Turmeric is a widely consumed spice made from the root and rhizome of the Curcuma longa plant. Turmeric has also been used as an herbal remedy in Ayurvedic medicine in India and traditional Chinese medicine. You might consume turmeric as a healthy spice or take it as a dietary aid to improve your digestion. Before you begin taking turmeric as a supplement, consult your doctor about the possible drug interactions and other health risks.
Nutrition
As a health food, turmeric offers several different constituents, including curcuminoids, carotene, ascorbic acid, ar-turmerone and polysaccharides, according to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Curcumin is the main nutrient in turmeric. In addition to being consumed in diets throughout many parts of the world, turmeric is also used as a traditional herbal remedy for its curcumin content, according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
Function
The curcumin in turmeric provides all of the main medicinal functions, including strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cortisone-stimulating, blood-thinning and anticancer effects, according to the University of Michigan Health System. Curcumin appears to have neuroprotective and phytoestrogenic actions as well, according to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Additionally, turmeric seems to stimulate the gallbladder to improve bile flow, which could help in treating a variety of gastrointestinal conditions, notes the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
Effects
Turmeric is most commonly used medicinally to help treat indigestion, ulcerative colitis and rheumatoid arthritis, according to the University of Michigan Health System. Turmeric may help relieve gas and bloating, as well as kidney stones, infections and inflammatory conditions. As a topical agent applied to the skin, turmeric could help in healing wounds and treating eczema. Other common uses for turmeric include treating ulcers, acid reflux or heartburn and gallstones, notes the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Talk with your physician before using turmeric for any medical purpose.
Potential
Turmeric might have the potential to help prevent or treat cancer, according to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Specifically, the curcumin in turmeric could possibly inhibit the growth of cancer cells. Turmeric may also provide some benefits if you have Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, osteoarthritis, high cholesterol, lichen planus or chronic anterior uveitis, notes the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Applied topically, turmeric could help treat genital herpes, according to the University of Michigan Health System. Additionally, oral turmeric supplements may help in treating bursitis, low back pain and atherosclerosis, as well as support HIV treatment and improve recovery from surgery. No widely accepted, conclusive medical research supports the use of turmeric for any of these purposes, however.
Warning
Although turmeric is considered safe because of its common use as a spice, people with gallbladder disease shouldn't take turmeric supplements, warns the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Taking high doses of turmeric in supplement form could cause nausea, diarrhea, indigestion and even liver problems. Pregnant women and people with bile-duct obstructions or gallstones should avoid taking large doses of turmeric supplements, cautions the University of Michigan Health System. Turmeric could worsen gallbladder conditions and stimulate uterine contractions. If you take certain medications, you should avoid taking turmeric supplements due to the possibility of adverse reactions. Turmeric can increase the effects of blood-thinning drugs like Coumadin, as well as the medications midazolam and Celiprolol, says the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Turmeric could suppress the effects of medications like camptothecin, mechlorethamine, cyclophosphamide, norfloxacin and doxorubicin.
Member Comments