World News | Turmeric: Here’s How It Actually Measures Health Claims

Birmingham (UK), 24 May (Dialogue) Humans have used turmeric for over 4,000 years. Along with cooking and cosmetics, it has been a staple of Ayurvedic traditional medical practice, used to treat ailments ranging from arthritis to wind.

Even today, turmeric remains a popular health supplement. There are numerous articles and social media posts claiming that the spice is good for everything from brain function to reducing pain and inflammation.

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But while some of these claims are linked to evidence, much of the research has been done in cells and animals, making the actual effects on humans less clear.

While turmeric has been reported to contain more than 100 different compounds, most of its health benefits are tied to specific compounds called curcuminoids (the most abundant being curcuminoids).

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Curcuminoids are phenolic compounds that plants usually make into pigments or molecules that prevent animals from eating them. This is what gives turmeric its distinctive color, but it can also alter the function of cells.

Many of turmeric’s potential health effects are linked to these phenolic compounds, which have been shown to have antioxidant effects in the laboratory.

Antioxidants are substances that prevent or slow down the damage caused by free radicals — harmful molecules that can cause inflammation and have also been linked to heart disease and cancer.

But while turmeric does have anti-inflammatory properties, many of the health benefits associated with this action have only been proven in the laboratory (using cells) or in animals.

For example, one study fed obese mice 1 gram of curcumin per kilogram of body weight. After 12 weeks, they found that mice given curcumin had similar improvements in brain function and liver inflammation levels as mice given the weight-loss diet.

So while this might translate to healthier mice, it’s unclear whether the same is true in humans. Not to mention that if the study had been done in humans, the average 70kg person would have needed to consume more than 2kg of turmeric per day during the trial period – an impossibility.

We still don’t know if turmeric reduces inflammation in a similar way, as no similar studies have been done in humans.

effect on pain

However, despite a lack of research showing that turmeric (and curcumin) can benefit you, it is widely marketed as an anti-inflammatory supplement and used to treat a range of ailments — including joint pain and arthritis.

In human trials, turmeric supplements do appear to have modest benefits for pain compared with a placebo — and in some cases, as beneficial as NSAIDs, according to the results of a review.

But the studies included in this review appeared to be of variable quality. Many were done in very small groups (ten people or fewer), and the amount of turmeric given to participants varied widely. This means that it is difficult to definitively suggest that turmeric is effective for pain.

Due to its antioxidant effects, turmeric is also thought to have anticancer properties. In the laboratory, curcumin has been shown to reverse DNA changes in cells that lead to breast cancer. But it’s unclear whether turmeric reduces cancer risk or supports treatment in humans.

However, some research suggests that using turmeric mouthwash may reduce the side effects of radiation therapy in people with head and neck cancer.

It may also help people with a rare genetic disorder called adenomatous polyposis familiaris, a clinical trial found that consuming 120 mg of curcumin (about the equivalent of one teaspoon of turmeric) was associated with Fewer cancer-causing polyps — which can be an early sign of cancer.

Since inflammation has been linked to many cognitive health conditions, including dementia, some studies have sought to understand whether turmeric may benefit brain function. So far, it’s unclear whether turmeric has any effect.

Trials in humans are often small and lack consistency in study design, dosage, and how cognitive effects are measured. Again, this makes it difficult to see if turmeric is actually having an effect, or if any cognitive improvements are attributable to other factors.

Does Turmeric Really Work?

A major challenge in getting turmeric to work in our bodies is getting it from our guts into our bloodstream. Curcumin is a rather large compound – so it is difficult for the body to absorb into the bloodstream, as it is not very water soluble.

But other research suggests that turmeric works by acting on the bacteria in our gut. Although more data is needed to see if this is true in humans, it may suggest that turmeric does not need to be absorbed into the bloodstream to provide health benefits, as it is already absorbed through our gut.

Another challenge is the amount of turmeric needed to see benefits. In many studies, only the curcuminoid extract was used – it made up only 3% of the turmeric powder itself. Many studies have shown that mice or rats contain more than 1 gram of curcumin per kilogram, making it difficult to achieve the equivalent amounts of curcumin observed in humans—even in supplement form.

Turmeric is a great spice that brings a pleasant earthy flavor and vibrant natural yellow color to food. But it’s unclear how its reported benefits translate to human health. So enjoy turmeric as a spice and color in food, but don’t rely on it to provide major health benefits or to treat or cure disease. (dialogue)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from a Syndicated News feed, the content body may not have been modified or edited by LatestLY staff)