Curcumin is the main curcuminoid in turmeric. Curcuminoids give turmeric its yellow color. In Asia, curcumin is used in folkloric medicine to treat arthritis, gastrointestinal upset and "low energy," according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Research in laboratories and on animals indicates antioxidant, anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory powers. Before you buy supplements, or stock up on turmeric, however, be aware that there is not enough scientific evidence to advocate curcumin for these uses, according to NIH.
Food
Curcumin is a popular spice in Middle Eastern, Indian and Southeast Asian foods. Curcuminoids comprise about 2 to 9 percent of turmeric, known as "poor man's saffron." Turmeric is used in everything from beverages to sausages, to ice cream and bakery goods. Curcumin provides the majority of the curcuminoids in turmeric--about three-fourths of the total, according to Oregon State University's (OSU) Linus Pauling Institute. Turmeric, in turn, is an ingredient in curry powder. You'll also see extracts from curcumin used as food-coloring agents.
Antioxidant
Curcumin can be purchased as a dietary supplement. Curcumin supplements are popular for their potential antioxidant benefits. In lab tests, curcumin does prove effective as an antioxidant that provides protection against cell-damaging free radicals. It's not clear, however, whether you'd gain this benefit from consuming curcumin as a supplement because it has limited oral bioavailability (the degree to which a drug or other substance becomes available to the target tissue after administration) in humans, according to OSU. This means, it might not be as useful to your body as other fat-soluble antioxidants, such as vitamin E. Curcumin may indirectly act as an antioxidant, however, by enhancing glutathione synthesis, an important intracellular antioxidant, or by inhibiting inflammatory enzymes in your body.
Cancer Fighter
Curcumin is often touted as an anti-cancer agent. The results of animal studies are promising--especially those examining colorectal cancer, according to OSU. However, little evidence exists indicating that high curcumin intake will decrease cancer risk. Scientists are still interested in this possibility, however. Curcumin is able to induce apoptosis in a variety of cancer cell lines in lab tests. Apoptosis is a programmed cell death, and cells that die in this manner usually don't cause the same inflammatory responses that cells dying in other manners do. Usually, cancer cells are resistant to apoptosis, according to OSU. Bioavailability of curcumin is a bit of concern. It was found to be poor in a study on pancreatic cancer. Curcumin may be more effective for colorectal cancer. Studies suggest biologically active levels of curcumin can be achieved in the gastrointestinal tract, according to OSU.
Preventing Alzheimer's Disease
You may hear about curcumin's ability to reduce beta-amyloid and plaque burden thanks to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Beta-amyloid plaques are thought have a key role in Alzheimer's disease, according to the National Institute on Aging. Findings on curcumin's beta-amyloid fighting power are based on lab studies, according to NIH, and there's not enough evidence to advocate curcumin use for cognitive performance in humans. For example, scientists don't know whether curcumin supplements can cross the blood brain barrier, according to OSU. As of early 2010, clinical trials, meaning human studies, were underway.
Other Uses
Preliminary studies in humans, indicate that curcumin may be useful in treating heartburn and high cholesterol when ingested, as well as scabies when used topically. Curcumin has a reputation for fighting a host of other conditions based on traditional use, or animal and laboratory studies. However, according to NIH, there's not enough evidence that proves effectiveness in humans to recommend curcumin for these uses, even those for which early human studies exist.
Curcumin is also touted as a remedy for cystic fibrosis. The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, however, doesn't recommend its use as a therapy due to lack of clinical trials.
Early studies or traditional use also suggest curcumin can improve rheumatoid arthritis symptoms, prevent blood clot formation, prevent gallstones and treat stomach ulcers, according to NIH.
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