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Is Turmeric Good for You? What We Know About Its Health Benefits

Posted 23 October 2023

A new study concluded that it could be effective at alleviating stomach discomfort. But a lot is unknown.

By Alice Callahan New York Times

Turmeric has been used as a spice and medicine for thousands of years. And in recent decades, it’s become popular as a dietary supplement, often sold as curcumin — a chemical compound found in dried turmeric — with claims that it can soothe joint pain, reduce inflammation and improve mobility.

In Thailand, turmeric is also often consumed in its spice or supplement form to quell gastrointestinal symptoms like bloating and indigestion, said Dr. Krit Pongpirul, an associate professor of preventive and social medicine at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. But only a few small studies have evaluated such benefits.

In a trial published Monday in the journal BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine, Dr. Pongpirul and his colleagues tested whether curcumin supplements

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October 23rd, 2023 | Tags: | Category: Turmeric | Leave a comment

Complementary cancer therapies ‘do more harm than good’

Posted 14 November 2019

BBC News 14 November 2019

Cancer patients should tell their doctors if they are taking herbal products because some of the ingredients could stop their treatment working, a cancer conference has heard.

Garlic, ginger and ginkgo pills, for example, can delay the healing of skin wounds when breast cancer spreads.

Surgeon Prof Maria Joao Cardoso, said there was no evidence that herbal therapies or creams worked.

If in doubt, it was best not to take anything, she said.

“Doctors need to be more proactive about asking their patients what else they are taking when they are being treated for cancer,” Prof Cardoso, head breast surgeon at the Champalimaud Cancer Centre in Lisbon, Portugal, told the BBC.

She said it was particularly important that patients always checked with their doctors first before trying complementary therapies for cancer that had spread to the skin.

This happens in one … Read the rest

November 14th, 2019 | Tags: , | Category: Ginkgo biloba, Turmeric | Leave a comment

11 Turmeric Myths You Should Stop Believing ASAP

Posted 06 November

Turmeric’s gotten tons of health hype lately due to curcumin, its main bioactive compound. Scientists have already conducted over 100 clinical trials on the antioxidant-like compounds found in the curry spice, called curcuminoids.

But since so many studies on this golden seasoning have been misreported, it’s time to set the record straight. Here are some of turmeric’s top claims, debunked:

The article lists these – read the details of these at the original website, MSN Lifestyle

  1. It reduces inflammation.
  2. It fights pain.
  3. It reduces risk of chronic diseases.
  4. It helps your skin.
  5. It reduces risk of Alzheimer’s Disease.
  6. It sharpens your mind.
  7. It can help with autoimmune disorders.
  8. You don’t have to eat a lot to reap the rewards.
  9. It’s better absorbed with black pepper.
  10. It’s better than other spices.
  11. Taking a turmeric supplement can’t hurt.

The Bottom Line

Turmeric is delicious, but there’s not enough proof … Read the rest

November 6th, 2017 | Tags: | Category: Turmeric | Leave a comment

Does Tumeric help your joints?

Posted 26 October 2017

In the United Kingdom, a press ad for the health supplements supplier FutureYou, seen on 28 March 2017, promoted the food supplement Turmeric+. The ad featured the claim “Support Healthy Joints with TURMERIC+” alongside an image of the product which included the claims “supports healthy joints” and “helps maintain flexible joints”.

A consumer laid a complaint with the UK Advertising Standards Authority, who concluded that the claims were not supported by scientific evidence.

“We noted that EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) had published a negative scientific opinion on the on-hold claims in question. The EFSA Panel had concluded that a cause and effect relationship had not been established between the consumption of Curcuma longa (turmeric) and the maintenance of normal joints, on the basis of the evidence provided to EFSA.”

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October 26th, 2017 | Tags: | Category: ASA (UK) Rulings, Turmeric | Leave a comment

Turmeric might interact with immunosuppressant

Posted 01 May 2017

This abstract from Natural Medicines, Integrative Medicine Newsletter of 25 April 2017, points out a risk of high doses of tumeric and tacrolimus .

A new case report suggests that adding turmeric to the diet while taking the immunosuppressant tacrolimus might cause a serious interaction. A 56-year-old man with a liver transplant who was taking tacrolimus was admitted to the emergency room with worsening edema. Tacrolimus levels were 29.9 ng/mL, well above the previous level of 9.7 ng/mL taken 11 days prior. The patient revealed that he had been consuming turmeric around 15+ spoonfuls daily in his food starting 10 days before being admitted to the ER. It was thought that turmeric increased levels of tacrolimus due to cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) inhibition. People taking tacrolimus should avoid large doses of turmeric.

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May 1st, 2017 | Tags: , | Category: Turmeric | Leave a comment