Turmeric (Curcumin)

Try this supplement for you arthritic pain and stomach problems.

The herb is safe to use so there's no dangers or major concerns.

Start with 500 mg once or twice daily and increase to four times daily as needed.

No one can say for certain if it would help with health conditions such as cancer, Alzheimer's disease or other health conditions.

However, population analysis comparing the amount of turmeric used by people and studies done in animals show great promise in the health benefits of taking this spice.

It is worth trying for several months to see if it benefits your particular condition. In addition, including turmeric in your diet or as taking it as a supplement may provide you with long-term health benefits as well as to prevent certain diseases.

Scientific Evidence on the Benefits of Turmeric

See Health Benefits of Turmeric for a detailed discussion for each of the points listed below.
	Stomach Upset (Dyspepsia)
	Osteoarthritis (OA) / Arthritis
	Diabetes (Type 2 Diabetes)
	Cancer (breast, colon and skin)
	Hardening of the Arteries (Atherosclerosis)
	Weight Loss
	Prostate Cancer
	Alzheimer's disease / Dementia / Memory Loss
	Cystic Fibrosis (CF)
	Liver Disease
	Eye Disorder / Inflammation (uveitis)
	Wound Healing
	Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
	Scabies
	Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
	Liver Tonic (Protection of the Liver)
	Acne (pimples)
	Roundworms and Worms of the Intestine
	Viral Infection
Helpful	Psoriasis
See Turmeric Dosage Recommendations for specific dosage recommendations for some of the above health conditions.

Facts About Turmeric. What is this Spice All About?

There is a long history of using turmeric in Asian and Chinese medicine.

Turmeric is a plant related to ginger. The above ground and underground roots (known as rhizomes) are used in food preparation, as a spice and for medicinal purposes.

Recent research studies found out that the active ingredient of this supplement, curcumin, is able to make cells more resistant to infection. Often, people simply refer to curcumin when discussing this herb as it is the active ingredient.

Turmeric contains curcuminoids such as curcumin which is a yellow pigment. Research studies in animals show that curcumin has the following health benefits:

potent anti-inflammatory effects
cancer prevention activities
antioxidant effects
stimulates and enhances the immune system
antibacterial and antiviral properties, including against HIV
blood-thinning effects

Most of these research studies are done in animals only and few are done in human subjects. The positive results from these studies suggest that turmeric possesses many benefits for treating and possibly curing some of our common health problems.

Suggested Benefits and Traditional Uses

Orally

acne
atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries)
bacterial infection
bladder infection (cystitis)
bleeding disorder
bronchitis
cancer (colon, skin, prostate and breast)
common colds and flu
cystic fibrosis (CF)
depression / mood disorder
diabetes
diarrhea
eye disorder (uveitis)
fever
fibromyalgia
fluid retention (edema)
gallbladder problems
headaches
heart attack (myocardial infarction / MI)
hepatitis / liver disorder / liver protection / liver tonic
high cholesterol (hypercholesterolemia)
high blood pressure
inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
loss of appetite
osteoarthritis
prostate cancer
rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
roundworms and worms of the intestine
spice and flavouring (curry powder)
stomach & intestinal gas (flatulence)
stomach bloating
stomach inflammation (gastritis)
stomach pain and upset (dyspepsia)
viral infections
yellow colouring for food (mustards, butters and cheese)

Topically

acne
mosquito repellent
pain
scabies
toothaches
wound healing and infection prevention

Side Effects, Toxicity and Warnings

This supplement has very few side effects. The most commonly reported side effects are stomach upset, nausea and diarrhea.

When applied on the skin, this supplement may cause an allergic reaction.

Safe - Turmeric is safe to use in appropriate amounts both as a supplement and in food sources. It has a Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) rating in the USA.

Pregnancy and Lactation - It is believed that turmeric may cause stimulation to the uterus when taken in amounts greater than found in food sources. It is unknown whether using this supplement is safe to take while breast feeding.

Common Drug & Health Condition Interactions

Warfarin / Blood Thinners / Bleeding Disorder - caution

There are some reports that taking turmeric along with blood thinning medications such as Plavix, Aspirin or Coumadin (warfarin) might increase the risk of bleeding.

Let your doctor know when you are using this herbal remedy and have blood work done before and after taking this herb to see if it affects PT or INR levels.

Stomach Ulcers / Stomach Upset - caution

As this herb might worsen existing stomach problems, avoid using high doses as it may cause stomach ulcers.

Gallstones / Bile Duct Obstruction or Blockage - avoid if possible

This herb is known to cause the gallbladder to contract, it can worsen conditions of gallbladder problems.

Discuss this with your doctor first before starting this natural remedy.

Dosage & How to Take It

This supplement comes as a powder, capsules, tincture, tea and standardized extracts.

For treating stomach upset, the typical turmeric dose is 500 mg taken up to four times daily.

If you are taking the powdered root, the typical dosage is 1,000 to 3,000 mg daily (taken in divided doses).

Most standardized turmeric extract have 90 to 95% curcumin in it.

For a tincture formulation, take 0.5 to 1.5 mL up to three times daily or as recommended by the manufacturer.

Bottom line

Should I take turmeric (or curcumin)?

Turmeric has a very long history of use in both Indian and traditional Chinese medicine. The food industry uses it give foods such as butter, cheese and mustard their bright yellow colour.

It is shown to be very safe to use with minimal side effects of any kind.

See Curcumin Dosage Recommendations to get an idea of a suitable dose to use for various health conditions.

Ongoing research are uncovering the many mechanism by which this herb exerts its effects in promoting health and treating a variety of health problems.

There is growing evidence that it may be helpful in treating certain types of cancer. This benefit alone, for some people, would be a good enough reason to take.

Give it a try. Include it in your dishes or take the capsules. Your body might just thank you for it in the years to come!

See Curcumin Benefits for access to a list of articles that relate to specific uses of this versatile herb.