Curcumin from Turmeric: a Compound that Does It All

One of the most popular botanical supplements right now is curcumin, a compound found in turmeric (Curcuma longa). That’s understandable. The abilities of the compound as shown by historic records and clinical studies are impressive. In India, curcumin consumption (in the form of turmeric in curries) has been linked to the reduction of pain and inflammation, lower levels of Alzheimer’s among the population, and many overall health benefits. Current research shows that it protects DNA, stops free radical damage, alleviates arthritis, reduces symptoms of depression, and treats almost any disease.1,2

Better Curcumin Absorption = Clinical Benefits
The reason that curcumin from turmeric in the traditional Indian diet is so effective is because it a part of the diet from childhood, and it’s consumed with the natural oils from turmeric. But if you’ve been eating a standard Western diet for most of your life, simply eating more curry is not the answer. Additionally, curcumin as a stand-alone, isolated compound has been shown to be difficult for the body to absorb. However, curcumin that includes a full spectrum of curcuminoids and blended with turmeric essential oil is well absorbed and quite active in the body. 3,4 Clinical studies have verified its benefits.

Clinical and Scientific Results
For example, in a study of 45 individuals with rheumatoid arthritis, three groups were randomized to receive either a prescription drug (diclofenac sodium), curcumin (BCM- 95®) alone, or curcumin (BCM-95) combined with the drug. The results for curcumin were impressive: it was more effective than diclofenac sodium at reducing joint pain and swelling, and combining it with the drug was no more effective than using curcumin alone. Taking the drug alone was actually less effective.5

Curcumin also stops the damage of inflammation in the brain. It has been shown to reduce beta-amyloid levels and shrink the size of accumulated plaques in experimental models of Alzheimer’s by over 30 percent.6

Curcumin fights depression, too.7,8,9 A clinical study published in the journal Phytotherapy Research focused on individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD). It compared the efficacy and safety curcumin enhanced with turmeric essential oil (BCM- 95) to the prescription anti-depressive fluoxetine (alone or in combination with curcumin) to determine whether this extract could be a viable therapeutic treatment for patients with MDD.10

The best response was in the group using the combination of fluoxetine and curcumin at 77.8 percent.10 The two singletherapy groups – fluoxetine at 64.7 percent and curcumin at 62.5 percent — scored almost exactly the same.10 But what’s interesting about these results – especially for the single-therapy groups – is how close they are in efficacy. The main difference between the two is not the numbers, but the fact that curcumin won’t cause side effects.

For tumor reduction and cancer prevention, there are few alternatives that work along as many pathways as curcumin. In one example, curcumin was found capable of “reawakening” the sleeping genes that power the body’s own tumor suppression activity that keep cancerous tumors from growing and spreading.11, 12

Curcumin can increase the activity of cancer drugs, help cancer drugs kill tumors more efficiently, and protect normal cells from the toxic effects cancer treatments.13 In fact, a recent clinical trial showed that curcumin decreased the severity of adverse effects of radiation therapy on the urinary tract in men with prostate cancer.14

Add Curcumin to Your Daily Regimen
Curcumin is a truly remarkable compound. When it is combined with turmeric essential oil for enhanced absorption and blood retention, it can make a world of difference for your health for years to come.

From her home base in Maggie Valley, North Carolina, Leslie Larsen travels the country to bring her message on natural products and healthy living to consumers everywhere. She has been immersed in the world of natural health for over sixteen years, including serving for the last six years as a board member for SENPA, a natural products trade association. Her spare time is spent in the mountains with her horses and dogs.

References:

1.Goel A, Kunnumakkara AB, Aggarwal BB. Curcumin as "Curecumin": from kitchen to clinic. Biochem Pharmacol . 2008 Feb 15;75(4):787-809.

2.Hatcher H, Planalp R, Cho J, et al. Curcumin: from ancient medicine to current clinical trials. Cell Mol Life Sci 2008;65:1631-1652.

3.Antony B, Merina B, Iyer VS, Judy N, Lennertz K, Joyal S. A pilot cross-over study to evaluate human oral bioavailability of BCM-95 CG (Biocurcumax™) a novel bioenhanced preparation of curcumin. Ind J Pharm Sci . 2008:445-449.

4.Benny B, Antony B. Bioavailability of Biocurcumax (BCM-95). Spice India . September, 2006:11-15.

5.Chandran B, Goel A. A Randomized, Pilot Study to Assess the Efficacy and Safety of Curcumin in Patients with Active Rheumatoid Arthritis. Phytother Res . 2012 Mar 9. doi: 10.1002/ptr.4639.

6.Garcia-Alloza M. Curcumin labels amyloid pathology in vivo , disrupts existing plaques, and partially restores distorted neurites in an Alzheimer mouse model. J Neurochem . 2007;102:1095-1104.

7.Xu Y, Ku BS, Yao HY, Lin YH, Ma X, Zhang YH, Li XJ. Antidepressant effects of curcumin in the forced swim test and olfactory bulbectomy models of depression in rats. Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2005;82(1):200-6.

8.Kulkarni S, Dhir A, Akula KK. Potentials of curcumin as an antidepressant. Scientific World Journal . 2009;9:1233-41.

9.Li YC, Wang FM, Pan Y, Qiang LQ, Cheng G, Zhang WY, Kong LD. Antidepressant-like effects of curcumin on serotonergic receptor-coupled AC-cAMP pathway in chronic unpredictable mild stress of rats. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry . 2009;33(3):435-49.

10.  Sanmukhani J, Satodia V, Trivedi J, Patel T, Tiwari D, Panchal B, Goel A, Tripathi CB. Efficacy and Safety of Curcumin in Major Depressive Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Phytother Res . 2013 Jul 6. doi: 10.1002/ptr.5025.

14.  Hejazi J, Rstmanesh R, Taleban F, Molana S, and Ehtejab G. A Pilot Clinical Trial of Radioprotective Effects of Curcumin Supplementation in Patients with Prostate Cancer. J Cancer Sci Ther . 2013, 5.10.