfering with several important molecular pathways involved in cancer growth and development. It has been found to reduce the growth of new blood vessels in tumors, thus shrinking them, and reducing the occurrence of metastasis (spread of cancer). There is also evidence that curcumin may reduce the risk of cancers forming in the first place.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18462866
http://www.eurekaselect.com/70722/article
http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/59/3/597.short
India has the lowest rate of dementia in the world. The prevalence of Alzheimer's disease among Americans aged 70-79 is roughly 5 times higher than Indian adults in the same age bracket. A number of studies have attributed this to the dietary intake of turmeric and curcumin.
Curcumin enhances healthy immune system activity. It does this by strengthening the action of macrophages, an essential facet of our immune system. Macrophages are a type of white blood cell which engulf and digest cellular debris, foreign substances, microbes, cancer cells etc.
Alzheimer's patients have also been found to have trouble clearing a specific form of debris, called amyloid plaques, in affected areas of their brain. Amyloid plaques build up on the outside of neurons in the brain. As curcumin enhances the function of macrophages, these amyloid plaques can be cleared more quickly aiding in the fight against Alzheimer's disease.
Another indication of in Alzheimer’s disease is chronic inflammation in the brain and a buildup of pro-inflammatory substances. As we have seen repeatedly, the main effect of curcumin is to reduce inflammation by lowering pro-inflammatory response.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1702408/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2781139/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3253025/
Curcumin is beneficial in fighting arthritis due to the anti-inflammatory properties we've repeatedly mentioned. It blocks the metabolic pathways responsible for inflammation and pain inducing compounds. This in turn aids in regulating inflammation and pain associated with arthritis. Curcumin also acts as an antioxident by eliminating free radicals and other toxic chemicals that cause damage to our healthy cell membranes. Fighting cell damage is helpful in arthritis management and treatment.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22407780
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2533857/
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ptr.4639/full
We have included a couple of recipes below to add turmeric to your diet. It is important to note that turmeric has a relatively low concentration of curcumin (roughly 3%), so you would need to add a lot of it to your regular diet to achieve these health benefits. We do offer a high-quality, concentrated liquid supplement to boost your curcumin intake.
Check with Dr Petropulos and Dr Grable before supplementing your diet if you are pregnant or breastfeeding or if you suffer from gallstones or kidney stones.
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