Curcumin Trial Reveals Broad Benefits

Food, Health, and Eco-news

Curcumin Trial Reveals Broad Benefits
Clinical study found positive effects on brain, liver, and cardiovascular risk factors 10/11/2012 By Craig Weatherby

Turmeric root has long been prized in Asian medicine.

Scientific research focuses on turmeric's complex of yellow-orange pigments, collectively called “curcumin”.

Curcumin is actually just one of a trio of “curcuminoids” – compounds whose proven nutrigenomic effects moderate inflammation and raise body levels of antioxidant enzymes.

Lab experiments and preliminary clinical studies indicate that this synergistic trio of polyphenol compounds supports immune and brain health in powerful ways.

However, supplemental curcumin is not well-absorbed ... unless its uptake is enhanced by one of several means, such as the addition of turmeric essential oils.

Vital Choice Curcumin:
Optimal form and uptake
The absorption rate of the curcumin in Vital Choice Curcumin equals or exceeds that of the curcumin supplement used in this study ... judging from the publicly available clinical data for both formulations.

Clinical tests prove that Vital Choice Curcumin is absorbed six to seven times better than standard curcumin supplements.

Uniquely, Vital Choice Curcumin includes turmeric essential oils, which increase the absorption of curcumin and appear to possess benefits of their own.

Now, a clinical study from Ohio State University suggests that low doses of a well-absorbed curcumin supplement can exert broad beneficial effects.

Professor Robert DiSilvestro led the study, which found a variety of positive health effects in healthy middle-aged people.

Curcumin brought broad benefits in one month The study was conducted in 38 healthy middle aged people, 40 to 60 years old. (Disilvestro RA et al. 2012).

The participants were divided into two groups of 19 each, and given either curcumin or placebo for four weeks.

The test group received supplements providing a low daily dose of curcumin (80 mg) in a lipid-bound form reported to enhance absorption. (See our sidebar, “Vital Choice Curcumin: Optimal form and uptake”)

Blood and saliva samples were taken before and after the four week study and analyzed for a variety of blood and saliva measures relevant to brain, cardiovascular, and immune health.

The people in the curcumin group displayed a range of beneficial effects:

Lower triglyceride levels, which reduces risk of heart disease.
Higher blood levels of nitric oxide, which works against high blood pressure.
Lower blood levels of sICAM, a molecule linked to artery-clogging.
Higher blood levels of a key bodily antioxidant enzyme, catalase.
Small drop in blood levels of beta amyloid protein, accumulation of which is associated with brain aging and Alzheimer's disease.
Lower levels of alanine amino transferase, an enzyme associated with liver disease.

For more information, see “Curry Spice + Omega-3 Curbed Spine Injuries in Rats”, “Spices May Boost Breast Health”, “Curry Spices vs. Colorectal Cancer”,and “Turmeric Power, Part I: Colorful Spice Seen to Combat Cancer”, and “Turmeric Power, Part II: Curry Spice May Curb Alzheimer's”.

Sources

Baum L, Cheung SK, Mok VC, Lam LC, Leung VP, Hui E, Ng CC, Chow M, Ho PC, Lam S, Woo J, Chiu HF, Goggins W, Zee B, Wong A, Mok H, Cheng WK, Fong C, Lee JS, Chan MH, Szeto SS, Lui VW, Tsoh J, Kwok TC, Chan IH, Lam CW. Curcumin effects on blood lipid profile in a 6-month human study. Pharmacol Res. 2007 Dec;56(6):509-14. Epub 2007 Sep 18.
Disilvestro RA, Joseph E, Zhao S, Joshua B. Diverse effects of a low dose supplement of lipidated curcumin in healthy middle aged people. Nutr J. 2012 Sep 26;11(1):79. [Epub ahead of print]
Ohio State University (OSU) Curcumin Extract Lowers Triglycerides, Boosts Antioxidant Activity: Ohio State Study. May 10, 2012. Accessed at http://extension.osu.edu/news-releases/archives/2012/may/curcumin-extract-lowers-triglycerides-boosts-antioxidant-activity-ohio-state-study
Pungcharoenkul K, Thongnopnua P. Effect of different curcuminoid supplement dosages on total in vivo antioxidant capacity and cholesterol levels of healthy human subjects. Phytother Res. 2011 Nov;25(11):1721-6. doi: 10.1002/ptr.3608. Epub 2011 Jul 27.