Turmeric – A Golden Weapon Against Inflammation & Infection

Turmeric – More Than Just a Spice

Turmeric has been a trusted remedy in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and even more so in the Indian medicinal system of Ayurveda. Traditional uses include treating liver issues, skin problems, digestive discomfort, infections, menstrual pain, sore muscles, and joint pain.

Turmeric is also sometimes applied externally with honey to soothe irritated skin or improve wound healing. However, it is worth noting that its intense yellow color can stain the skin and clothes. For this reason, turmeric is also widely used as a food coloring, known as additive E 100. According to Greg Cole, a professor of medicine and neurology at the University of California, Los Angeles, consuming large amounts of turmeric could even "turn your brain yellow!" His research into turmeric’s protective effects on the brain revealed that autopsied brains of elderly Indians who had consumed turmeric their entire lives were slightly yellowed yet showed unusually youthful, dense brain tissue.

Antioxidant, Anti-inflammatory, Antibacterial

According to a comprehensive review by Hatcher and colleagues, published in *Cell Mol Life Sci* in 2008, turmeric is one of the most extensively studied plants, with curcumin, its central fat-soluble pigment, garnering considerable attention. This review of research highlights that over five thousand scientific articles have contributed to the understanding of curcumin’s versatile properties, including its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial effects.

Research by Greg Cole and his team has particularly emphasized curcumin’s potential neuroprotective effects, demonstrated in several experiments with rodents. These studies indicate that curcumin may inhibit the formation and accumulation of amyloid plaques.

Further studies, including one led by Small G and colleagues published in the *Journal of Biological Chemistry* in 2013, support these findings, showing that curcumin may have similar effects in humans, particularly among healthy middle-aged men and women.

Blood analysis after a four-week curcumin intervention revealed reduced blood lipid levels, decreased oxidative stress, and lower levels of beta-amyloid protein, further supporting curcumin’s potential to improve various health aspects.

According to Stig Bengmark, professor emeritus of surgery at University College London, turmeric has significant anti-inflammatory effects by regulating the majority of the body’s 1,200 to 1,300 inflammation-promoting genes. In a review of turmeric’s properties, Bengmark notes that its effects resemble those of COX-2 inhibitors, a class of anti-inflammatory drugs once popular but found to have harmful side effects. However, similar side effects have not been reported with turmeric or its main active ingredient, curcumin.

Bengmark emphasizes that turmeric is safe and contains approximately twenty different anti-inflammatory compounds, known as curcuminoids, with curcumin being the most prominent. This observation underscores turmeric’s potential as a natural and safe alternative for managing inflammatory conditions.

Curcumin’s Benefits Beyond Inflammation

A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study, published by Hanai H and colleagues in the journal *Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology* in 2006, showed that more than half of patients with ulcerative colitis experienced significant symptom improvement within a month of taking curcumin. In contrast, none of the participants in the placebo group reported similar positive effects, highlighting curcumin’s potential to alleviate inflammatory bowel diseases like ulcerative colitis.

Although curcumin is considered turmeric’s most active compound, other potentially beneficial components are also present in turmeric. In addition to curcuminoids, turmeric contains lipids and compounds called turmerones, which may contribute to its beneficial properties. This suggests that turmeric’s health-promoting effects stem from a combination of multiple bioactive compounds, not just curcumin.

Interestingly, experiments in which curcumin was completely removed from turmeric found that the spice remained equally effective, providing further evidence of the complex mix of bioactive compounds that contribute to turmeric’s positive effects.

Enhanced Effect with Black Pepper

Turmeric is a powerful spice that has been shown to have significant antioxidant properties even at as little as one-eighth of a teaspoon, according to a study by S. K. Jain and colleagues published in *Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry.* However, curcumin, its primary bioactive compound, is known to have limited bioavailability due to its fat-soluble nature. Research, including a study by Shoba G and colleagues in *Planta Medica*, has shown that adding black pepper to turmeric can increase curcumin absorption by up to 20 times.

This enhancement in absorption is attributed to piperine, a compound in black pepper that not only gives black pepper its characteristic flavor and aroma but also prevents the rapid breakdown and excretion of curcumin by the liver. Interestingly, black pepper is a common ingredient in curry blends, potentially contributing to the increased bioavailability of curcumin in dishes containing turmeric. Additionally, curcumin absorption can be further enhanced by consuming a small amount of fat alongside the spice, according to earlier research by Wahlström B and Blennow G, published in *Clinical Pharmacokinetics.*

Products like Daily Turmeric Superfood Booster and Turmeric Strength for Whole Body feature whole organic turmeric (not just curcumin) combined with Bioperine, the only clinically studied piperine extract proven to enhance the bioavailability of various nutrients.

Turmeric Warning

In 2023, researchers at Linköping University reported positive effects of curcumin, turmeric’s yellow pigment, on fruit flies. While curcumin has been extensively studied, it is important to remember that results observed in flies and other animals cannot always be directly applied to humans.

What Is Turmeric Good For?

Turmeric supports the immune system by acting as an antioxidant. It protects the body against oxidative stress and aids in the treatment of liver issues, skin problems, digestive discomfort, infections, menstrual pain, sore muscles, and joint pain.

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