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Along with providing information on whether curcumin supplements might be right for you, this article also links to Fullscript where you can buy curcumin, aka turmeric, supplements online through the secure healthcare formulary and get free shipping and 20% off the retail price of professional-grade supplements.
Curcumin, the vibrant yellow compound found in turmeric, has long been celebrated in traditional medicine for its potent health benefits. In recent years, modern science has begun to uncover the extensive range of therapeutic properties this compound possesses, cementing its status as more than just a culinary spice. From its powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects to its potential role in mood regulation and cognitive enhancement, curcumin has caught some attention in the health and wellness sphere. This article delves into the many health benefits of curcumin, exploring how this ancient remedy is proving to be an ally in contemporary health care, offering natural solutions for various physical and mental health concerns.
What Is Turmeric or Curcumin?
Turmeric is a yellow-colored spice from the root of the Curcuma longa plant, which is a member of the ginger family. It has been used for thousands of years in traditional Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine, as well as in cooking, particularly in Indian and South Asian cuisines. Turmeric is a key ingredient in curry powder and is responsible for its distinctive yellow color.
Curcumin is the main bioactive compound found in turmeric, responsible for most of the spice’s medicinal properties. Curcumin is a natural polyphenol and has potent anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer properties. Curcumin makes up only about 2-5 % by weight of turmeric. Even then, curcumin’s bioavailability is poor when consumed in its natural form.
Curcumin supplements are often formulated with piperine (a compound found in black pepper) to enhance absorption and bioavailability. The bad news is that it does this by increasing intestinal permeability *, and leaky gut might not be a good trade-off.
What are the Health Benefits of Curcumin?
Turmeric, and specifically its active compound curcumin, has been studied for various health benefits in human health. These are some health benefits that are supported in the research:
- Anti-Aging Properties: Curcumin is thought to act as an anti-aging molecule by reducing inflammation and free radicals, and also by affecting cellular senescence, the accumulation of “zombie cells” as we age. [PMC6429134]
- Anti-inflammatory properties: Curcumin may help reduce inflammation by inhibiting specific inflammatory pathways in the body. This property can be beneficial for various chronic inflammatory conditions, such as arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and some skin disorders.
- Antioxidant effects: Curcumin is a powerful antioxidant that can neutralize free radicals and protect cells from oxidative damage. It also has the potential to enhance the body’s natural antioxidant defenses, promoting overall health.
- Heart health: Curcumin may improve heart health by reducing inflammation, improving endothelial function, and reducing oxidative stress, all of which can contribute to a lower risk of heart disease.
- Cognitive function and brain health: Some studies suggest that curcumin may improve cognitive function, possibly by reducing inflammation, oxidative stress, and amyloid plaque accumulation in the brain. [PMC5964053, PMC6800094] See our post on Brain Health.
- Cancer prevention: Curcumin has been found to suppress the initiation, progression, and metastasis of a variety of tumors. [PMC6272781]
- Depression and anxiety: Some studies have shown that curcumin may have antidepressant and anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) effects, potentially by modulating neurotransmitter levels and reducing inflammation in the brain. Curumin at a dose of 1 gram per day has been found to improve symptoms of depression better than placebo when taken for more than 4 weeks. There are also some studies where curcumin has been taken with an antidepressant and no problems were noted. [PMID: 25046624]
- Arthritis pain relief: Curcumin’s anti-inflammatory properties may provide pain relief for conditions like osteoarthritis, as well as general aches and pains.
- Athletic Performance (CurQfen): “Galactomannan soluble dietary fiber from fenugreek seeds slows the digestion and rapid elimination of curcumin to allow better absorption into the bloodstream, improving absorption by 15.8 times of the curcumin standalone [8,9]” The study showed that fenugreek soluble fiber was responsible for improvements in ventilatory threshold. [PMC7739318]
The Best Forms of Curcumin
Most Curcumin supplements concentrate the dose of curcuminoids, so you should generally be looking for a form that provides 95% curcuminoids.
“Galactomannan soluble dietary fiber from fenugreek seeds slows the digestion and rapid elimination of curcumin to allow better absorption into the bloodstream, improving absorption by 15.8 times of the curcumin standalone [8,9]”
[PMC7739318]
The observed increase in α and β waves and reduction in α/β ratio in the [curcumin-galactomannan] group suggest that [curcumin-galactomannan] can influence the brain waves in healthy subjects in a manner consistent with penetration of the blood-brain-barrier. The EEG results correlated with improved audio-visual and working memory tests which further support the role of CGM on memory improvements and fatigue reduction.
