Turmeric is the most popular supplement at the moment. Sales are increasing from one year to another, and studies are competing to demonstrate its benefits. Fortunately, the faime surrounding this substance is not fake advertising.

Turmeric has huge medicinal potential and it’s been used for therapeutic purposes for millennia in Ayurvedic medicine. Some call it the gold of India.

Turmeric has 2 gold benefits

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Thousands studies on the golden spice

GreenMedInfo found 3850 study abstracts on turmeric and 3266 abstracts on curcumin. There are no less than 900 potential benefits asociated with these compounds that have been discovered so far.

This golden spice has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer, immunomodulatory, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective properties and the list goes on.

It has proven effective against the most aggressive and multidrug-resistant cancers. Curcumin targets and destroys the root of cancer, namely cancer stem cells.

This compound offers protection against heavy metals and alcohol toxicity, radiotherapy and other pollutants. It promotes the neuron regeneration and can lead to Alzheimer remission. It has the power to prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes in prediabetic people.

Turmeric has been compared to the most widely used drugs of the moment, such as hydrocortisone, ibuprofen and chemotherapy agents.

Effective against hundreds of diseases

Curcumin has been studied in a wide variety of conditions, such as:

– depression, anxiety, fatty liver, hepatitis, obesity, arthritis, osteoarthritis, neurodegenerative diseases, insulin resistance, autoimmune thyroiditis, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, HIV, asthma, hyperlipidemia, premature aging, myocardial infarction, lung diseases, cervical injuries, infectious diseases and many others.

Turmeric has 2 gold benefits

Turmeric and its active compund curcumin and have 2 major benefits. There are at least two areas in which turmeric shines: inflammation and brain health.

Turmeric and inflammatory diseases

Turmeric is known as one of the most potent natural anti-inflammatory agents. The main compounds found in its root that fight inflammation are: curcumin, demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin. They act specifically on the joints.

This explains why turmeric is studied and recommended in various joint diseases that have an inflammatory or autoimmune component, such as arthritis, osteoarthritis of the knee or rheumatoid arthritis.

Studied done in vivo and in vitro have shown that the main substance in turmeric inhibits pro-inflammatory factors and signaling pathways.

Good for the joints

Turmeric supplements alleviate joint inflammation, reduce joint stiffness upon waking and reduce pain. It soothes joint tissues, nourishes them and helps them maintain their mobility.

Curcumin also helps in other diseases arising from inflammation, such as Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome, cancers, wounds, metabolic diseases, obesity, autoimmune diseases, allergies or food intolerances. It reduces blood sugar and fats and insulin resistance

Turmeric, the brain and the nervous system

The second major benefit of turmeric is directed to the brain and the nervous system. Studies have shown that curcumin extracts inhibit MAO-A (monoamine oxidase). This enzyme is crucial for the metabolism and absorption of serotonin and dopamine – 2 neurotransmitters that influence depression.

Curcumin can also improve depression induced by chronic pain. A 2020 study showed that this compound reduces depression caused by chronic stress in animals. Curcumin reduces not only depression, but also stress and anxiety.

Turmeric has an impressive influence on brain and cognitive functions. It protects neurons and reduces brain inflammation. It can prevent or improve neurodegenerative diseases. Moreover, it has the ability to remove aluminum from the hippocampus. It can also reduce high concentrations of arsenic, lead, cadmium and acrylonitrile, which are potentially toxic.

How to consume turmeric

Turmeric can simply be added to food or drinks. Benefits appear at 400 mg of curcumin upwards. Keep in mind that 2 teaspoons of turmeric powder contain about 400 mg of curcumin.

It is important to know that turmeric has a low absorption rate in the body. It must be associated with pepper. The piperine in black pepper increases the absorption of curcumin by 2000%. The assimilation capacity of turmeric can also be improved by adding a source of fat, such as coconut oil, butter or milk.

There are various curcumin extracts on the market that have a high concentration of curcuminoids (95%). They usually also contain piperine.

In anti-inflammatory and painful diseases, turmeric can offer better results if it’s combined with ginger.