ARTHRITIS
Osteoarthritis (OA), which results from wear and tear on joints, commonly accompa- nies advancing age. At least three studies show curcumin products (specially formulated to enhance bioavail- ability) taken for two to three months reduce pain, improve function and minimize reliance on pain medications. In two studies of knee OA, curcumin worked on par with ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), the overuse of which can cause stomach upset and intestinal damage. Combining turmeric with other anti- inflammatory herbs, such as boswellia and ginger, also helps improve symptoms.
Curcumin also appears to ameliorate rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disorder. One study compared curcumin with the drug diclofenac (Voltaren) and found curcumin to be more effective.
CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE
In lab studies, curcumin lowers blood levels of cholesterol and tri- glycerides (blood fats); discourages oxidation of LDL cholesterol (a
chemical reaction that renders this cholesterol more harmful to the arteries); and inhibits platelets, thereby reduc- ing the risk of clots forming within blood vessels. One study found that taking 4 grams of curcuminoids a day for several days before and after coro- nary artery bypass sur- gery reduced the risk of in-hospital heart attack.
INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE IBD
Curcuminoids aren’t well absorbed from the intestinal tract, making them potentially useful against bowel inflamma- tion and colon cancer. IBD includes ulcerative colitis (an inflammatory condition of the large intestine) and Crohn’s disease (which primar- ily affects the end of the small intestine and the beginning of the large intestine). When people with ulcerative colitis added curcumin to conventional medica- tion, they extended their time to relapse. When a small group of children and teens 11 to 18 years old with IBD added curcumin to conven- tional medication, they all tolerated the combo well, and half of them improved significantly.
INDIGESTION & IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME IBS
Turmeric reduced indi- gestion after meals and improved symptoms of IBS, a condition characterized by abdominal pain, gas, bloating, diarrhea and constipation.
ORAL HEALTH
Turmeric gels and mouthwashes have been recommended to maintain oral health and combat conditions such as gingi- vitis (gum inflammation). A mouthwash containing turmeric was as effective as a conventional mouth- wash (chlorhexidine) at improving gingivitis and reducing bacterial levels in the mouth.
DIABETES
Curcumin acts in several ways to reduce blood glu- cose (sugar) levels. In one study, taking curcumin for three months reduced blood glucose in overweight and obese people with type 2 diabetes. In addition, curcumin supplements taken for nine months reduced the risk that people at high risk for type 2 diabetes actually developed the disease.
INFECTIONS
Turmeric is traditionally used to fight skin infections and dress wounds. Lab research shows a range of antimicrobial effects. In lab studies, curcumin inhibits a number of bacteria (including Staphylococcus
aureus, S. epidermidis, E. coli and Vibrio cholerae,
which causes cholera); viruses (influenza, para- influenza, herpes simplex virus 1 and 2, respiratory syncytial virus, human papilloma virus, hepatitis B and C viruses); and fungi (Cryptococcus neoformans,
Candida albicans and der-
matophytes, a group of fungi that can infect the skin). Test-tube studies show curcumin has activ- ity against methicillin- resistant Staphylococcus
aureus (MRSA) and acts
synergistically with several antibiotics. It may, however, interfere with the ability of ciprofloxacin (Cipro) to fight Salmonella infections. Mastitis, or inflamma- tion of the breast, plagues
one-third of breastfeed- ing women. A topical curcumin cream applied every eight hours for three days significantly eased breast pain and redness in a group of Iranian women with moderately severe mastitis.
PSORIASIS
In a study of 21 people with moderate-to-severe psoria- sis (a condition that causes patches of thickened, red skin with silvery scales), oral turmeric extract aug- mented visible light photo- therapy. In another study, a 1 percent curcumin gel resolved the plaques of pso- riasis faster than a conven- tional drug (calcipotriol).
BRAIN DISEASES
Compared with the U.S., the occurrence of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is relatively low in India (specifically, 4 percent of people 80 years and older in a region of India versus almost 16 percent in north- western Pennsylvania), where turmeric is a ubiq- uitous spice. In lab stud- ies, curcumin inhibits the formation of beta-amyloid (a misshapen protein that gums up the spaces between brain cells in AD). Experiments also suggest curcumin may help protect against Parkinson’s disease and inhibit the growth of brain tumors.
Human brain studies are scarce. In one of the Turmeric comes from the
rhizome. To make it into a spice, the raw turmeric is boiled then dried.
few conducted, a group of people older than 60 with prediabetes ingested turmeric with breakfast and saw enhanced working mem- ory. (Diabetes and prediabetes increase the risk of cognitive impair- ment, including reduced memory, problem-solving skills and ability to concentrate.) However, when 30 people with AD consumed 2 or 4 grams a day of curcumin for a year, they didn’t get better.
ANTICANCER EFFECTS
This area is a hotbed of curcumin research. “Curcumin possesses immense anticancer effects,” Bandyopadhyay says. “In a number of lab studies on various types of cancer, it prevents tumor formation, growth, invasion and metastasis [spread through blood and lymph].” It also inhibits the creation of new blood vessels that feed the tumor and stimulates cancer cells to die.
Plus, chemicals in turmeric (curcuminoids and turmerones) enhance immune system function. One of the immune system’s jobs, in addition to combating infectious organisms, is to destroy cancer cells.
Lab experiments show combining curcumin with some chemother- apy drugs and radiation treatment improves outcomes. In addition, curcumin may counteract the resistance that cancer cells often develop to chemotherapy. Tempering these exciting research findings is the fact that most of the research involves cultures of cancer cells and animals with cancer.
A July 2015 study noted that 12 clinical trials were in progress, mainly in people with colon and pancreatic cancer. Here are highlights from already-published human trials.
Q A study of people at high risk for various cancers found
they tolerated up to 8 grams a day (at which point they started balking at swallowing more capsules). In a number of cases, precancerous lesions improved.
Q Supplemental curcumin enhanced quality of life and reduced
inflammation in people with a variety of cancers.
Q In 160 people with several types of cancer, a relatively low dose
of a product with improved bioavailability (Meriva) reduced side effects due to standard chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
Q Curcumin supplements may help stabilize disease in people
with colon cancer.
Q In smokers (a group at risk for cancer of the colon and other sites),
4 grams a day of curcumin significantly reduced precancerous lesions in the colon and rectum.
Q A preliminary study in women with advanced breast cancer
found up to 6 grams a day of curcumin tolerable in combination with the chemotherapeutic drug docetaxel. Furthermore, the combo produced encouraging results.
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