Does Turmeric Deserve Its Reputation as a Superfood?

By Dr. J.E. Williams | 30th January 2025 | Reading Time: 4 minutes

Choose curcumin (Curcuma longa) extract standardized to 95% curcuminoids in 500 mg per capsule to benefit from its anti-inflammatory effects. Lower doses are helpful for gut and general health when taken daily over time. However, higher doses are required for clinical effects. Frequent dosing is needed to control joint inflammation associated with osteoarthritis. Take 500-1000 mg daily for general health benefits and 1000 mg three times a day to prevent joint pain. The FDA considers curcuminoids, the medicinally active phenolic compounds derived from turmeric root, safe for most people. 

Curcumin Medicinal Combinations

Like traditional Chinese medicine, most plant-based medicines work best when combined with other plants. They can also have complementary effects with non-plant compounds. For example, a 2024 study found curcumin combined with ursolic acid helped treat prostate cancer. 

Ursolic acid (UA) is a natural triterpene compound isolated from the leaves of various plants, including rosemary, marjoram, lavender, thyme, oregano, fruits (apple fruit peel), flowers, and berries. Including these spices and foods improves health and prevents chronic diseases. 

Both black and red chili peppers help the absorption of curcuminoids. From a traditional diet perspective, this may be the reason Indian and Mexican foods are so spicy. Hot peppers also have medicinal properties of their own. When combined, they have a positive synergistic health-enhancing effect. 

Conditions Effectively Managed with Curcumin Supplementation:

• Type II Diabetes
• Metabolic Syndrome
• Chronic cardiovascular disease
• Reduces inflammation and lowers hs-CRP and ESR
• Lowers homocysteine
• Lowers total cholesterol and triglycerides and raises HDL cholesterol 

Turmeric: Risks and Side-Effects

Natural turmeric is safe. Avoid taking curcumin with aspirin or warfarin because of the increased risk of bleeding. Also, don’t use it if you take a glucose-lowering drug for type II diabetes. The combined effect could lower your blood sugar too much. Avoid curcumin supplements during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. 

However, though turmeric and curcumin supplements are considered safe, there is concern about contamination with lead, arsenic, and cadmium. For your safety, buy products and supplements tested for contaminants. 

Summary

Curcumin, the medicinally active compound in turmeric, is a superfood and powerful natural medicine that can effectively manage many common diseases of our modern lifestyle. You can purchase it as a nutritional supplement or cultivate your own.

Turmeric is easy to grow. I grow mine in deep containers and raised beds. It does well in South Florida’s warm, moist climate and long growing season. After all, it’s native to India. The climates and temperatures are similar: warm, with no frost, and humid, with lots of sunshine. 

I think so, as do millions of people in India. And so do academics and researchers. There are 8,463 results for turmeric on PubMed. And a search for curcumin yields 25,102 citations. There are 8,453 results just for curcumin and cancer. The biological activities of this ubiquitous plant include antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiviral effects, and anticancer potential. This humble plant has protected the health of countless humans over the centuries. It’s a traditional superfood with modern appeal. 

What Can Turmeric Do for You? 

The biochemical actions of turmeric and its components are complex and, though extensively researched, are still poorly understood, leaving no clear conclusions about how it benefits human health. However, its properties suggest that it should have profound health benefits. Research finds it has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, anticancer, hepatoprotective, and cardioprotective effects. Turmeric helps every system in the body but is particularly good at controlling arthritis and modulating metabolic syndrome.

8 Ways Turmeric Supports Health: 

1. Lowers inflammation.
2. Reduces arthritic joint pain. 
3. May preserve mitochondrial function
4. Helps normal insulin regulation to support glucose metabolism and prevent type II diabetes
5. Has antioxidant activity
6. Lowers neuroinflammation 
7. Modulates serotonin and dopamine production to benefit mood
8. Has anticancer benefits. 

Are Turmeric Supplements Useful? 

The Western diet tends to be bland, with sweetness as the predominant flavor. The leading pungent food in the Western diet is garlic. In the tropical regions, turmeric and chili peppers are valued for their spicy hot taste, which dominates the flavor of Mexican and Indian foods. 

Turmeric is available in several forms, including fresh or dried root powder. As a nutritional supplement, it comes as a liquid, an alcohol-extracted tincture, and a concentrated extract. For maximum therapeutic benefit, choose a concentrated standardized extract. 

I advise including a curcumin supplement in your daily nutrition plan to prevent the chronic diseases of the modern lifestyle. 

Dr. Williams

Selected References 

Besasie BD, Saha A, DiGiovanni J, Liss MA. Effects of curcumin and ursolic acid in prostate cancer: A systematic review. Urologia. 2024 Feb;91(1):90-106. Epub 2023 Sep 30. PMID: 37776274; PMCID: PMC10976464. https://doi:10.1177/03915603231202304.  

Deguchi A. Curcumin targets in inflammation and cancer. Endocr Metab Immune Disord Drug Targets. 2015;15(2):88-96. https://doi:10.2174/1871530315666150316120458.  PMID: 25772169. 

Giordano A, Tommonaro G. Curcumin and Cancer. Nutrients. 2019 Oct 5;11(10):2376. https://doi:10.3390/nu11102376.  PMID: 31590362; PMCID: PMC6835707. 

Munekata, P. E., Pateiro, M., Zhang, W., Dominguez, R., Xing, L., Fierro, E. M., & Lorenzo, J. M. (2021). Health benefits, extraction and development of functional foods with curcuminoids. Journal of Functional Foods, 79, 104392. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jff.2021.104392 

Seo, D. Y., Lee, S. R., Heo, W., No, H., Rhee, B. D., Ko, K. S., Kwak, B., & Han, J. (2018). Ursolic acid in health and disease. The Korean Journal of Physiology & Pharmacology : Official Journal of the Korean Physiological Society and the Korean Society of Pharmacology, 22(3), 235. https://doi.org/10.4196/kjpp.2018.22.3.235 

Sharifi-Rad J, et al. Turmeric and Its Major Compound Curcumin on Health: Bioactive Effects and Safety Profiles for Food, Pharmaceutical, Biotechnological and Medicinal Applications. Front Pharmacol. 2020 Sep 15;11:01021. https://doi:10.3389/fphar.2020.01021 . PMID: 33041781; PMCID: PMC7522354.