Turmeric is an herbaceous plant of the ginger family that dates back nearly 4,000 years to ancient India.
Its bright yellow color, fragrant and delicious flavor, and well-tested therapeutic properties have made it a popular spice in Chinese, African, and Jamaican cooking and medicinal practices for thousands of years (1).
Today, turmeric is most often used for cooking, but as modern medicine has discovered its potent medicinal properties, it’s made a re-entry into the health and wellness scene. Numerous studies over the past few decades have shown multiple medicinal benefits of consuming this spice, and scientists are continually impressed with the potent pharmacological benefits found in turmeric.
In this article, you will learn the four main medicinal benefits of turmeric, the four key things you should look for in a turmeric supplement, and how to know if a turmeric supplement is right for you.
Throughout history, turmeric has been used as both a preventative measure and a therapeutic treatment of diseases (2, 3). Medicinal benefits of turmeric include:
1. Antioxidant properties: Turmeric contains high amounts of tannins, flavonoids, and polyphenols, all of which are antioxidants. These antioxidants help protect your body by neutralizing free radicals—uncharged molecules that can wreak havoc on your body’s cells. Curcumin, another antioxidant found in turmeric, also increases your body’s production of antioxidants, meaning that turmeric is not only a powerful force in eliminating existing free radicals but also helps to create a defense mechanism against future free radicals (4).
2. Anti-inflammatory properties: One of the best-studied and most well-known properties of turmeric is its effect on inflammation in the body. Research shows these anti-inflammatory properties to be useful in the therapeutic treatment of many inflammatory diseases, including IBS, arthritis, and pancreatitis (5).
3. Anti-microbial properties: In numerous studies, turmeric has exhibited antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal effects against a variety of microorganisms, including foodborne pathogens and Candida fungi (6, 7).
4. Anti-cancer properties: Turmeric has been used as both a preventative and therapeutic measure for cancer patients. Additionally, both topical and oral application of turmeric has been shown to reduce the amount of cancer cell growth in those diagnosed with specific cancers—including breast, stomach, and skin cancers (8).
Because of these medicinal properties, numerous scientific studies have been done on the effects of this ancient, golden spice. To date, the effects of turmeric have been studied for a variety of ailments, including:
As you can see, turmeric is a potent natural remedy, and the medical community is fascinated with its medicinal benefits. The best way to reap these therapeutic properties is through supplementation.
Unfortunately, not all turmeric supplements are created equal. That said, it’s important to carefully scrutinize any turmeric supplement before ingesting it. Reading the labels and reading online reviews of the product are some of the best ways to make sure you’re ingesting high-quality turmeric.
Here are four important things to look for when purchasing turmeric:
1. Rapid Absorption: Despite turmeric’s amazing properties, our bodies have a difficult time absorbing enough of it before it passes through the digestive system. To combat this, black pepper or ginger is often added to turmeric supplements to increase the absorption rate. However, there’s emerging evidence that Curcumin Micelle—a new breakthrough formula—converts Curcuma into a fully water-soluble, pH-stable form, making it 185X more bioavailable and 27X more powerful than other turmeric supplements (23).
2. Black Seed Oil: These small black seeds are packed with several vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals that help your body function at its highest level. These nutrients include (but are not limited to) calcium, folic acid, iron, zinc, B vitamins, and vitamin E. Black seeds are also loaded with a special bioactive compound called thymoquinone. Thymoquinone is a very strong ingredient with major antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties (24).
3. Curcuminoids: Curcuminoids are the most active and bio-available elements in curcumin, and while turmeric naturally contains these compounds, it’s essential that the company making your turmeric supplements has increased the dosage of curcuminoids so that they can go to work in your body right away. If not, your body won’t be able to absorb the curcumin as adequately, and most of the curcumin will not be used or absorbed.
(Curcumin's wide range of health benefits include the following: Anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, chemoprotective, tissue-protective, antibacterial, anti-fungal, antiviral, metabolism regulating, immuno-modulating, antineoplastic, and anti-depressant properties (25).)
4. No Added Fillers: Make sure the supplement doesn’t contain any unnecessary fillers, including dairy, gluten, or soy. You want your turmeric to be as clean as possible.
Curcuminoids have the GRAS stamp of approval from the FDA, meaning that they are “Generally Recognized As Safe”.
When it comes to how much turmeric you should be taking, it depends on the level of inflammation you’re experiencing…
Based on a variety of turmeric studies, the recommended (and safe) dosage for this golden spice is between 500 and 2,000 milligrams (mg) a day (26). Although studies have also found that dosages between 4,000 and 12,000 mg per day is safe and tolerable, too (2). (Although it’s very rare where one would need that much.)
In one double-blind trial, 40 people with mild-to-moderate osteoarthritis of the knee were randomly assigned to receive either 1,500 mg of curcuminoids with 5 mg of black pepper extract (i.e. piperine) or a placebo for six weeks. As expected, the group supplementing with curcuminoids saw a significant improvement in pain, physical function, and even oxidative stress (27).
With all of these great benefits, you might be wondering—What’s the catch?
While no serious side effects have been documented with the use of medicinal turmeric, it’s always best to discuss any new supplement regimen with your doctor (28).
Native Note: If you’re in any of the below categories, we recommend talking to your doctor before using turmeric as a long-term supplement. (And if you have a history of gallstones or bile duct obstruction, we suggest you do not take turmeric at all.)
As lifestyle and environmental toxins increase, it’s important to protect the body against free radicals, inflammation, and bacteria.
With all of its health benefits, turmeric is a great natural solution to helping our bodies protect against the effects of age, disease, and the bacteria and toxins that we come in contact with daily. Plus, adding a high-quality turmeric supplement to your diet is an easy way to decrease the risk of ailments such as Alzheimer's Disease, diabetes, and psoriasis.
Turmeric is an ancient golden spice brimming with benefits. From relieving allergies to combating digestive issues to pain management and more, turmeric is a natural remedy worth adding to your wellness routine.
When buying a turmeric supplement, be sure that it’s a full-spectrum formula for rapid bioavailability in the body. In addition to that, it should have a healthy dose of curcuminoids and zero fillers (like dairy, gluten, and soy).
This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of such advice or treatment from a personal physician. All readers/viewers of this content are advised to consult their doctors or qualified health professionals regarding specific health questions. Neither Dr. Chad Walding nor the publisher of this content takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons reading or following the information in this educational content. All viewers of this content, especially those taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement, or lifestyle program.
