Does Turmeric's Reputation Translate Into Real Health Benefits?

- The Guardian, May 22, 2022. - Clinical trials show that curcumin, present in the spice, may help fight osteoarthritis and other diseases, but there’s a catch – bioavailability, or how to get it into the blood. -

While Kamal Patel was probing through the reams of user data on examine.com – a website that calls itself “the internet’s largest database of nutrition and supplement research” – before a planned revamp later this year, he discovered that the most searched-for supplement on the website was curcumin, a distinctive yellow-orange chemical that is extracted from the rhizomes of turmeric, a tall plant in the ginger family, native to Asia.

Patel concluded that this was probably because of curcumin’s purported anti-inflammatory properties. “An astounding number of people experience inflammation or have inflammation-related health conditions, and curcumin and fish oil are two of the most researched supplements that can sometimes help,” he says. This consumer interest in curcumin hasn’t gone unnoticed by the “wellness” industry.

Besides its use in pill supplements, curcumin is increasingly being incorporated into cosmetic products that claim to help treat acne and eczema, prevent dry skin, and even slow down the ageing process. Some reports predict that the global curcumin market size could reach $191m (£156m) by 2028. As with any dietary supplement, separating the hype and the truth is not straightforward, since not all the claims about turmeric are complete hyperbole.

Most are based on the curcumin turmeric contains, which has been shown to be a potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant.

This is where it gets more complicated. The proportion of curcumin in turmeric is just 3%, by weight. The scientific studies that have made positive health associations use either pure curcumin or turmeric extract that has been designed to contain mostly curcumin. The doses of curcumin required to give benefit are very high – typically about 1,000mg a day. So despite what manufacturers might claim, consuming turmeric shots and lattes or adding a little extra spice to your meals will not come close to reaching the necessary dose. Some turmeric products have even been found to be contaminated with heavy metals such as lead, which can have adverse effects on your health...
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/may/22/does-turmerics-reputation-translate-into-real-health-benefits