Turmeric/Curcumin

On December 28, 2010, Dr Andrew Weil wrote: "Looking for a simple New Year's resolution for health? Add turmeric to your diet."

It could very well be this new year's resolution or next. Turmeric is that good.  Its chief componenet, curcumin, gives it its golden color. You already know that turmeric has been used as both food and medicine for centuries. The question is which is better to take, whole turmeric in powder form used as spice or take curcumin, an extract as a daily supplement? According to Dr Weil, "Each has been shown to have health benefits, but unless you have a specific condition such as inflammatory bowel disease, I favor using turmeric (especially in cooking) rather than taking curcumin pills. This reflects my general belief that, until proven otherwise in head to head studies, whole plants are usually a better choice than isolates. On the other hand, curcumin appears to have a more rapid and dramatic effect, and may be the better choice as a therapeutic (rather than a preventative) preparation."

In Dr Weil's article he wrote:
"Here's a quick roundup of recent research on both turmeric and curcumin.

• Curcumin seems to delay liver damage that can eventually lead to cirrhosis, according to preliminary experimental research at the Medical University Graz in Austria.


• Kansas State University research found that adding certain spices, including turmeric, can reduce the levels of heterocyclic amines -- carcinogenic compounds that are formed when meats are barbecued, boiled or fried -- by up to 40 percent.



• Rodent studies at the University of Texas indicate that curcumin inhibits the growth of a skin cancer, melanoma and also slows the spread of breast cancer into the lungs.



• Researchers from the University of South Dakota have found that pretreatment with curcumin makes cancer cells more vulnerable to chemo and radiotherapy.



• Epidemiologists have hypothesized that the turmeric that is part of daily curries eaten in India may help explain the low rate of Alzheimer's disease in that country. Among people aged 70 to 79, the rate is less than one-quarter that of the United States.

Naturally, there's far more to good health than adding this spice to your meals. But as part of an overall plan that includes an anti-inflammatory diet, regular exercise, stress-reduction and prudent supplementation, a daily sprinkle of turmeric in your cooking can be a valuable addition to your healthy lifestyle, and a great habit with which to begin a happy new year!"

Andrew Weil, M.D., is the founder and director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine .

For further reading on:
1. Curcumin: the Indian solid gold
2. Turmeric search results at the National Institutes of Health