Curcumin
Episodes
Dr. Rhonda Patrick discusses microdosing nicotine, GlyNac benefits, intermittent fasting and hair loss, and cold & flu relief.
Dr. Rhonda Patrick discusses if smoked salmon is carcinogenic, high-dose melatonin, creatine on workout vs. non-workout days, and the Neurocode brain scan.
Dr. Rhonda Patrick discusses xylitol safety, strategies to reduce hemoglobin A1C, klotho and dementia risk, and the timing of hormone replacement therapy.
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Nootropics Omega-3 Fasting Pregnancy Curcumin Sauna Time-Restricted Eating Protein Supplements Urolithin ADr. Rhonda Patrick discusses microdosing nicotine, GlyNac benefits, intermittent fasting and hair loss, and cold & flu relief.
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Dr. Rhonda Patrick discusses if smoked salmon is carcinogenic, high-dose melatonin, creatine on workout vs. non-workout days, and the Neurocode brain scan.
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Rhonda Hormones Diabetes Cholesterol Omega-3 Dementia Curcumin Protein Blood Sugar Berberine AcetaminophenDr. Rhonda Patrick discusses xylitol safety, strategies to reduce hemoglobin A1C, klotho and dementia risk, and the timing of hormone replacement therapy.
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Dr. Rhonda Patrick discusses fish oil and Afib risk, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, supplements for kids, and curcumin's impact on testosterone.
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Rhonda Curcumin Resveratrol Sulforaphane Sauna Berberine Polyphenol Carotenoids Moringa Supplements SteviaDr. Rhonda Patrick explores iodine supplementation, choline & TMAO, curcumin safety, and red yeast rice in her latest Q&A.
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Dr. Rhonda Patrick explores melatonin's antioxidant properties, curcumin supplementation, antinutrients, and SARMs in her latest Q&A.
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Dr. Rhonda Patrick answers audience questions on various health, nutrition, and science topics in this Q&A session.
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Rhonda Sleep Breast Cancer Omega-3 Pregnancy Melatonin Vaccine Curcumin Bone Sauna COVID-19 Ketogenic DietDr. Rhonda Patrick answers audience questions on various health, nutrition, and science topics in this Q&A session.
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Dr. Gordon Lithgow discusses the roles of protein aggregation, iron overload, and others in the aging process.
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Brain Nutrition Exercise Alzheimer's Cholesterol Omega-3 Inflammation Depression Probiotics DNA Damage Stem Cells Serotonin Mental Health Cannabinoid CurcuminDr. Rhonda Patrick makes her third appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience.
Topic Pages
News & Publications
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Curcumin, a compound derived from turmeric, aids in reducing muscle damage and soreness after intense exercise, potentially speeding up recovery. www.tandfonline.com
Intense exercise—especially eccentric movements like downhill running or heavy weightlifting—can cause microscopic muscle damage, inflammation, and soreness. While this process is part of adaptation, excessive damage can delay recovery and hinder performance. A recent study found that curcumin, a compound derived from turmeric, may help reduce muscle damage and soreness, potentially speeding up recovery.
Researchers analyzed the findings of 11 studies on curcumin and exercise-induced muscle damage. The various studies focused on healthy adults who exercised regularly and took curcumin before, during, or after workouts.
The analysis revealed that curcumin supplementation may ease muscle soreness, reduce inflammation, and improve recovery after strenuous exercise. However, the benefits depended on dose (which ranged from 90 milligrams to 2.5 grams), bioavailability, and timing, with post-exercise supplementation appearing most effective.
These findings suggest that curcumin could be a useful supplement for athletes looking to minimize muscle soreness and recover faster. However, its low bioavailability may limit its effectiveness. In addition, the investigators noted that many of the studies were small, limiting their findings' applicability. Curcumin is a polyphenolic compound. Learn more about polyphenols in our overview article.
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Green tea catechins, resveratrol, curcumin and metformin reduced amyloid plaque formation in herpes-induced Alzheimer's disease tissue models. (2022) neurosciencenews.com
From the article:
They have tested 21 different compounds in Alzheimer’s-afflicted neural cells in the lab, measuring the compounds’ effect on the growth of sticky beta amyloid plaques. These plaques develop in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s.
[…]
The initial screening was done in simpler models, and compounds that had a positive effect were then tested in the 3D neural tissue model. That model is created using a nonreactive silk sponge seeded with human skin cells that, through genetic reprogramming, are converted into neural stem cell progenitors.
Those cells grow and populate the sponge, “which allows for 3D network formation of neurons similar to what you’d see in the human brain,” Cairns says.
