THE NEW YORK TIMES Turmeric has been used as a spice and medicine for thousands of years. And in recent decades, it has become popular as a dietary supplement, often sold as curcumin — a chemical compound found in dried turmeric — with claims that it can relieve joint pain, reduce inflammation and improve mobility.
At ThailandAccording to Krit Pongpirul, associate professor of preventive and social medicine at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, turmeric is also consumed in the form of a spice or supplement to relieve gastrointestinal complaints such as bloating and indigestion. But only small studies have examined these benefits.
Turmeric and curcumin are among the dietary supplements most studied by science. Photo: Freepik / rawpixel.com
In a clinical trial published this month in the journal BMJ EvidenceBased Medicine, Pongpirul and his colleagues tested whether curcumin supplements could help patients with functional dyspepsia, a common gastrointestinal disorder that causes headaches. stomach and bloating, in addition to nausea and bloating after meals.
For the eightweek study, researchers divided 206 people with functional dyspepsia into three randomly selected groups: one who took 20 milligrams of omeprazole (a drug that reduces stomach acid) once daily; another took two 250 mg curcumin capsules four times daily; and a third took omeprazole and curcumin daily at the above doses.
A total of 151 patients completed the study and at weeks 4 and 8, all three groups reported similar reductions in symptoms such as pain, belching, heartburn and bloating.
According to Pongpirul, Curcumin appeared to be as effective as omeprazole in relieving symptoms of functional dyspepsia. Few side effects have been reported, although the authors noted that longterm studies are needed to evaluate the supplement’s risks and benefits.
Brian Lacy, a gastroenterologist and professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, said in an email that despite these promising results, he would hesitate to recommend curcumin supplements to his patients based on this study alone.
The results would have been more convincing if the study had included a placebo group, he said. Without this group, it is impossible to know whether participants’ responses were due to the treatment, the placebo effect, or the passage of time.
However, functional dyspepsia causes severe discomfort, Lacy said, and there are no approved medications to treat the condition in the United States. Omeprazole, which is often used offlabel, only appears to help about one in ten patients.
Without better treatments, Lacy said, those who prefer natural or herbal products “can safely use this data to say, ‘Let’s try curcumin first.'”
But Mahtab Jafari, a professor of pharmaceutical sciences at the University of California, Irvine, warned that patients with painful gastrointestinal symptoms should take curcumin without medication appropriate medical examination. And since supplements are poorly regulated, there are some caveats to consider.
Can turmeric help with other problems?
Turmeric and curcumin are among the most studied dietary supplements, said Janet Funk, a professor of medicine at the University of Arizona.
In a comprehensive review published in March, Funk and his colleagues evaluated 389 clinical studies on how curcumin supplements can affect various health problems such as type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis, digestive problems. Cancer and dementia.
Many are small, poorly designed studies, she said, but the evidence suggests the supplements are likely for osteoarthritis and may be helpful for people with insulin resistance or diabetes.
It is possible to purchase turmeric roots, grind them, and use the powder in various recipes. Photo: ROBERTO SEBA/ESTADAO
The composition of the products used in these studies is very different, Funk warned as are the nutritional supplements currently available on the market. This makes it difficult to achieve promising results with a test preparation and to find a suitable product for sale.
Curcumin supplements have also been found to contain some potentially harmful contaminants. In a study published in 2018, Funk and his colleagues analyzed 35 curcumin supplements and found lead in all but one of the products.
They also found residues of toxic industrial solvents such as toluene, a chemical found in paint, nail polish and gasoline in 25 of the products tested, even though the solvent levels were below generally considered safe limits. And many of the curcumin supplements contained piperine, a black pepper extract that increases curcumin absorption but can also interfere with the effectiveness of some medications.
Jafari, who studies curcumin in her lab, said she is confident it has antiinflammatory effects, but given the lack of large studies and industry regulation, she recommends against curcumin supplements.
Before using any supplement, make sure it has been tested by reputable organizations. You should also check with your doctor about possible interactions with medications or tests; and continue to monitor any side effects of the supplement, she said.
But given concerns about the purity and safety of turmeric supplements, perhaps the plant’s best use is the oldest: “Buy the beautiful turmeric roots, grind them and enjoy them,” Jafari said.
This article was originally published in The New York Times./TRANSLATION BY RENATO PRELORENTZOU