[PMID: 33295851]
NovaSol® (185), CurcuWin® (136) and LongVida® (100) exhibited over 100-fold higher bioavailability relative to reference unformulated curcumin.
[PMID: 30006023]
Is Curcumin Safe?
Curcumin, the active component of turmeric, is generally recognized for its safety as a supplement. As a natural compound that has been a part of the human diet and traditional medicine for centuries, it is well-tolerated by most individuals when consumed in recommended amounts. The safety of curcumin is further supported by numerous scientific studies, which have not only highlighted its health benefits but also affirmed its low risk of adverse effects. Still, take note of the medication interactions below.
Medication Interactions with Curcumin:
This list is not exhaustive, and other medications may also interact with turmeric or curcumin. Here are the main interactions:
- Blood thinners: warfarin, clopidogrel, aspirin, and other antiplatelet drugs. Curcumin may enhance the blood-thinning effects of these medications, increasing the risk of bleeding and bruising.
- Diabetes medications: metformin, insulin, sulfonylureas. Curcumin may lower blood sugar levels, potentially enhancing the effects of diabetes medications and leading to hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).
- Acid reducers: Examples: omeprazole, ranitidine, famotidine. Curcumin may increase stomach acid production, potentially reducing the effectiveness of acid-reducing medications.
- Chemotherapy drugs: Do NOT take any type of nutritional supplements without specifically discussing them with your physician. Curcumin may enhance the effects of chemotherapy drugs, potentially increasing their toxicity and side effects.
Supplement Interactions with Curcumin
- Iron supplements: Turmeric may inhibit the absorption of iron from supplements or iron-rich foods. Taking turmeric with iron supplements may reduce the absorption of iron.
- Calcium supplements: Turmeric supplements may interfere with calcium absorption.
- Omega-3 supplements: Combining turmeric with omega-3 supplements may enhance their anti-inflammatory effects.
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Buy The Best Curcumin Supplements Online
Why Professionals Choose the Fullscript Formulary
Your health is on the line. Health professionals know that many other online and retail options set a very low bar for quality–sometimes amazingly low. The Fullscript formulary is the most secure online source for the highest quality brands securely sourced to assure freshness and purity. Here’s what makes Fullscript the best:
- Meticulous vetting of brand quality. Health professionals trust Fullscript to continuously monitor the quality of each item on the platform. Other retailers operate with profit as their highest or only motive when choosing brands. Fullscript cares only about quality and reliability. Unlike discount stores, large online marketplaces, and other retailers you won’t find ingredients sourced from China or other questionable locations or companies.
- Always 20% Discount off the manufacturer’s retail price. When you follow any link from Supplement-Sciences.com, you will automatically get 20% off the retail price.
- Free shipping over $50.
- Freshness. Fullscript prioritizes freshness over bulk buying even if it means an increased risk of briefly being out of stock.
- Top quality phone and online support. When you call, knowledgeable humans at Fullscript answer your questions.
- How It Works:
- Easy Sign-up & No Spam Email: Click the “View Product” button below to be taken to Fullscript’s login page where you can quickly create your secure account with just your name, email, and phone number. Then you will be taken directly to the product page.
- Wide variety of supplement options: Once you sign in to your account, you are not limited to the products listed below. You will see similar items listed at the bottom of each product page on Fullscript.
- Search For What You Want: Once inside Fullscript, you can search for the exact brands and products you want from their wide selection of quality brands.
Turmeric Fenugreek Complex by Gaia Herbs/Professional Solutions
Bioavailable Formula*
Turmeric Fenugreek Complex contains 100mg of curcuminoids and 320mg of clinically-studied CurQFen® 2x daily. CurQFen uses curcumin and fenugreek to achieve higher bioavailiablity. Supports heathy joints and a normal inflammatory response.* Clinically-studied CurQFen® contains Fenugreek fiber extract which improves the absorption of curcuminoids by +25x vs. unformulated curcuminoids*
• CurQFen® is a bioavailable form of Turmeric rhizome and Fenugreek to support normal (or healthy) inflammatory response*
• Antioxidant pathway support*
Suggested Use: Adults take 1 tablet twice daily.
Amount Per 1 tablet Serving
Total Carbohydrate … <1g
Organic CurQfen® Organic Fenugreek … 320 mg
(Trigonella foenum-graecum) seed 6:1 extract and Organic Turmeric (Curcuma longa) rhizome 45:1 extract
Curcuminoids … 101.3 mg
Curaphen TM -Curcumin with Boswellia
Curaphen® is about half the dose of active ingredients as the Curapro Product
Curaphen® is for pain relief.† This unique and proprietary formula supports healthy endorphin/enkephalin activity and healthy circulation.* Our clinically studied curcumin has better absorption than turmeric and uniquely standardized boswellia features up to 10 times higher levels of beneficial AKBA than plain boswellia.