The initial screen found five compounds had “really robust prevention of these plaques,” she says. In addition to the green tea compounds and resveratrol, they found curcumin from turmeric, the diabetic medication Metformin, and a compound called citicoline prevented plaques from forming and did not have anti-viral effects.
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A meta-analysis of more than 884 studies (RCTs) finds omega-3, folic acid and CoQ10 among the micronutrients that reduce cardiovascular risk. (2022) www.sciencedaily.comVitamin D Vitamin C Omega-3 Melatonin Magnesium Curcumin Selenium Folate Zinc Polyphenol Carotenoids Cardiovascular Supplements
Omega-3 fatty acids, folic acid, and CoQ10 reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Some nutritional components benefit cardiovascular health, but others have no effect on cardiovascular health or may even harm it, according to a recent study. Nutritional components providing the greatest benefit include omega-3 fatty acids, folic acid, and coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), a vitamin-like compound produced in the body.
Researchers analyzed the findings of more than 880 trials involving more than 880,000 participants that investigated the benefits of various macronutrients, micronutrients, and bioactive compounds on cardiovascular health.
They found that the nutritional components had varied effects on cardiovascular health. For example, while omega-3 fatty acids, folic acid, and CoQ10 reduced the risk of cardiovascular disease, selenium and vitamins C, D, and E had no effect on the risk for either cardiovascular disease or type 2 diabetes (which often coincides with cardiovascular disease). On the other hand, beta-carotene (a vitamin A precursor) increased the risk of death from all causes. The researchers did not investigate the effects of the various nutritional components in combination versus alone.
This analysis demonstrates that nutrition plays important roles in maintaining cardiovascular and metabolic health and supports the findings of large, epidemiological studies that have demonstrated that adherence to dietary patterns that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, folic acid, and CoQ10, such as the Mediterranean Diet, for example, improves cardiometabolic health.
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Curcumin may act as an intervention in chronic urinary tract infection through dampening of toll-like receptors and reducing bacterial colony count pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Curcumin reduces urinary tract infection symptoms via interaction with toll-like receptors.
Urinary tract infections are common outpatient infections. They occur more frequently among women, and 50 to 60 percent of all women report having had at least one UTI in their lifetime. Findings from a 2017 study suggest that curcumin reduces the symptoms associated with urinary tract infections via interaction with toll-like receptors.
Toll-like receptors comprise a family of pattern recognition receptors expressed on the surfaces of immune and other cells. They are the principal inducers of innate immunity and are responsible for the activation of transcription factors that increase the expression of proinflammatory cytokines. Chronic infections of the urinary tract, which either don’t respond to treatment or keep recurring, can occur in some people.
Curcumin is a bioactive compound found in the roots of Curcuma longa, a type of tropical plant. It is responsible for the vibrant yellow color of the spice turmeric. Evidence suggests that curcumin exerts robust antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer effects. Curcumin also exhibits antibacterial activity, but the compound is strain-specific.
The study involved rats that had chronic urinary tract infections. Half of the rats received a curcumin injection, while the other half did not. The investigators measured the animals' white blood cell counts, bacterial counts (in the bladder and urine), markers of inflammation, and expression of toll-like receptor (TLR)2 and TLR4.
They found that white blood cell counts, bacterial counts, markers of inflammation, and expression of TLR2 and TLR4 of the rats that received the curcumin injection were considerably lower than those of the rats that didn’t receive curcumin. These findings suggest that curcumin improves the symptoms of chronic urinary tract infections and reduces inflammatory responses via dampening the expression of TLR2 and TLR4.
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Curcumin may improve exercise tolerance through antioxidant-regulating protein Nrf2. journals.physiology.org
Curcumin is the principal bioactive compound present in the yellow spice turmeric. An abundance of scientific evidence indicates that curcumin has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and neuroprotective properties in humans. Findings from a 2019 study suggest that curcumin improves exercise tolerance in mice with heart failure via its activation of Nrf2.
Heart failure, commonly referred to as the end stage of heart disease, affects more than 26 million people worldwide. Exercise intolerance is a common feature of heart failure and is typically attributed to low ejection fraction – a measure of ventricular efficiency. A critical driver of low ejection fraction is oxidative stress.
Nrf2 is a cellular protein that regulates the expression of antioxidant and stress response proteins via participation in the Keap1-Nrf2-ARE biological pathway. Nrf2 activates the transcription of cytoprotective proteins that protect against oxidative stress due to injury and inflammation.
