Turmeric / curcumin real or fake

Grnhouse

I'm looking to try for some anti inflammatory issues, but wondering if the reviews and research is beneficial or not. Have people tried it? If so, how would you rate on a scale from 1 to 5. 1 being not effective to 5 being very effective. Thanks.

jgnatca

So you are researching by collecting random testimonials?

I have turmeric in my spice arsenal because it makes some foods tastier and yellow.

Alatariel75

I also recommend actual research.

rheddmobile

I'm a diabetic, and I've tried using normal turmeric, not extracts, since some research indicates it helps with insulin sensitivity. It requires oil to be absorbed properly, and the addition of a compound found in black pepper increases bioavailability, so I added 1/2 tbsp to salad dressing daily for about a month. It certainly didn't hurt me in any way, and my glucose levels were fine while taking it, but I didn't notice a huge difference. I got bored with it and stopped and haven't noticed a big difference either way.

Grnhouse

jgnatca wrote: »

So you are researching by collecting random testimonials?

I have turmeric in my spice arsenal because it makes some foods tastier and yellow.

I've been doing research online and thought to Ask mfp community.

forensicanthropology

the research I have looked at shows there is almost zero benefit in taking the supplements but there is some benefit to taking it from the root. Also, my friend put turmeric powder on a nasty kettle steam burn she had and it helped the healing immensely. It healed quickly and with hardly any scar tissue at all.

crackpotbaby

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3535097/

crackpotbaby

Conclusions of the clinical review link posted above. There is a great deal of specific peer reviewed clinical research data in the body of the paper if you care to read the whole thing.

CONCLUSIONS
Subsequent to the first seminal paper published in 1949 in Nature, numerous preclinical studies have provided a solid basis for examining curcumin’s efficacy against human diseases. As discussed in this review, curcumin has shown therapeutic potential against a number of human diseases. Common to all of these studies have been the safety, tolerability, and non-toxicity of this polyphenol, even at doses up to 8 g per day. The underlying mechanism for curcumin’s clinical efficacy seems to be modulation of numerous signaling molecules. However, because of the complex nature of the diseases, the underlying mechanism in many cases remains unclear.

From the findings of the completed clinical trials, it may seem that curcumin’s clinical efficacy is too good to be true. However, this polyphenol has not yet been approved for human use. Poor bioavailability and limited adverse effects reported by some investigators are a major limitation to the therapeutic utility of curcumin. We hope that the results from ongoing clinical trials will provide a deeper understanding of curcumin’s therapeutic potential and will help to place this fascinating molecule at the fore front of novel therapeutics.

lemurcat12

jgnatca wrote: »

So you are researching by collecting random testimonials?

I have turmeric in my spice arsenal because it makes some foods tastier and yellow.

Me too. I have some recipes that call for it and I will use it when it seems to work with the flavors I am consuming. I don't really believe in consuming spices as medicine vs. as an integral part of cooking, and always find the appetite for that odd, but I'd recommend experimenting with it if you want to see if it works for you.

I can't say, since I've always used it in cooking some and am not aware of any issues with inflammation (which seems to me to be used more often than not to mean nothing really in particular -- it's the current catch-all problem). But try it and see.

RuNaRoUnDaFiEld

I tried it, didn't see any benefit from it.

Unknown

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timtam163

I'd use it as was traditionally intended; i.e. as a spice, in conjunction/balance with other spices, to make food tastier. I doubt it's got any benefit in higher concentrations than that.

Grnhouse

Grnhouse wrote: »

I'm looking to try for some anti inflammatory issues, but wondering if the reviews and research is beneficial or not. Have people tried it? If so, how would you rate on a scale from 1 to 5. 1 being not effective to 5 being very effective. Thanks.

Thanks all I believe I have enough to go n. Mfp rocks!

troika33

Been taking tablets ever day for 3 weeks would recommend it my ankle is a lot better pain not completely gone but so much better I will keep on taking

Carlos_421

https://examine.com/supplements/curcumin/

lessismoreohio

My wife has arthritis and gets much relief from turmeric based tablets. I take the tablets and they help, but I had to cut back from the recommended dosage because I was getting heart palpitations at night that I believe were related to the turmeric (note palpitations ceased when I cut dose by 2/3).

stanmann571

Between fish oil, glucosamine/chondroitin, Boswellia, Cinnamon, and Curcumin, I get a moderate amount of relief.

I cannot take conventional NSAIDS(Asprin/Ibuprophen family) because they exacerbate my reflux.

hale03071

There are a studies that show it is effective, but not in normal everyday sprinkle it on your food dosage...you have to take supplements that are extracts and condensed. Also look into collagen supplements or chaga mushroom extract for helping with inflammation.

MostlyWater

I don't know. I add it to my smoothies. I don't think it hurts.

Jancandoit7

You may also want to check out Black Seed oil- I get the brand "Amazing Herbs" - it's great for inflammation as well as lots of other things- but please note, this stuff tastes REALLY disgusting! I started with the straight oil and had to switch to capsules because the taste was so gross-

aeloine

Science Vs. did an episode on this.

Fun fact: Spices like that have been shown to have an effect as high as 6 lbs.... if you added them to every meal for like 5 years. The increase in metabolic rate is TINY and TEMPORARY.

