There’s no doubt that we need to drastically improve our health. The fact that 60 percent of Americans are taking some kind of prescription drug should set off alarms in everyone. Synthetic medicines typically create more problems than they claim to solve. They are “one track” solutions to problems that need a much wider and deeper approach.
I’ve never seen an ingredient with as much capacity for improving health and fighting disease as curcumin. Research on this powerhouse antioxidant and anti- inflammatory continues to surprise and delight me. It seems like each month we learn something new and remarkable about curcumin. If you aren’t excited about curcumin, you should be. It really is an all-in-one solution to treat and prevent disease.
Curcumin is the most potent component of turmeric, a plant that has been used in India as both a spice and a medicine for centuries. Besides adding a flavor to Indian curry, turmeric has been part of Ayurvedic medicine for millennia. But there is very little curcumin in turmeric. By extracting curcumin from turmeric, the world has an even more powerful way to treat disease. Enhancing the absorption of curcumin by blending in turmeric essential oil has resulted in a natural substance that is as potent—or even more potent—at treating disease than 14 prescription drugs, but without the adverse effects.
“Curcumin is not only a good preventative for various diseases, including a variety of human cancers, but a growing body of data indicates that it may even be helpful in conjunction with conventional chemotherapy for enhanced clinical outcomes. In addition to cancer, curcumin has been shown to be potentially effective in a wide variety of diseases, including rheumatoid and osteoarthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, inflammatory bowel diseases, depression and liver problems, just to name a few thus far studied.” Ajay Goel, PhD, Professor and Chair, Department of Translational Genomics and Oncology at the Beckman Research Institute City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, as well as Director of Biotech Innovations at the City of Hope Medical Center, in Duarte, California
Why is Curcumin Good for So Many Problems?
One of the reasons that curcumin works so well on such a wide range of diseases is because it is such a powerful anti-inflammatory. We know that almost all chronic diseases—from diabetes to heart disease to cancer to arthritis to Alzheimer’s disease— have something in common: unchecked, destructive inflammation. Unlike synthetic drugs, which typically work against only a single inflammation pathway, natural curcumin reduces inflammation through its effects on multiple inflammation targets. Curcumin simultaneously works at multiple levels of multiple pathways.
In technical terms, curcumin has been found to:
- Suppress the activation of the NF-kB, which regulates the expression of pro-inflammatory gene products
- Downregulate COX-2, the enzyme linked to most inflammation
- Inhibit 5-LOX, another pro-inflammatory enzyme
- Downregulate the expression of cell surface adhesion molecules linked to inflammation
- Inhibit the activity of TNF, one of the most pro-inflammatory cytokines (cell-signaling protein molecules)
Because of this anti-inflammatory activity, as well as its ability to kill tumor cells, increase activity of protective antioxidants such as glutathione, and modulate tumor growth cell factors, curcumin is effective against hundreds of diseases
(see Figure 1).
Curcumin is also a potent antioxidant, able to neutralize unstable, reactive free radicals. Free radicals are molecules with a missing electron that stabilize themselves by “stealing” electrons from neighboring molecules, creating another free radical in the process. This chain reaction of free radical formation is known as a free radical cascade, and it can result in cellular damage (called oxidative stress) leading to inflammation and chronic disease—including cancer. Free radicals can nega- tively impact all body systems, including the immune system. Curcumin,
like other antioxidants, is able to stop free radical cascades without becoming unstable itself. Its ability to neutralize free radicals is extraordinarily strong. In fact, a specially prepared extract of curcumin, enhanced with turmeric essential oil, has an antioxidant value of over 1,500,000 per 100g. The dual properties of curcumin as both anti-inflammatory and super antioxidant contribute to its reputation as an extremely powerful natural medicine.
Curcumin for Cancer
Our bodies have a natural ability to fight cancer through the activity of tumor suppressing genes. However, aging and environmental factors can turn off or silence these genes, or in other words, “put them to sleep” allowing the cancer to grow and spread unchecked. Researchers have now found that one of the ways curcumin fights cancer is by re-awakening these “sleeping genes,” turning them back on to stop cancer. This branch of science is known as epigenetics, and it may hold the answer to treating many types of cancer.
Curcumin has been shown to stop cancer initiation, promotion and progression, meaning that it stops the changes that cause normal cells to become cancerous, stops the replication of cancerous cells (tumor formation), and stops cancerous cells from migrating to other parts of the body (known as metastasis). Published studies on curcumin’s anticancer activity (so far) have found that it can suppress breast, prostate, liver, skin, oral, colon and lung cancer. And, as an adjunct to conventional treatment, recent cell research showed that the best results for inhibiting cancer growth occurred when curcumin was used as a pretreatment before chemotherapy.
Curcumin has also been shown to increase the activity of cancer drugs and to decrease drug resistance in cancer cells (meaning it helps cancer drugs kill tumors more effectively). Additionally, it protects normal cells from the toxic effects of chemotherapy drugs and radiation treatments. Taking curcumin in combination with chemotherapy drugs may mean less of the toxic drugs are required, but the results will be better, with significantly reduced side effects. In fact, a recent clinical trial showed that curcumin decreased the severity of adverse effects of radiation therapy on the urinary tract in men with prostate cancer. More human research is needed to better investigate this area of cancer care.
And while the research is still early, I believe this work is very exciting and shows how curcumin is effective against many types of cancers, because it works along many pathways— disrupting tumor growth along each of them.
Curcumin, Inflammation, and Chronic Disease
Inflammation is normal. It is a natural physical response that is triggered when the body begins to repair damage or injuries. However, inflammation should be limited, with a definite beginning and end. It should not continue, day after day. On-going, persistent inflammation is destructive, not restorative. One of the keys to improving chronic diseases (heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, asthma, etc.) is stopping the cycle of chronic inflammation. As discussed earlier, curcumin, unlike synthetic drugs, works on multiple inflammation pathways to help the body return to a normal inflammation balance. Additionally, curcumin has specific, unique mechanisms of action that make it invaluable in treating chronic diseases.
Heart Disease
In an experimental model of heart disease, curcumin was compared to the cholesterol lowering drug lovastatin. Researchers found that curcumin protected against the effects of a high cholesterol diet just as effectively as lovastatin, preventing the inflammatory changes that lead to plaque buildup (and eventually, a heart attack), reducing triglycerides and increasing protective HDL cholesterol levels. In fact, volunteers receiving 500 mg of curcumin daily in a small clinical trial experienced a 29 percent increase in HDL levels. Just a 1 percent increase in this “good” form of cholesterol can reduce your risk of heart disease by 2-3 percent, so this finding is very important. Curcumin has also been found to lower serum triglycerides by 27 percent. Triglycerides are an undesirable form of fat that circulates in the bloodstream. Although much attention has been focused on cholesterol levels in connection with risk of heart disease, new research is finding that reducing triglyceride levels is likely much more important than controlling cholesterol levels. In fact, one recent scientific paper noted that high triglyceride levels nearly tripled the risk of a heart attack. Therefore, the ability of curcumin to reduce triglyceride levels is crucial in reducing your risk of heart disease.
It is my observation that cholesterol is not the enemy.
Arthritis
The hallmarks of osteoarthritis are cartilage destruction and inflammation—two conditions that curcumin is able to prevent. An interesting property of curcumin is its ability to protect chondrocytes, specialized cells found in joint cartilage, from being broken down by inflammatory compounds in the body (IL-1beta, MMP3). A recent clinical study looked at a combination of highly absorbable curcumin and boswellia (also an excellent natural anti-inflammatory) or the prescription drug celecoxib (Celebrex®) in the treatment of patients with arthritis. The herbal combination worked better than the drug, with no serious side effects! Remarkably, 93 percent of the participants receiving the herbal combination reported reduced or no pain, compared to only 86 percent of the prescription drug group. The group receiving the special curcumin and boswellia extract were also able to walk further, and had less pain and better range of movement, all without significant adverse effects.
Prescription drugs such as celecoxib are classified as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and are well known for causing adverse effects such as stomach and intestinal bleeding ulcers, reduced kidney function, and increased blood pressure and a risk of heart attack. Curcumin works just as effectively at reducing inflammation— without these potentially life-threatening adverse effects.
In patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the body’s own immune cells attack and destroy the lining of the joints (synovium). This chronic, painful and debilitating condition is characterized by inflammation throughout the body, warm and swollen joints, and even joint destruction. Recently, researchers looked at the effects of 500 mg twice daily of a specialized, highly absorbable curcumin extract enhanced with turmeric essential oil compared to the prescription drug diclofenac sodium (one brand name is Voltaren®) 50 mg twice daily, or a combination of the two in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The group receiving the highly absorbable curcumin had the greatest reduction in joint pain and swelling with no adverse effects. In contrast, 14 percent of the participants in the drug group stopped the test because of the adverse effects they experienced.
Diabetes
While diabetes is a disorder of blood sugar metabolism, inflammation plays a very strong role in its development and progression. Some researchers now believe that chronic, low-level inflammation, especially when associated with obesity, is actually the cause of insulin resistance leading to type 2 diabetes. In an experimental model of diabetes, curcumin was compared to the drug rosiglitazone (Avandia®), and found to be equally as effective in reducing insulin resistance, inflammatory markers, and fats in the bloodstream. Other studies looking at the effects of curcumin in models of diabetes have found similar results: improved insulin response and reduced blood glucose levels. Additionally, scientific studies have found that curcumin may protect against other problems associated with diabetes, such as the breakdown of eye tissue, potential brain damage, nerve pain (neuropathy), and heart disease.
Alzheimer’s Disease
The cause of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is not entirely known. However, certain characteristic changes are found in the brains of people with this condition— accumulated clusters of a protein called beta-amyloid, and clumps of dead and dying nerve and brain cells. These clusters and clumps, called plaques and tangles, are believed to interfere with the proper transmission of messages between brain cells and lead to the death of brain cells as well. Inflammation is also involved, causing the accumulation of plaques and tangles to have even more damaging effects. Because of the known anti-inflammatory effects of curcumin, researchers are now looking at its effects in treating AD.
What they have discovered is astonishing. Not only does curcumin protect brain cells from damaging inflammation, in experimental models of Alzheimer’s disease, curcumin was able to reduce beta-amyloid levels and shrink the size of accumulated plaques by over 30 percent! In fact, curcumin is more effective in inhibiting formation of beta-amyloid protein fragments than many other drugs being tested as Alzheimer’s treatments. One of the most prestigious Alzheimer’s research institutes in the world, the McCusker Alzheimer’s Research Foundation (supporting research at Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia) is focused on learning more about the benefits of curcumin for treating AD.
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Depression and Mental Well Being
Depression is a debilitating disease that is difficult to treat. Approximately 30 percent of patients who take prescription drugs to relieve their depression experience no benefits, and the remaining 70 percent will have only partial improvement. Additionally, the side effects can be significant, including nausea, weight gain, dizziness, sexual dysfunction, dry mouth, blurred vision, insomnia and more. Because curcumin has been shown to be effective at treating other brain disorders, researchers have investigated whether it is also helpful in relieving depression.
First, inflammation is known to play a major role in the development of depression. Therefore, it seems logical that the anti-inflammatory properties of curcumin may be helpful. Second, curcumin is also able to modulate the levels of brain neurotransmitters (chemical messengers—serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine) that influence
mood, behavior, appetite, emotions, and even dreaming and memory. In experimental models of depression, curcumin has been shown to increase levels of the “feel good” neurotransmitter, serotonin, as well as relieve other symptoms of depression. In a published study comparing a special, highly absorbable curcumin enhanced with turmeric oil to two prescription drugs, fluoxetine (Prozac®) and imipramine (Tofranil®), an experimental model found the highly absorbable curcumin to be just as effective as the two drugs—but without the adverse side effects.
In a clinical study, patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) showed the highest response using a combination of fluoxetine (Prozac®) and high-absorption curcumin enhanced with turmeric essential oil—a 77.8 percent response rate as measured by the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17).
Interestingly, the single-therapy groups scored almost exactly the same, with fluoxetine at 64.7 percent and curcumin at 62.5 percent—numbers so close that the difference is not statistically significant from one another.
Two important takeaways from this study: first, curcumin worked as well as the prescription drug fluoxetine in terms of the measurable changes in the HAMD-17 score from baseline to six weeks of treatment; second, curcumin can be an effective and safe treatment for patients with MDD without the terrible side effects of increased suicidal thoughts or other serious adverse effects associated with prescription drugs for depression.
