Turmeric, a member of the ginger family, has been claimed to be one of the most powerful herbs we have available to us. Used as the main spice in curries, it traditionally has been used for centuries as a spice as well as a medicinal in India and Asia. The dried root of the Curcuma longa plant, turmeric is ground into a powder and its yellow colour contributed to its being named the golden spice. The taste ranges from bitter, earthy, and musky with a bit of a pepper kick.
Several compounds in turmeric (curcuminoids), types of polyphenols, are known to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-bacterial and anti-cancer properties. Not all biological activities of his herb are known yet but like other colourful plant-based food, turmeric’s phytonutrients may protect the body by neutralising free radicals and protecting cells from damage. Traditionally in Ayurvedic medicine this herb was used for support with problems of the upper respiratory tract, joints, skin and digestive system.
Using turmeric regularly in cooking is an amazing way to add spice and health but turmeric only contains ~ 3% of absorbable curcumin so it might be necessary to consider taking a high-quality supplement to get more powerful support if needed. But be aware, on some rare occasion if someone is allergic to the spice turmeric, it can cause abdominal pain, hives and rashes.
When dealing with health issues, always consult your health practitioner or doctor before self-medicating, especially before taking high dose supplements and when you are already taking blood thinners and immunosuppressive drugs. If you experience any side-effects, it is recommended you stop taking turmeric and consult with your health practitioner or doctor before starting to supplement again.
As a dietary supplement today, turmeric is used for a wide variety of conditions such as any form of arthritis, digestive disorders, liver problems, allergies, respiratory infections, depression, anxiety, eye health, metabolic syndrome cholesterol problems, muscle recovery, kidney problems and dementia.
As a result of much research undertaken worldwide on turmeric, there are many conditions found to be most responsive to its use. Here are some examples of its use:
Anti-Inflammatory
Curcumin, and its anti-inflammatory properties when used with many inflammation-related diseases, has been researched in abundance in human as well as animal studies. Studies of patients with arthritis have shown that Curcumin supplements were either as effective or more effective than pharmaceutical arthritis medications and in addition, did not come with any side-effects. Studies focussed on Arthritis of the knees associated with joint discomfort, tenderness and mobility problems have found that turmeric supplementation has relieved the symptoms significantly.
See: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8572027
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7812094
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5003001
Digestive Health
Studies on digestive disorders like Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBS), Ulcerative colitis, indigestion, Crohn’s disease, Celiac Disease and others have shown the effectiveness of Turmeric supplementation and again, turmeric was as effective as over the counter and prescription drugs.
See: https://ebm.bmj.com/content/early/2023/07/26/bmjebm-2022-112231
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3882399
Cholersterol Management
Human studies showed that turmeric was effective and as successful as pharmaceutical medication in lowering oxidative stress and inflammation in the treatment of high cholesterol with its potential risk of developing into cardiovascular disease.
See: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29020971
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18588355
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5637251
Natural Pain Killer
Just as scientific research has proven the efficacy of curcumin in reducing inflammation, so too has research shown it can be used as a natural pain killer in a multiple of instances, e.g. wound healing and burn pain, post-operative pain, neuropathic pain caused by constriction injury, dental pain, sciatic nerve pain and arthritic and joint pain as mentioned previously.
See: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6460672
Skin Health
When it comes to skin and healing, not only does it bring a glow to the skin when used regularly, but turmeric has also shown it can decrease acne and acne scarring and control psoriasis flares, facial redness and certain types of skin cancers.
See: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32713186
Cancer
Cancer research studies based on curcumin have shown the spice has the potential to be beneficial in the treatment of prostate and pancreatic cancers. Authorities like Cancer Research UK have demonstrated it seems to have the ability to kill cancer cells and prevent more from growing, particularly in cases of breast, bowel, stomach and skin cancers.
See: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7446227
https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/cam/hp/curcumin-pdq
Diabetes
Research into curcumin based on animal trials is showing it has the ability to protect the kidneys of diabetic patients from developing peripheral neuropathy which severely affects these patients, permanently damaging their kidneys. Other research into type 2 diabetes and curcuminoids explored the potential of their ability to lower glucose levels and found them to be 400 times more potent than metformin, a common diabetes drug. However, there is no drug available which will provide effective treatments for reducing insulin resistance and reversing diabetes.
See: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0254627215300418
Muscle Recovery
Curcumin was supplemented with piperine and used in instances of exercise induced muscle damage. They found it offered some relief when used before and after exercise. Other studies have shown Curcumin also improved inflammatory markers, pain and tenderness, increased antioxidant markers while diminishing oxidative stress markers.
See: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32319320
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32319320
Blood Clots
Turmeric was used in lab and animal studies and successfully reduced the risk of blood cloths forming.
See: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10484074
Depression
In a study of 60 patients with major depressive disorder, some were treated with turmeric-curcumin while the others took fluoxetine or a combination of both treatments. At the six-week mark, curcumin was found to be equally effective in managing depression. A further study concluded if curcumin was added to standard care, in might improve depressive and anxiety symptoms generally. This is because curcumin impacts the neurotransmitter function through the brain derived neurotrophic factor.
See: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26066335
Turmeric tea
As with ginger, you can make your own turmeric tea by simply adding two teaspoons of chopped turmeric root or 2 teaspoons of turmeric powder to boiling water and let simmer for 5 minutes, strain and it’s ready to drink. Enjoy warm or cold and add some lime or lemon for extra taste.
