Is turmeric good for you?

What is turmeric?

Turmeric is a Southeast Asian plant in the ginger family. Its stem is used as a popular cooking spice, commonly used in curry powders and other Asian and Middle Eastern inspired dishes. You may recognise turmeric for its vivid yellow-orange colour and its ability to dye the foods it flavours.

What is turmeric used for?

Traditionally, turmeric has been used as a medicinal herb - Chinese medicine and Ayurveda medicine have both used this spice to cure and prevent illness for thousands of years.

It's been adding flavour and colour to Southeast Asian, Indian, and Middle Eastern meals for just as long, and its popularity as a culinary spice has now spread to kitchens all over the world.

Today, it's often touted as a super food and is also formulated into a dietary supplement that people take in the hopes it will ease a variety of health conditions.

Turmeric benefits

In recent years, more scientific evidence is supporting the traditional claims reaching back thousands of years - that turmeric may help prevent and treat health problems.

The main active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin.

Viral infections

Many people sip turmeric tea when they have a cold or generally feel under the weather. Turmeric may indeed help to fight off several viruses, from the common cold and flu to norovirus. Curcumin could limit the replication of many viruses, bacteria, and fungi in the body - although keep in mind that the amount of curcumin in turmeric tea is unlikely to have a significant effect.

Preventing or treating type 2 diabetes

Curcumin in turmeric may be useful in preventing or treating type 2 diabetes in the future. This is because it can keep blood sugar levels steady and reduce inflammation, but more clinical trials with people are needed to determine any meaningful treatment methods.

Protecting heart health

Turmeric and curcumin may help to keep your heart and blood vessels healthy. In particular, it may help people vulnerable to heart disease by lowering blood lipid levels - the amount of bad cholesterol in your blood. This in turn could lower blood pressure.

Delaying or reversing Alzheimer's disease

While research is in the early stages, there's some evidence that the benefits of turmeric and curcumin extend to brain health. Curcumin may increase brain levels of BDNF (brain derived neurotrophic factor) - a protein that supports learning and memory. Many brain disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, are linked to decreased levels of BDNF.

Fighting cancer

Turmeric may inhibit the growth and spread of cancerous cells and the growth of new blood vessels in tumours. It may even help to prevent certain types of cancer, particularly cancers of the digestive system. However, always discuss with your doctor any supplements you may be using. Turmeric should not be used instead of modern medicine.

Easing depression

The health benefits of boosting BDNF levels in the brain can also be seen in the treatment of depression. There's also some evidence that turmeric increases serotonin and dopamine. These are hormones in the brain that help us feel happy. These supplements shouldn't be used instead of modern medicine but could help as part of lifestyle changes.

Relieving joint pain

Given that turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties, it makes sense that it could ease the symptoms of arthritis - a health condition causing pain and inflammation in your joints. In one study of 45 people with rheumatoid arthritis, those treated with turmeric extracts experienced the most improved symptoms¹.

Turmeric side effects and considerations

1. While many studies continue to explore turmeric benefits, the impact of this natural substance in humans remains unclear and requires more research.

2. Turmeric spice and over-the-counter supplements or creams are generally considered safe in the recommended amounts. However, mild side-effects may occur in some people, particularly when used in large amounts - reported examples include diarrhoea, nausea, and stomach pain.

3. Some alternative practitioners administer turmeric and curcumin through IV (intravenous) therapy. This is unsafe, as scientists are yet to understand how high doses affect the human body. Turmeric administered through IV has resulted in one reported death so far.

4. When consumed in amounts greater than those commonly found in food, turmeric may have adverse effects in pregnant people.

Further reading

1. Chandran and Goel: A randomized, pilot study to assess the efficacy and safety of curcumin in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis.