DATA FROM THE US DRUG INDUCED LIVER INJURY NETWORK reports ten cases of tumeric-induced liver injury since 2011, including six since 2017. Today we look at the effectiveness and safety of tumeric.
Let’s look at some potential benefits of tumeric consumption and then turn to disturbing reports regarding tumeric-induced liver injury, including acute liver failure.
Tumeric basics
Tumeric is a common spice made from the Curcuma longa root. It contains the chemical curcumin.
Here are other basic facts about tumeric:
- Tumeric is a plant in the ginger family. It is native to Southeast Asia and is grown commercially there, primarily in India.
- Tumeric’s underground stem (rhizome) is a culinary spice used in traditional medicine.
- Turmeric is the spice that gives curry its yellow color.
- Tumeric is used in Ayurveda and other traditional Indian medical systems and Eastern medicine, including Chinese medicine. In India, practitioners use tumeric for joints, skin, upper respiratory tract, or gastrointestinal system disorders.
Ayurvedic medicine (“Ayurveda”) is one of the oldest whole-body healing approaches. Ayurveda was developed in India more than 3,000 years ago and is centered on the belief that health depends on a delicate balance between mind, body, and spirit. The medical practice promotes good health but may target specific health issues.
https://www.webmd.com/balance/guide/ayurvedic-treatments
Nowadays, manufacturers promote tumeric supplements for various ailments, including arthritis, gastrointestinal problems, respiratory infections, allergies, depression, liver disease, and more. Tumeric may come in a paste form for skin conditions.
Please note that the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) neither reviews nor approves Ayurvedic products; it has banned certain ones from entering the country.
Moreover, the FDA warns that one in five Ayurvedic medicines contain potentially life-threatening toxic metals (such as mercury, lead, and arsenic).
Tumeric benefits
Let’s look at the selected health benefits of tumeric consumption.
- Heart disease. Curcumin may help reverse several steps involved in promoting heart disease. For example, curcumin can improve the function of your blood vessel lining (endothelium). Endothelial dysfunction is central to heart disease, as endothelial problems are associated with blood clotting, blood pressure, and other factors.
- Arthritis. Degenerative joint disease is common in Western countries. Most arthritis forms involve joint inflammation. Curcumin has anti-inflammatory properties, and studies suggest that it can help with various arthritis types.
- Depression. Curcumin may help with depression, at least according to small studies.
Do these benefits translate to real-world benefits? One study of 121 individuals undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery suggests the answer may be yes. Researchers randomly assigned patients to a placebo or four grams of curcumin daily, a few days before and after surgery.
The results are impressive: The curcumin group had a nearly two-thirds reduction in in-hospital heart attack risk. In absolute terms, in-hospital heart attacks decreased from 30 percent in the placebo group to 13 percent in the curcuminoid group.
What about arthritis? Here is a real-world example demonstrating the effectiveness of curcumin. One study of rheumatoid arthritis showed that curcumin is more effective than an anti-inflammatory drug. Curcumin treatment appeared to be safe, with no associated adverse events.
The authors concluded that “[the] study provides the first evidence for the safety and superiority of curcumin treatment in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis and highlights the need for future large trials to validate these findings.
Curcumin has shown some promise in treating depression. For example, in one clinical trial of 60 individuals with depression, researchers randomized subjects to one of three groups: 1) Prozac, the anti-depressant; 2) curcumin, one gram; and 3) Prozac and curcumin combined.
After six weeks, curcumin appeared to be associated with improvements similar to Prozac. The combination Prozac/curcumin group did the best.
Tumeric — and its most active compound, curcumin — may have effectiveness for various conditions, including cardiovascular disease, arthritis, depression, and more. The natural substance is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent.
Tumeric risks
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