The study investigators gauged the effects of curcumin in mice that had heart failure with reduced ejection fraction and in mice with healthy hearts. A subset of the mice received daily curcumin supplementation, while the others did not. The investigators measured the animals' heart function via echocardiogram, assessed their exercise performance on a treadmill, and measured the expression of Nrf2 and its target proteins in their muscles.
They found that both groups of mice that received curcumin (including those with healthy hearts) had improved exercise capacity compared to those that did not receive the compound. They also found that Nrf2 expression and antioxidant proteins increased in the mice with heart failure that received curcumin.
These findings suggest that impaired Nrf2 drives oxidative stress in skeletal muscle in those who have heart failure with low ejection fraction. Curcumin counters these effects by upregulating antioxidant defenses in skeletal muscle, likely mediated by Nrf2 activation. Many plant-based dietary compounds induce Nrf2 activity, including sulforaphane, a compound derived from broccoli and broccoli sprouts. Learn more about Nrf2 and sulforaphane in this episode featuring Dr. Jed Fahey.
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Curcumin treatment improved muscle function, exercise capacity in mice with heart failure and healthy controls www.sciencedaily.com
Curcumin is the principal bioactive compound present in the yellow spice, turmerice. An abundance of scientific evidence indicates that curcumin exerts antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and neuroprotective properties in humans. Findings from a 2019 study suggest that curcumin improves exercise tolerance in mice with heart failure via its activation of Nrf2.
Heart failure, commonly referred to as the end stage of heart disease, affects more than 26 million people worldwide. Exercise intolerance is a common feature of heart failure and is typically attributed to low ejection fraction – a measure of ventricular efficiency. A critical driver of low ejection fraction is oxidative stress.
Nrf2 is a cellular protein that regulates the expression of antioxidant and stress response proteins via participation in the Keap1-Nrf2-ARE biological pathway. Nrf2 activates the transcription of cytoprotective proteins that protect against oxidative stress due to injury and inflammation.
The study investigators gauged the effects of curcumin in mice that had heart failure with reduced ejection fraction and in mice with healthy hearts. A subset of the mice received daily curcumin supplementation, while the others did not. The investigators measured the animals' heart function via echocardiogram, assessed their exercise performance on a treadmill, and measured the expression of Nrf2 and its target proteins in their muscles.
They found that both groups of mice that received curcumin (including those with healthy hearts) had improved exercise capacity compared to those that did not receive curcumin. They also found that Nrf2 expression and antioxidant proteins increased in the mice with heart failure that received curcumin.
These findings suggest that impaired Nrf2 drives oxidative stress in skeletal muscle in mice that have heart failure with low ejection fraction. Curcumin counters these effects by upregulating antioxidant defenses in skeletal muscle, likely mediated by Nrf2 activation. Many plant-based dietary compounds induce Nrf2 activity, including sulforaphane, a compound derived from broccoli and broccoli sprouts. Learn more about Nrf2 and sulforaphane in this episode featuring Dr. Jed Fahey.
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Turmeric curcumin reduces inflammation in the gut in response to gluten. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
“Wheat is a major diet from many years; apart from its nutritious value, the wheat protein gliadin is responsible for many inflammatory diseases like celiac disease (CD), and non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS).”
“Cells were cultured and exposed to 160 μg/ml of gliadin, 100 μM H2O2, and 10 μM curcumin (3 h pretreatment) followed by the assessment of inflammation.
“The results show that gliadin increases the advanced oxidation protein products level and the activity of myeloperoxidase and NADPH oxidase expression. It enhances inflammation by increasing expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, altered expression of anti-inflammatory, and regulatory cytokines. It exacerbates the cellular damage by increasing MMP-2 and 9 and decreasing integrin α and β expression. Gliadin promotes disease pathogenesis by inducing the inflammation and cellular damage which further alter the cellular homeostasis. The pretreatment of curcumin counteracts the adverse effect of gliadin and protect the cells via diminishing the inflammation and help the cell to regain the cellular morphology suggesting phytochemical-based remedial interventions against wheat allergies.”
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Curcumin maintains muscle power and reduces muscle soreness after plyometric exercise. www.tandfonline.com
Plyometric exercises involve quick, powerful movements to promote speed, endurance, and strength. Loss of muscle power and delayed onset muscle soreness commonly occur after plyometric exercise. Findings from a new study suggest that curcumin maintains muscle power and reduces muscle soreness after plyometric exercise.
Curcumin in a bioactive compound produced by the plant Curcuma longa, a member of the ginger family. Curcumin exhibits a wide array of beneficial health effects, including anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and anti-diabetes properties. It is responsible for the bright yellow pigment of turmeric, a type of spice commonly used in Indian food.
