7 Amazing Benefits of Taking Turmeric Supplements
Turmeric has been cited as a miracle supplement that can lower your chances of getting cancer, help with joint pain, and reduce inflammation. Or, is it just another overhyped supplement that's not worth the money and you should avoid altogether? Today I am going to breakdown 7 Amazing Benefits of Taking Turmeric Supplements
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Turmeric which is a staple ingredient in Asian cooking, particularly Indian, Sri Lankan, Chinese, and Indonesian, but now we're starting to see it commercially become available everywhere in things like teas, capsules, powders, extracts, cosmetics, spices, and much much more. And all of these Tumeric products are touting major health benefits.
So, is Turmeric one of the most effective natural supplements on the market today? Can its chemical compounds actually treat things like inflammation and cancer? Or can it even help with upper respiratory infection and other types of ailments? Or is it all bullshit? And should people avoid it altogether?
In this article, I'm going to break down the 7 key benefits of supplementing with Turmeric.
First things first, what exactly is Turmeric?
It's often referred to as Turmeric root or goes by other names like Indian saffron or golden spice, and it's popular worldwide as a culinary spice, and it's a primary ingredient in curry powder. It's derived from a tall plant in the ginger family, and its underground stem is often used as the basis for the culinary spice.
Aside from cooking, what you may not have known is that Turmeric has also been used as a traditional medicine in different parts of the world for many years, particularly in China. Historically speaking, Turmeric was, and still is, used in Ayurvedic and other traditional Indian and Chinese medical systems and medicines primarily for skin disorders, upper respiratory tract joints and issues with the digestive system.
Nowadays, the Turmeric ingredient is being promoted as a dietary supplement that helps treat many different health conditions.
7 Amazing Benefits of Taking Turmeric Supplements
1 - Turmeric reduces overall inflammation in your body.
Turmeric contains bioactive compounds with powerful medicinal properties called curcuminoids. Curcumin is the most active ingredient in Turmeric, and it has a lot of very powerful anti-inflammatory properties and is a powerful antioxidant. And as we know, low-level inflammation plays a significant role in almost every chronic disease; therefore, anything that can help fight chronic inflammation is of potential importance in preventing and even treating these diseases.
Sound too good to be true? Well, let's just say it does come with a caveat. Curcumin is poorly absorbed into your bloodstream and isn't that abundant in Turmeric, only 3% by volume. So a little hack to get the most curcumin absorbed into your body is to consume Tumeric with black pepper, which drastically enhances the absorption of curcumin.
2 - Turmeric procurement lowers the risk of Alzheimer's disease.
Curcumin, the active ingredient in Turmeric that I mentioned before, boosts brain-derived neurotrophic factors. Neurons in the brain can form new connections, and in some areas of the brain even capable of multiplying and increasing the numbers. One of the main reasons for this process is the brain-derived neurotrophic factor or BDNF. But many common brain disorders like depression and Alzheimer's disease, for instance, have been linked to decreased levels of this hormone.
In a nutshell, the main active ingredient curcumin is said to increase brain levels of BDNF, which could be effective in delaying or even reversing many brain diseases and age-related decreases in brain function. In addition, a key feature of Alzheimer's disease is a buildup of protein tangles called amyloid plaques.
Studies have shown that curcumin can help clear these plaques, and it crosses the blood-brain barrier, and it even may help improve your memory given its effects on these BDNF levels.
3 - Curcumin lowers your risk of heart disease.
Although incredibly complicated and many factors go into treating heart disease, curcumin may help reverse the many steps in the heart disease process.
One of the main benefits is improving the function of the endothelial cells, aka the lining of your blood vessels, and reducing inflammation and oxidation. One study randomly assigned 121 people undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery, either a placebo or four grammes, or curcumin per day a few days before the surgery. And what they found was that the group of test patients who were given curcumin showed a 65% decreased risk of experiencing a heart attack in the hospital.
5 - Turmeric can help prevent or maybe even treat cancer
Cancer is a terrible disease that comes in many forms. But if you had to break it down to its most simple description is often characterised by uncontrolled cell growth. According to some studies, it seems that some cancers not all, but some cells appear, or even precancerous cells appear to be affected by curcumin supplements. In 130 day published study in 44 men with lesions in the colon who took four grammes of curcumin per day, reducing the number of lesions in the colon by 40%.
Other studies have shown that it can contribute to the death of cancerous cells and reduce Angiogenesis or the growth of blood vessels in tumours and the spread of cancer. Other animal studies indicate that curcumin reduced the growth of cells in lab tasks and inhibited the growth of tumours in test animals. So will curcumin be used along with conventional cancer treatment one day, or possibly prevent cancer? Although it's too early to say for sure, it does look promising and is being studied right now.
6 - Turmeric can reduce the symptoms of arthritis.
Arthritis is generally something older people suffer from, but it's not uncommon for people to be diagnosed in their early thirties. But given its anti-inflammatory properties, it would make sense that curcumin, the main active ingredient in Turmeric, would work to combat arthritis. The good news is several studies show this to be true. Also, in one study in people with rheumatoid arthritis, curcumin was seen to even be more effective than anti-inflammatory drugs.
6 - Can potentially ease the symptoms of depression.
In a controlled trial, 60 people with depression were randomly sorted into three different groups. One of these groups was given Prozac another curcumin, and one of these groups was given a combination of curcumin and Prozac. After six weeks. The group that took both Prozac and curcumin together had the best results.
The curcumin only group had very similar results to the Prozac group. So, according to this study, it was concluded that taking curcumin was just as effective as taking antidepressants. Depression is also linked to reduced levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor BDNF and a shrinking hippocampus, a brain area responsible for learning and memory. Curcumin boosts these BDNF levels, suggesting why it may help combat depression.
7 - Turmeric delays ageing
Beyond just preventing disease, if you're simply looking to live longer, you have to consider things like oxidation and inflammation and the role they play on the body and ageing. What we know about curcumin and its anti-inflammatory properties taking substances that contain curcumin may have overall effects that go way beyond just preventing disease and lead to increased longevity.
How much should you take?
Many of you are probably wondering where do I get it and how much should I be taking. The exact dose depends on the condition. Certain studies advise that a dose between 500 to 2000 milligrams per day had potential health benefits, which was backed up by the Arthritis Foundation.
On a final note
Some people have experienced mild digestive issues when supplementing with Turmeric. Issues such as bloating, acid reflux, nausea and other digestive problems when exceeding 1000 milligrammes a day.
DISCLAIMER - If you do decide to take Turmeric supplements, I always recommend that you do your own research and speak with a qualified health professional
What’s your number one supplement that you swear by? Let me know in the comments below or share your recommendation with the Male Mastery community over on Instagram
