Curcumin is a plant pigment and antioxidant that gives turmeric root its golden color. It is best known for helping to support a healthy immune system and joints, a normal inflammatory response, and temporary relief from occasional pain.
When you consume turmeric, your body will break it down and absorb the curcumin. However, according to The Hashemite University, Jordan, curcumin only makes up around 3.14% of turmeric by weight. So if you make curry and mix in 1 gram of turmeric, you may only digest around 31.4 milligrams of curcumin, which may not be enough to provide the desired medicinal result.
As a spice, turmeric is lovely. But as a medicinal aid, you might consider looking for a curcumin supplement instead. Curcumin supplements take large batches of turmeric and separate the curcumin from turmeric. The remaining curcumin is concentrated down into capsules or other delivery methods and provide as much as 400, 500, 750 milligrams or more of curcumin per dosage.
Keep reading to learn about how curcumin supports a healthy body and NHC’s 4 picks for curcumin supplements.
How Curcumin Supports the Body
Immune System and Inflammation Factors
A systematic review article on the National Institutes of Health database suggests that curcumin may have a positive effect on the regulation of immune system function.
Much of the research around cucumin and the immune system relates to how it helps to regulate inflammation, which is a process that aims to protect the body after injury or exposure to toxins, microbes, or other factors. While inflammation may be good for helping the body to recover, it can get out of control and lead to chronic problems.
This is where curcumin comes in. Curcumin interacts with cellular components of the immune system, such as “dendritic cells, macrophages, and both B and T lymphocytes, but also molecular components involved in the inflammatory processes, such as cytokines and various transcription factors with their downstream signaling pathways.”
All of this means that curcumin is thought to encourage inflammation to do more “good,” then help move it along before it causes new problems.
Joint Health and Mobility
Our daily lives require that we stay activity, but sometimes our joints can’t keep up. This is especially true among the aging population. Part of the reason for these issues may be the weakening of tissue around joints, loss of cartilage or other cushioning, overuse, and inflammation.
While not entirely conclusive, research on the National Institutes of Health database suggests that curcumin may have a number of positive outcomes in patients experiencing joint problems.
In addition to helping regulate inflammation, curcumin may also support a healthy metabolism, which is important for the absorption of minerals that help maintain bone structure during aging. Curcumin also provides antioxidants that may help to protect healthy cells in the tissue around the joints.
Based on this information, curcumin works through a more holistic approach that touches on several different areas of the body to provide the aid that some people are looking for. This may be ideal as some treatment options may be more targeted or have certain drawbacks. While you should never rely solely on any one approach to wellness, you may want to look into adding curcumin to your daily regimen, which will be easy after you read the next section!
NHC’s Picks for Curcumin Supplements
Curcumin is a popular supplement, and has a lot of industry backing from several trusted and high-quality brands.
Here are NHC’s top picks:
- Curamin Extra Strength from Terry Naturally
- CuraMed 750 Mg from Curamed
- Curcumin 500 with Bioperine from Pure Encapsulations
- Omega Curcumin from Nordic Naturals
All of these supplements prioritize natural ingredients from trusted sources to ensure that each formula is free from unwanted additives. Remember to talk with your primary care physician before taking a curcumin supplement because it may interact with some medications or existing health conditions.
Give one of these curcumins supplements a try and see if it provides the support for the joints and immune system you want!