The study involved 22 healthy men and women who took either 500 milligrams of curcumin or a placebo twice daily for 10 days surrounding a single session of plyometric exercise (six days before, the day of, and three days afterward). The exercise consisted of five sets of 20 drop jumps performed from a 24-inch-high platform with a 60-second period of rest between sets. The investigators measured creatine kinase (a marker of muscle damage) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (a marker of inflammation) in the participants' blood. The participants performed a vertical jump and provided subjective assessments to gauge muscle soreness pre-supplementation, 24-hours and immediately pre-exercise, immediately afterward, and 24, 48 and 72-hours post-exercise.
Both groups had elevated creatine kinase and soreness immediately after performing the exercise. Those who took curcumin reported less soreness 48 and 72 hours after the exercise, even though there was no difference in creatine kinase levels between the two groups. The participants' erythrocyte sedimentation rate was elevated immediately after the exercise, but the levels were within normal limits with little difference between the two groups. Those who took curcumin performed better on the vertical jump over time, but the placebo group saw decrements in the performance of this test.
These findings suggest that curcumin reduces soreness and helps maintain muscular power following plyometric exercise.
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Curcumin reduces pain associated with osteoarthritis of the knee. www.sci-news.com
Osteoarthritis is an inflammatory condition that affects the joints. It is the most common form of arthritis worldwide and is a major contributor to disability among older adults. The findings of a recent study suggest that curcumin reduces pain associated with osteoarthritis of the knee.
Curcumin in an antioxidant compound produced by the plant Curcuma longa, a member of the ginger family. Curcumin exhibits a wide array of beneficial health effects, including anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and anti-diabetes properties. It is responsible for the bright yellow pigment of turmeric, a type of spice commonly used in Indian food.
The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involved 70 adults over the age of 40 years who had osteoarthritic knee pain and effusion synovitis, an indicator of inflammatory activity in the joint. Half of the participants took 1,000 milligrams of curcumin (in capsule form) daily for 12 weeks. The remaining participants took a placebo. The authors of the study measured the participants' knee pain using a visual analogue scale, which gauges a person’s pain on a 100-millimeter spectrum. They also assessed their effusion–synovitis volume via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and noted changes in the participants' knee function.
At the end of the 12-week study, the pain levels among the participants' who took the curcumin dropped nearly 24 millimeters on the visual analog scale. Pain levels among those who took the placebo only dropped 15 millimeters. The participants who took the curcumin also showed improvements in their knee function. The MRI data showed no changes in the participants' effusion-synovitis, however.
These findings suggest that curcumin reduces pain and improves function in people who have osteoarthritis. The sample size and short duration of this study may have implications for its clinical applications, however. Larger, longer studies are needed to confirm these findings.
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A small randomized controlled trial shows curcumin improves memory in older people. www.sciencedaily.com
A small randomized controlled trial shows that a bioavailable form of curcumin improves memory in older people with mild memory complaints.
The curcumin group had a 28% improvement in their memory/attention abilities and fewer amyloid plaques and tau tangles in the brain via PET analysis while the placebo group showed no improvements.
The curcumin was a bioavailable form of curcumin called Theracurmin. Those in the curcumin group took 90 mg of curcumin twice daily for 18 months.
The mechanisms by which curcumin affect memory and plaque accumulation in humans are not known. However, animal studies have shown that curcumin prevents proteins from aggregating and amyloid plaque accumulation. Larger trials with the bioavailable form of curcumin need to be done before conclusions can be made particularly since clinical trials with non-bioavailable curcumin supplements have yielded mixed results.
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Hi Rhonda, my wife takes pain medication pretty regularly (at least a 2 in a day a couple of times a week) for headaches and in Joe Rogan’s podcast i heard you mention the negative effects of ibuprofen… Strokes etc…
I was wondering what you would recommend as a substitute to this issue? I was figuring curcumin could be a possibility. Also, i had an thought about the regular use of pain medication for something like a headache and whether or not regular use could increase the likelihood of headaches. If there is any basis in fact for my thoughts i’d be interested to know as i haven’t really done any research on this.
Some things to note: She takes contraceptive pills and skips the sugar pills as to not get her period - I feel this is a terrible idea but she won’t listen to me. If you have insight on this, either relating to the original question or as a side note i’d be interested to know your take on it
Her nutrition is decent. She eats a lot of fruit, nuts, fish and vegetables and takes daily vitamin supplements (fish oil, D3, multi’s, glucosamine, and a few others).
Cheers Rhonda :)