I'd assume it's pretty much the same. Cultures that eat those spices eat them pretty regularly. So they may have less inflammation.

shaumom

The research on turmeric is only so-so. One of the big ones, mentioned above, is a study looking at curcumin in Turmeric that has noted it's lack of bioavailability in water, and also low levels of absorption in the human body.

But that runs into a pretty common problem when modern researchers look at plant based remedies - they prefer to extract certain components rather than look at the plant as a whole (or whatever part of the plant is traditionally used for a remedy - in the case of turmeric, it's actually the entire plant, not just the root, in areas of the world where it grows). And in the past, more than once it has been found that a medicinal compound utilized NOT extracted was more effective than the chemical alone extracted from the plant. And many times, researchers still haven't figured out why.

Or basically, to boil it down - we don't have complete research on turmeric yet.

However, I do know it doesn't HURT most people to add more turmeric to your diet.

And that it, like pretty much all herbs and spices and aromatics, has bioflavonoids.

And just for speculation purposes, another few facts are kind of interesting. Many bioflavonoids are anti-inflammatory because they are mast cell stabilizing (they make mast cells are less likely to release their contents), and mast cells are the cells that release inflammatory mediators.

I don't know WHAT bioflavonoids, aside from curcumin, you would get from the entire plant, because here in the west they have only studied the root, from what I can see. It does seem to contain at least traces of quercetin and luteolin, which are known mast cell stabilizing bioflavonoids.

However, even though I have seen no research on the leaves/stalk of turmeric, some other root-based aromatics, like onion, have much higher levels of bioflavonoids in the leaves/stalk than in the root itself. So even without known research, you could conclude that it might at least be POSSIBLE that the whole turmeric plant could provide anti-inflammatory benefits.

On a personal note, it has been very helpful for my daughter, who has an inflammatory condition as well. I react to turmeric now so I couldn't tell you for myself. But if you are looking for anti-inflammatory ideas, I'd recommend checking out foods high in mast cell stabilizing bioflavonoids. Quercetin, luteolin, and rutin are three I know of.

Olive leaf tea (or extract), capers, and thyme are a few I know of from that category. :-)

Sp1tfire

I say if you like the taste and might add it anyway then why not try it anyway

kjm203

lizery wrote: »

Conclusions of the clinical review link posted above. There is a great deal of specific peer reviewed clinical research data in the body of the paper if you care to read the whole thing.

CONCLUSIONS
Subsequent to the first seminal paper published in 1949 in Nature, numerous preclinical studies have provided a solid basis for examining curcumin’s efficacy against human diseases. As discussed in this review, curcumin has shown therapeutic potential against a number of human diseases. Common to all of these studies have been the safety, tolerability, and non-toxicity of this polyphenol, even at doses up to 8 g per day. The underlying mechanism for curcumin’s clinical efficacy seems to be modulation of numerous signaling molecules. However, because of the complex nature of the diseases, the underlying mechanism in many cases remains unclear.

From the findings of the completed clinical trials, it may seem that curcumin’s clinical efficacy is too good to be true. However, this polyphenol has not yet been approved for human use. Poor bioavailability and limited adverse effects reported by some investigators are a major limitation to the therapeutic utility of curcumin. We hope that the results from ongoing clinical trials will provide a deeper understanding of curcumin’s therapeutic potential and will help to place this fascinating molecule at the fore front of novel therapeutics.

Curcumin is insoluble in water. It tends to form a suspension. There are other anti inflammatory chemicals in turmeric that make it good for you

debmclernon

Cut out as much sugar as you possibly can (sugar causes inflammation) and eat turmeric with cracked black pepper - you can add straight to food or put it into capsules and take daily. My husband takes it for chronic back pain and it definitely helps.

ecjim

I have done a lot of damage to my left leg/ankle in the past & supplement with Curcumin // Turmeric and it helps take the edge off. You need to eat it with black pepper & fat for good uptake - Eastcoast Jim

Sunnybrooke99

I have read that it reduces inflammation. It’s very good in warm milk for a sore throat. I usually have it in a mango smoothie with some black pepper. I try to get a variety of spices, so I’ll give something like that a shot, but I keep making it bc it’s very good.

saintor1

I eat turmeric many times a week, along with pepper, all preventive with also Amla (from Indian Gooseberries)& cocoa powder in my oat pancakes. It is also known to help to keep the teeth whiter - which at least seems to work.

Finally to keep inflammation down, I take a baby aspirin a day.

I wonder if I can ask for some kind of test about inflammation markers in my regular medical exam? Maybe there is something already in it that I don't know...

mr_canoe_head

I use turmeric as a spice - because it tastes good but not because I believe it will have any significant specific health effect. Certainly as a spice you can use it in a non-specific manner to replace salt/fat/sugar in order to improve your diet.

There are a few critical articles you may wish to look at for a different perspective on the issue:

https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/naturopathic-death-from-iv-turmeric/

https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/turmeric-tasty-in-curry-questionable-as-medicine/

It probably is reasonable to take the middle ground: Turmeric most likely will not do any harm unless you do something extreme but also the benefits will not live up to the hype.