Curcumin’s the spice of life
IT’S something that has been used in traditional medicine for thousands of years – yet is one of the future’s brightest hopes. Turmeric is hailed as a wonder ingredient and is most commonly found in your weekend takeaway curries. However what should really be praised is curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, which gives the spice its rich, yellow colour and provides all the health benefits.
Curcumin has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries as it fights inflammation in all its guises. But these days it is most importantly used in the fight against inflammation in the joints. It can be a great help for sufferers of osteoarthritis.
It is believed that low-level inflammation has a major role in almost every chronic Western disease, including heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s and various degenerative conditions. Curcumin’s anti-inflammatory properties have been shown to match the effectiveness of anti-inflammatory drugs, without the side effects – and it is natural. Curcumin can also help digestive inflammation. It can also be a big boost to the body when it comes to preventing and treating many other conditions in the immune system as well as aiding overall vitality.
New studies have also suggested that curcumin is good for the brain, potentially improving learning and memory.
The bad news is, no matter how much curry you eat, you can never get enough curcumin to make a difference. On the bright side, scientists have been able to extract curcumin from the turmeric root and pack the health benefits into dietary supplements.
You simply need to know what to look for as not all are the same. Anything under 400mg of curcuminoids doesn’t do the job.
Active Curcumin from supplement leader Bioglan makes the difference – with 600mg in every tablet.
Each tablet uses a high strength 95 per cent curcuminoid extract, very high when compared to the 2-6 per cent in turmeric itself.
Curcumin isn’t readily absorbed by the body, although this is helped by the addition of black pepper. Bioglan Active Curcumin’s trademarked black pepper extract, BioPerine, is shown to improve absorption by up to 2,000 per cent. There is also vitamin C, vitamin D and copper to maintain healthy bones, connective tissue and to support the immune system.
Given that we’re living longer, we need to stay healthier for longer – keeping our joints active and pain-free should be top of the list. Bioglan Active Curcumin can make that happen.
INFORMATION: Available from Holland & Barrett, Boots and direct from bioglan. co.uk