Turmeric Curcumin Health Benefits & Side Effects

Turmeric is a flowering plant and belongs to the ginger family, Zingiberaceae. It grows in Asia and Central America and sometimes referred to as Indian saffron or the gold spice (or Haldi in Hindi).

The turmeric on supermarket shelves is made from the ground roots. The bright yellow color of ground turmeric is unmistakable as a curry powder is common in Indian cuisine. You can buy turmeric not only in its traditional powder form but also in capsules, teas, and extracts.

Curcumin is the active ingredient in turmeric with its powerful biological properties. Ayurvedic medicine recommends turmeric for many different health conditions. These include chronic pain and inflammation. Western medicine has only recently started to study turmeric as a pain reliever and a therapeutic agent.

Let us investigate the nutrient content of turmeric, how it may benefit health, in addition to a number of its side effects.

Turmeric is a flavorsome spice that's nutritious to consume in curries around the world.  It has also been recognized in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine to treat inflammatory conditions, skin diseases, wounds, digestive disorders, and liver ailments.

1. Anti-inflammatory properties

The Arthritis Foundation cites several studies where turmeric has decreased inflammation. It suggests taking turmeric in capsule form of 400 to 600 mg, three times a day, may help in inflammation relief. This anti-inflammatory ability might lessen the pain in the joints that individuals with arthritis feel.

2. Possibly reducing the risk of cancer

Curcumin shows promise for cancer care therapy. Studies suggest it's protective effects against pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer, and multiple myeloma.

3. Pain relief

Turmeric has traditionally been used as a pain reliever. The spice is known to relieve arthritis pain too. Studies appear to confirm the benefit of turmeric for pain relief, with one research noting that it seemed to be as effective as ibuprofen in people with arthritis in their knees. Though dosing recommendations vary, individuals who engaged in the study took 800 mg of turmeric in capsule form every day.

4. Enhancing liver function

Turmeric has been gaining attention lately due to its antioxidant abilities. The antioxidant effect of turmeric is apparently so powerful that it might prevent your liver from being damaged by toxins. Those who take potent drugs for diabetes or other health conditions that may harm their liver with long-term usage may find this as welcome news.

5. Digestive benefits

Turmeric adds a distinct flavor to any food, which explains its presence in curry powder. However, turmeric may also play an essential role in digesting that food. The spice can bring about healthy digestion as a consequence of its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Turmeric is an integral part of Ayurvedic medicine as a digestive healing agent. Western medicine has started to research how turmeric can help with gut inflammation and gut permeability, two steps of digestive efficiency.

The spice is being researched as a treatment for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

See: Ayurveda for IBS

6. Including turmeric in the diet

Turmeric is an extremely versatile spice that can be added to foods in a range of ways, such as:

Adding turmeric to spice mixtures like sausage or curry rub

creating a homemade dressing using part oil, part vinegar, and seasonings including turmeric

Changing your go-to marinades with the addition of turmeric. Turmeric is also available as a nutritional supplement in powder-containing capsules, capsules, extracts, and tinctures. Bromelain, a protein extract derived from pineapples increases the absorption and effects of turmeric, so it is often blended with turmeric in these products. 

Turmeric powder, tea, extracts, and supplements are available for purchase at many health stores and online. You should check with a physician before taking any nutritional supplements to ensure they are safe for you to use.

Side effects of turmeric

While turmeric does provide potential health benefits, it creates some risks that are worth considering before swallowing massive amounts. While the positive facets of turmeric may outweigh the side effects, it's essential to be aware that a pure healer like turmeric might cause specific health problems within the body. Below are a few side effects of turmeric worth understanding.

1. Upsetting the gut

Turmeric is known to heal your body and cause inflammation in your gut that may lead to abdominal pain and cramps. The very same agents in turmeric which support digestive health can irritate when taken in large quantities. Some participants in research looking at using turmeric for cancer therapy had to drop out because their digestion was negatively influenced.

2. Can cause nausea and diarrhea

Turmeric is known to stimulate the stomach to produce more gastric acid. When this helps some people's digestion, it can negatively impact others. Curcumin has a propensity to disturb the gastrointestinal tract, which causes diarrhea and nausea with excessive consumption.

3. Risk of kidney stones

Turmeric includes oxalates, which may increase the chance of developing kidney stones. The oxalates can bind the calcium to form insoluble calcium oxalate that's a vital source of kidney stones.

4. May cause an allergic reaction

You might be allergic to particular compounds present in turmeric which may lead to outbreaks, rashes, migraines as well as shortness of breath. Allergic reactions may occur from both ingestion and skin contact.

5. Iron deficiency

Excessive turmeric consumption may inhibit the absorption of iron. Therefore, people with iron deficiency should be cautious not to include a lot of turmeric in their everyday meals, as it might reduce the body's ability to absorb iron.

6. Blood-thinning properties

The purifying properties of turmeric may also lead to simpler bleeding more easily. The cause of this is unclear. Other proposed benefits, such as reduced cholesterol and reduced blood pressure may have something to do with how turmeric works in your blood. Individuals who take blood-thinning drugs, such as warfarin (Coumadin), should avoid consuming large doses of turmeric.

7. Stimulating contractions

Some studies imply turmeric can alleviate symptoms of PMS. Pregnant women should avoid taking turmeric supplements due to its blood-thinning consequences. Adding small amounts of turmeric to food for a spice should not cause health issues.

It seems that there are health advantages to including turmeric on your daily diet. The gold spice supports immune health, helps alleviate pain, and will aid in digestion, among other things. But due to some of its side effects, turmeric might not be worth carrying for a few people. It's important to use caution when determining whether turmeric is something that you will need to try. As with any other therapy, talk with your health care provider before you use turmeric to deal with any health condition that you have.

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