Calcium for bones led to some agonizing constipation

drugs developed from other natural products, such as the cancer drug Taxol from the Pacific yew or the malaria drug artemisinin from Artemisia.

The suggestion that scientists are wasting their time on curcumin or turmeric might be premature, however. Turmeric is a plant that contains a wide range of active compounds in addition to curcumin.

Some animal studies appear promising, such as one demonstrating that turmeric oils added to curcumin ease the inflammation of experimentally induced colitis (Scientific Reports, April 11, 2017). A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials in people with ulcerative colitis concluded cautiously that curcumin might be able to help maintain remission (Acta Medica Indonesiana, Octo- ber 2017).

A recent placebo-controlled trial suggests that curcumin slows bone loss in people with spinal cord injury (World Neurosurgery, March 19, 2018).

Trying to turn turmeric into a drug might be challenging. Perhaps people should try adding it to their food instead, as people in India have been doing for thousands of years.

A: You are right that long-term use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) like esomeprazole (Nexium), lansoprazole (Prevacid) and omeprazole (Prilosec) can deplete magnesium in the body.

Magnesium supplements may help some people sleep better. A small controlled trial concluded that 500 mg of magnesium improved sleep in older people (Journal of Research in Medical Sciences, December 2012).

Magnesium supplements are not appropriate for anyone with poor kidney function.