Serving Size: 1 Softgel Proprietary Complex … 727mg
DLPA (DL-phenylalanine), Boswellia (Boswellia serrata) Gum Resin Extract (BOS-10®) standardized to contain ≥ 70% Total Organic and Boswellic Acids with AKBA ≥ 10%, with ≤ 5% beta-boswellic acids, Curcumin (Curcuma longa) Rhizome Extract (BCM-95®/Curcugreen®) enhanced with turmeric essential oil and standardized for curcuminoid complex (curcumin, demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin), Nattokinase
Curcumin With Boswellia TM-A Good Combination for Arthritis Sufferers
Suggested Use:
One capsule three times daily, or as directed by your healthcare practitioner
- Amount Per Serving
CuraPro – 1 capsule contains: Proprietary Complex … 727mg - CuraPhen- 1 Softgel contains: Proprietary Complex … 375 mg
- DLPA (DL-phenylalanine), Boswellia (Boswellia serrata) Gum Resin Extract (BOS-10®) standardized to contain ≥ 70% Total Organic and Boswellic Acids with AKBA ≥ 10%, with ≤ 5% beta-boswellic acids, Curcumin (Curcuma longa) Rhizome Extract (BCM-95®/Curcugreen®) enhanced with turmeric essential oil and standardized for curcuminoid complex (curcumin, demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin), Nattokinase
Reference for Curcumin: PMID: 33500785
Reference for Boswellia: PMC7368679
Curcumin BCM-95
In a human cross-over study, the bioavailability of BCM-95, an enhanced preparation of cur-cumin was compared to that of turmeric 95% extract and to a formula containing
curcumin, lecithin and piperine. BCM-95 was absorbed faster, more curcumin was absorbed into the bloodstream and high levels stayed in the body longer than the 95% extract. 2 vegetable capsules daily.
Amount per 2 Capsule Serving:
Curcumin BCM-95 … 800mg
Food First!
Although this article discusses supplements in detail, don’t forget that we are absolutely committed to the “Food First” approach to nutrition. When it comes to your health, the totality of your eating habits far surpasses the impact of individual nutrients or any single supplement you consume. Even though this article doesn’t delve into the broader picture of your overall diet, it’s crucial to keep this element at the forefront of our minds. Your food needs to provide all the vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytochemicals to nourish your body systems down to the cellular level.
Food choices, rather than supplements, are the most critical factors for a healthy gut microbiome. These trillions of tiny inhabitants in your gut affect your brain waves; they orchestrate your immune system. They possess the power to create molecules that can switch genes on or off and are even capable of synthesizing neurotransmitters. Opting for organic foods and steering clear of plastic packaging (including those labeled BPA-free) is a smart move to limit toxin exposure. The sum of all these parts leads to a powerful conclusion: the ultimate key to your health lies in the quality and balance of the food you consume. Supplements are secondary.
To Sum It Up
In wrapping up, it’s clear that niacinamide holds a vital place in the fight against aging. The benefits of niacinamide, ranging from boosting skin barrier function to its vital role in reducing wrinkles and fine lines, make it a noteworthy ally in promoting youthful skin. Its ability to improve skin elasticity, stimulate collagen production, and fight oxidative stress further strengthens its position as an essential ingredient in anti-aging skincare. As we have explored throughout this article, niacinamide stands as a transformative component that can significantly aid in slowing down the clock on skin aging. So, whether you’re beginning your journey into anti-aging skincare or you’re looking for effective solutions to maintain your skin’s youthfulness, don’t overlook the potential of niacinamide. Here’s to embracing age with grace, confidence, and the power of niacinamide!
This Article is Not a Substitute for Medical Advice
Dietary supplements are not designed to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The Supplement Sciences website seeks to provide comprehensive access to the most relevant supplement information along with convenient online ordering. We do not provide medical advice and cannot guarantee that every product suggested is completely without risk. Since each person is unique in their health history and medication use, it is important to discuss supplements with your personal physician. Specifically, pregnant women and individuals being treated for cancer or liver or kidney problems must consult their physician about every nutritional supplement they plan to take. People taking medications for the treatment of HIV or with a history of organ transplant must not take supplements without consulting with their physician.
