Curcumin is from the well-known spice turmeric. Turmeric is used widely in Southeast Asia as an Ayurvedic medicine, flavoring agent and natural dye. However, scientists have determined that the most medically active compound in turmeric is curcumin, so modern research has focused on the extract rather than the spice. In fact, only 2 to 5 percent of turmeric is curcumin, so it is nearly impossible to achieve therapeutic blood levels of curcumin by only using turmeric.

Research shows that curcumin is a powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, and can activate genes that help suppress cancerous tumors. This is key because when you look at the leading causes of chronic disease, mortality and aging, inflammation (including immune function), oxidative stress and inactivation of protective genes are by far the three largest contributors. As a natural product that addresses all three areas of dysfunction in such a potent and effective manner, curcumin is unique in herbal medicine.

There are more than 4,300 published studies describing curcumin’s benefits in fighting cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, osteo- and rheumatoid arthritis, liver disease, renal failure, depression, asthma, Crohn’s disease, psoriasis, infections (including pneumonia) and diabetes—and this list is not all-inclusive. What all these diseases have in common is that they encompass inflammation, oxidative stress and inactive genetic expression.

Inflammation

Inflammation is a natural and necessary process in the body that is governed by the immune system. Therefore, reducing excessive inflammation can help improve immune system function, and vice versa.

Inflammation involves several different cytokines—molecules that help cells communicate with each other. Curcumin affects each cytokine pathway, unlike over-the-counter and prescription drugs, which generally seek to completely disable one or two pathways. Curcumin does not disable any cytokine pathway; rather, it encourages more moderate expression and helps reduce excessive inflammation.

Oxidative stress and DNA damage

Curcumin is a super-potent antioxidant. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 100 grams of blueberries has an antioxidant value of about 8,000, while the same amount of turmeric is about 150,000 and curcumin checks in at a whopping 1 million.

Antioxidants help fight free radicals—substances that can cause major damage to our DNA (the blueprints for building new cells in the body). If you damage these blueprints, you create next-generation cells that are not as efficient as the parent cell. This is one reason why 25-year-olds look quite different than 75-year-olds—their cells reflect many generations of not-quite-perfect replication. This damage also causes mutations, the deadliest of which are cancer cells.  The stronger the antioxidant, the more powerful the protection against DNA damage

Inactive genetic expression

Research has found that age and environment can cause certain genes in our body to, in essence, go to sleep. Some of these genes direct our body to suppress cancerous tumors. That’s why cancer risk increases with age—some of our defense mechanisms become inactive. One group of scientists at Baylor University has published research demonstrating that curcumin can actually wake up these sleeping genes.

The field of study that examines which activities and substances turn genes on and off is called epigenetics. Curcumin has the greatest influence on the widest variety of epigenetic contributors to cancer that has thus far been discovered.

Supplementation

Curcumin is available as a dietary supplement. It is important to note that not all curcumin is created equal. If a product has been used in human clinical studies, that is often an indication of quality.  Also, since curcumin is very hard to absorb into the bloodstream, make sure it has proven human absorption studies.

While early research shows that people need to take 5 grams or more a day of curcumin in order for it to be effective, there are now newer, better-absorbed forms of curcumin that provide superior benefits at doses of 500 mg once or twice daily.

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