Turmeric: nature’s golden opportunity?
WE PROBABLY all know that turmeric, the beautiful golden spice, essential in Middle Eastern cooking and popping up in lattes in all the hipster coffee shops, is beneficial to our health. But have you ever wondered why?
Turmeric contains several healthgiving compounds (polyphenols), the most researched of which is curcumin. Instead of just using it in cooking, curcumin, in high doses, is used as a supplement to help prevent and reduce many different illnesses.
In my nutritional therapy clinic, I have successfully recommended curcumin to clients with a host of different health complaints, from arthritis and chronic fatigue syndrome to weight management and digestive issues.
Turmeric has been used medicinally for thousands of years, however the first scientific paper identifying the health benefits of curcumin was not published until 1949. This paper identified curcumin’s antibacterial properties. Further scientific studies in the mid 20th century have shown curcumin to have positive effects on high cholesterol, diabetes, cancer and oxidative stress.
To date there have now been more than 4,000 scholarly articles written about the polyphenol. One of the biggest areas of research is looking at curcumin’s effect on inflammation. Inflammation is an essential part of our immunity, helping the body heal and fight pathogens. Certain factors can cause “normal” inflammation to become chronic and the body starts to “attack” itself. This is the basis of many modern diseases and a major cause of ill health. It is thought that low levels of chronic inflammation play a role in all the most common western diseases including heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s and metabolic syndrome.
It is essential, then, to get inflammation under control and many medications target this — but these are not always successful, or can cause further health issues. Curcumin supplementation has been shown to be just as effective as some of these medications without harmful side effects. Curcumin works by blocking the sig- nals in the body which turn on inflammation. Before you all rush out to buy your curcumin supplements though, it is worth noting that curcumin is notoriously difficult to absorb. High levels (usually 1-2g) need to be ingested to notice a difference — and even then, there might not be a benefit. This is because curcumin is easily excreted from the body, is metabolised quickly into nonactive forms, and is poorly absorbed.
Increasing the dose can help; however tolerance is often low. An Israeli study from 2010, looking at whether curcumin combined with a cancer drug would slow down tumour progression, found a curcumin dose of 8,000mg caused stomach discomfort. One well-researched way to increase the bioavailability of curcumin is to add piperine, a polyphenol from black pepper. New supplements (and ones which I recommend to my clients) add specific lipids to curcumin and there are others which use micelles. Curcumin can be used alongside other supplements and might be protective against degenerative disease.
For more information, or a personalised nutrition plan, contact Laura on info@londonfoodtherapy or 07598 335257, londonfoodtherapy.com Always consult your GP if you are considering food supplements, especially if you are on prescribed medication or are worried about pre-existing symptoms