Turmeric contains a powerful anti-inflammatory compound called “curcumin” which provides an array of health benefits.
Clinical studies show that turmeric can help reduce the risk of heart disease while bolstering skeletal strength and perhaps even fending off the onset of dementia.
But that only touches the surface of the potential benefits of turmeric. In the list below we take a look at all the benefits of this powerful supplement.
13 Benefits Of Turmeric
The benefits of turmeric are many and include the following:
1: Turmeric can help improve your oral health.
Having bad oral health can increase your risks for serious cardiovascular health problems, such as a heart attack or stroke. Studies show that turmeric can be used as a natural alternative for better oral health (1).
2: Turmeric contains powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.
Anti-inflammatories are important for healing and repairing damaged tissues. With a good anti-inflammatory agent, you’ll have better joint health and reduced pain and swelling from any injuries or physical activity.
One 2009 study showed curcumin helped reduce inflammation in several diseases and even some cancers (2). Moreover, another article discovered that curcumin could be more effective than ibuprofen and aspirin as an anti-inflammatory treatment (3).
3: Turmeric helps improve brain function and health.
Brain function is important for your body to function as a whole because it controls all of its functions. Brain disease is commonly caused by infection, tumors, and strokes.
An article published in 2006 found that curcumin reversed the effects of chronic stress on behavior, the HPA axis, BDNF expression, and phosphorylation of CREB, leading to better brain health (4). Other research has demonstrated that curcumin helps improvem cognitive function in humans (5).
4: Turmeric could lower your risk of heart disease.
Heart disease is the most common cause of death in the United States, so it’s important to have as many preventative measures as possible. According to research, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of curcuminoids reduce your risk of a heart attack (6).
Blood pressure is responsible for circulating the blood through your body to get oxygen to vital organs. If you have better blood pressure, your heart health will improve. One study found that curcumin could help regulate blood pressure by improving your endothelial function, the health of the thin membrane that covers the inside of the heart and blood vessels (7).
5: Turmeric may play a role in deterring certain cancers.
One study found that curcumin to have a natural anti-inflammatory effect on rats with colon cancer (8). Another study had similar findings with the research suggesting that curcumin may help slow the spread of tumor cells stop them from forming (9).
Furthermore, turmeric is shown to prevent colorectal neoplasia, colorectal cancer (10). Colorectal cancer is cancer that starts in the colon and is the third most common type of cancer in the U.S.
6: Turmeric could prevent Alzheimer’s disease.
Many studies have shown turmeric to relieve dementia symptoms. Curcuminoids have been displayed to enhance amyloid-beta updates by macrophages of Alzheimer’s disease patients to treat Alzheimer’s disease (11).
BDNF mRNA lowers in the hippocampus of patients with Alzheimer’s (12). The buildup of protein tangles called amyloid is one of the major culprits in the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, so if you can clear these plaques, you’ll be able to protect yourself from this horrendous disease.
7: Turmeric can help patients with arthritis.
Arthritis is the swelling, pain, and stiffness in your joints. Since curcumin possesses anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic properties, it’s proven to be effective in treating arthritis (13).
In one 2016 study, just 50 mg of oral curcumin per kilogram (kg) bodyweight substantially slowed the progression of osteoarthritis (14). Another study saw significant improvements in joint tenderness and swelling after taking curcumin for eight weeks (15).
8: Turmeric can decrease your symptoms of depression.
Depression is a daunting disease that impacts many lives, and can alter many aspects of your life, including your sleep, career, and relationships. Animal studies have exhibited curcumin to have antidepressant capabilities (16).
One study found that injecting rats with 50, 100, or 200 mg/kg of curcumin had antidepressant effects after 10 days (17).
9: Turmeric could reverse the effects of aging.
Of course, as you get older your body will age and have some not so desirable side effects that come along for the ride. Fortunately, turmeric has shown some promising benefits to reverse this.
In 2010, an article published showed that blocking the NF-kappaB-dependent inflammation is key to slowing down aging and postponing the onset of age-related diseases (18).
10: Turmeric may help or prevent diabetes.
Turmeric can be an excellent source for controlling your blood glucose levels, making it an excellent source for treating diabetes. In fact, turmeric has been used to treat diabetes in Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine (19).
Controlling your blood glucose levels will not only prevent you from developing diabetes, but it will give you more energy since it’s your body’s primary source of energy. One study published by Nutrition & Metabolism unfolded that after just 16 weeks of supplementing with curcumin, blood insulin levels lowered (20).
11: Turmeric could improve your skin health.
Having good skin health does more than make you look good on the outside. In fact, your skin is your body’s first layer of defense to fight off infection. A 2018 paper suggested oral curcumin can treat psoriasis, a chronic inflammatory skin disorder (21).
Turmeric can also treat acne and eczema because of its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties. With that being said, it will make your skin more vibrant.
12: Turmeric can protect you from free radicals.
Free radicals damage your cells that can lead to aging, illness, and a host of diseases. Turmeric is rich in antioxidants, and antioxidants ward off damage caused by free radicals. According to Foods, curcumin is a powerful antioxidant that can be utilized to protect you against free radicals (22).
13: Turmeric could be good for your eye health.
Improving your eye health will reduce your chances of blindness and vision loss while simultaneously preventing any eye diseases like cataracts or glaucoma. Research conducted on rats shows a 23 percent reduction in retinal cells with curcumin treatment (23).
Conclusion
Turmeric and its most potent constituent compound curcumin, provide an array of benefits ranging from better oral health to enhanced immune function, reduced risk of heart disease, arthritis pain relief, enhanced blood glucose control and perhaps even help in preventing the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. It’s a powerful supplement that has gained widespread clinical praise for its anti-inflammatory properties and one many folks over 40 should consider adding to their diet.