Turmeric, Curcuma longa spice is one of the most important herbs in health and nutritional supplements.
There are other organic agents in turmeric, but curcumin found in turmeric is the main active component that has medicinal effects on the body.
Read on to learn about the proven health benefits of turmeric and curcumin.
Here's What's In Store For You...
- 10 Health Benefits of Turmeric and Curcumin
- 1) Curcumin has Medicinal Properties
- 2) Turmeric Boosts the Antioxidant Potential of the Body
- 3) Anti-inflammatory Effect
- 4) Turmeric is Antibacterial – Good for the Skin
- 5) Curcumin as Potential Antidepressant
- 6) Helps in Treating Arthritis
- 7) Curcumin may Help in Treating Alzheimer’s Disease
- 8) Slows down Aging and Fights old age diseases
- 9) Enhances Brain Function
- 10) May help Prevent Cancer
- Final Thought
- References
10 Health Benefits of Turmeric and Curcumin
1) Curcumin has Medicinal Properties
Curcumin has biochemical properties that make it useful in producing medicines.
Curcumin is fat-soluble and it can be useful for weight loss because when fat is dissolved by it, it breaks down easily.
2) Turmeric Boosts the Antioxidant Potential of the Body
Curcumin is an antioxidant that can help to reduce free radicals in the body. Free radicals unfavorably compete with normal biological processes in the body and can result in compounding the problem of normal oxidative effects.
The body can easily succumb to diseases if more free radicals are allowed to roam inside it.
3) Anti-inflammatory Effect
Turmeric has potent anti-inflammatory properties when consumed in a concentrated amount (that is when the exact curcuminoid extracted is administered).
4) Turmeric is Antibacterial – Good for the Skin
Turmeric helps in preventing and taking care of skin infections like eczema and it also stops skin irritation.
5) Curcumin as Potential Antidepressant
Curcumin may be one of the most effective herbal substances in treating depression. Early trials showed that curcumin showed a similar result as Prozac which is effective in treating depression, (Sanmukhani J. et al., 2014).
It is believed that the usefulness of curcumin in helping to boost neurotransmitters – serotonin and dopamine in the brain, is the reason it helps patients suffering from depression symptoms.
6) Helps in Treating Arthritis
As we already know curcumin is an active anti-inflammatory compound, so it helps with easing arthritic pain from sore joints.
7) Curcumin may Help in Treating Alzheimer’s Disease
As you may already know, there is no known cure for Alzheimer’s. However, curcumin treatment can reduce the symptoms with preventative effects being the main benefit.
8) Slows down Aging and Fights old age diseases
Natural oxidation, as well as inflammation in the body, are linked with aging.
Curcumin’s effect as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory may be good enough to provide the benefit of slowing down aging to some extent.
9) Enhances Brain Function
Brain-Derived Neurotropic Factor, BDNF, is more like a genetic factor that is required for the process of the formation of neurons in the brain.
So, to make the life of the brain easier when doing tasks such as learning and remembering things, the BDNF protein needs curcumin to help it work well.
Studies done with some animals show that curcumin could increase the activity of BDNF protein in the body.
10) May help Prevent Cancer
Curcumin may help prevent cancer by inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, Giordano A. et al shows. It also kills cancer cells, reduces blood supply to tumor sites, and prevents the spread of cancer to other parts of the body, a process known as metastasis.
There is a possibility that curcumin in the right levels can have positive results in treating cancer but more work still needs to be done to have it as a reliable cure for cancer.
Final Thought
To benefit from most herbs and natural products, it is best to use them while trying to prevent diseases rather than for cures. Also, don’t forget to seek medical help from your general physician and live healthily.
References
Giordano A, Tommonaro G. Curcumin and Cancer. Nutrients. 2019;11(10):2376. Published 2019 Oct 5. doi:10.3390/nu11102376
Sanmukhani J, Satodia V, Trivedi J, Patel T, Tiwari D, Panchal B, Goel A, Tripathi CB. Efficacy and safety of curcumin in major depressive disorder: a randomized controlled trial. Phytother Res. 2014 Apr;28(4):579-85. doi: 10.1002/ptr.5025. Epub 2013 Jul 6. PMID: 23832433.
Sikora E, Bielak-Zmijewska A, Mosieniak G, Piwocka K. The promise of slow down ageing may come from curcumin. Curr Pharm Des. 2010;16(7):884-92. doi: 10.2174/138161210790883507. PMID: 20388102.
