(EMAILWIRE.COM, May 18, 2012 ) Wilmington, NC -- Turmeric has been used in India as medicine for thousands of years. The western world is finally catching up and discovering the health benefits of turmeric. Natural Health Sherpa, a leading natural health website, discusses some of these health benefits.
Anti-inflammatory
Turmeric is safe and non-toxic and is widely accepted as a potent anti-inflammatory. It works by inhibiting various molecules that contribute to inflammation such as lipooxygenase, COX-2, leukotrienes, prostaglandins, nitric oxide, interferon-inducible protein, tumor necrosis factor (TNF), and interleukin-12 (IL-12).
In one study that compared the effectiveness of curcumin – the active ingredient in turmeric – and a popular non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) called phenylbutazone, Natural Health Sherpa notes:
“At the end of the six days, those taking the curcumin and the NSAID enjoyed a significantly better anti-inflammatory response than placebo. Or, to put it simply, the spice worked as well as the drug, but without the nasty side effects.”
Pain Relief
When inflammation is reduced, the added benefit is pain relief. Another double-blind, crossover study showed that both phenylbutazone and curcumin are effective in relieving pain. “At the end of the study period, both groups had significant improvements in morning stiffness, walking time, and joint swelling,” according to Natural Health Sherpa.
Alzheimer’s
Researchers have been suspicious that inflammation contributes to Alzheimer’s disease. To test their theory, they developed the Alzheimer’s Disease Anti-Inflammatory Prevention Trial, or ADAPT in 2008. Over 2,500 patients signed-up for this randomized, placebo-controlled study.
“While they found that the NSAIDs did result (to date) in a 30 percent reduction in Alzheimer’s among those patients taking them, they determined that the drug’s side effects (such as gastrointestinal bleeding and liver and kidney damage) weren’t worth the risk,” relates the Natural Health Sherpa post.
The researched mentioned above did show that reducing inflammation has positive effects on patients with Alzheimer’s. “So, aiming to sidestep the dangers of NSAIDs, they decided to see if a natural anti-inflammatory could produce the same results,” says Natural Health Sherpa.
They tested the therapy on mice with “Alzheimer-like pathology”. Curcumin significantly lowered several inflammation markers, in addition to reducing plaque on the brain (a sign of Alzheimer’s) by 43 to 50 percent.
Cancer
Researchers at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX state that curcumin has “enormous” potential to prevent and treat cancer. Curcumin was able to suppress tumor formation, growth, and even metastasis according to their review.
Currently, there are clinical trials being conducted on the effects of curcumin on patients with bowel cancer.
Natural Health Sherpa recommends that consumers use turmeric in cooking and reminds us that curry powder is not pure turmeric but a mix of various spices. To reap the benefits, “You want the straight stuff…just turmeric,” says the health website. The recommended dosages for curcumin supplements is 450 to 600 mg per day. Natural Health Sherpa recommends taking curcumin with coconut oil or olive oil for better absorption.
About Natural Health Sherpa:
Natural Health Sherpa provides in-depth, science-based, independent reviews of natural health therapies and remedies that have been proven to be both safe and effective and are backed by good science -- multiple double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized studies. Unfortunately, there are many charlatans making bogus, unfounded claims in the natural health area, so our goal is to separate fact from fiction to pinpoint what actually works.