In a placebo-controlled study, high-absorption curcumin enhanced with turmeric essential oil showed antidepressant effects in people with major depressive disorder as early as four weeks after treatment. Additionally, people with atypical depression, a form that often does not respond well to antidepressant drugs, respond exceptionally well to curcumin. Research shows that curcumin influences biomarkers associated with depression and reduces their effects.
Aside from this clinical work, there have been studies showing that even including small amounts of dietary curcumin can reduce traumatic memories. Laboratory studies in models of PTSD and other fear responses have found that curcumin stops the reconsolidation of fear memories.
While there have been many attempts at conventional treatments for trauma-related memories and PTSD, they are only successful about half of the time. Curcumin seems to block initial fear responses and those well-worn tracks in the brain that recollect past fearful events that provoke unhealthy reactions. It will be interesting to see where this research leads in the future.
Gastrointestinal Inflammation (IBD and IBS)
Chronic inflammation of the intestines (the gastrointestinal tract) is associated with several commonly experienced diseases—particularly, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and Crohn’s disease. Bloating, frequent diarrhea or constipation, gas, abdominal pain, and even heartburn and acid reflux, can all be signs that unchecked inflammation is affecting the proper function of your digestive system.
A study of over 200 people with IBS found that use of a standardized extract of curcumin was associated with up to a 25 percent reduction in abdominal pain, and two thirds of participants reported an improvement in overall symptoms.In a small pilot study of patients with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative proctitis (a type of IBD) who received curcumin along with the standard anti-inflammatory drugs (including steroids), many of the patients were able to reduce or stop the medications, and inflammation markers decreased to a normal level. One of the interesting benefits of curcumin is that it has not only been shown to reduce inflammatory compounds in the intestines, it can actually strengthen the intestinal wall to prevent harmful bacteria from passing out of the intestines and reaching other organs, such as the liver and kidneys.
Wound Healing and Skin Conditions
Curcumin not only protects skin with its ability to quench damaging free radicals and reduce inflammation, but it has also been shown to improve collagen deposition and vascular density in wounds. Collagen is the foundation upon which healthy skin is built; vascular density is what ensures adequate blood flow to carry in the nutrients needed for repair of damaged tissue. Many people who experience problems with slow healing of wounds also have diabetes. Diabetes interferes with wound healing because it causes reduced blood flow (nutrients needed for tissue repair are carried in the bloodstream). High blood sugar also interferes with the ability of the body to clear away damaged cells and build new skin cells. In an experimental model of diabetes, both oral and topical curcumin were able to speed wound repair and healing. Radiation treatment for cancer can also cause significant damage to skin and delay healing. Pretreatment with oral curcumin has been shown in multiple studies to speed skin repair and healing. And finally, both oral and topical curcumin has shown promise at reducing inflammatory skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema, as well as skin cancer.
Other Chronic Diseases
Curcumin has also shown promise in treating many other diseases and conditions, including obesity, kidney and liver disease, eye disorders, lung condi- tions, allergies, pancreatitis, and more. Curcumin may be able to protect against weight gain and body fat accumulation.
In a study of animals fed a high fat diet, curcumin supplementation prevented the increase of adipose (fat) tissue, as well as preventing fat deposits in the liver.
Turmerones from Turmeric Essential Oil
Turmerones are components of turmeric oil with anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties. It’s well established that turmeric oil enhances the absorption of curcumin. It’s becoming even better established that turmerones are potentially as potent as curcuminoids and have amazing potential to stop disease.
- Stop tumor formation and growth
- Prevent oxidative DNA damage
- Reduce inflammation throughout the body
- Inhibit neural damage and preserve cognitive strength
Turmerones Stop Tumor Growth
In this article, I’ve discussed how curcumin stops tumor formation and growth. But turmerones—most remarkably, aromatic turmerone (commonly called “ar-turmerone”) have powerful cancer-fighting abilities as well. They’ve become a focus of research because even curcumin-free turmeric compounds show anticancer and anti-inflammatory abilities, which I think illustrates the incredible strength of these components of turmeric.
Of course, the combination of curcumin and turmerones is incredibly powerful. Laboratory work in Japan has shown that individually, curcumin and turmerones (including aromatic turmerone) stop inflammation-associated colon tumor formation by an impressive amount by simply inhibiting COX-2 and nitric oxide inflammatory enzymes. Low doses of turmerones suppressed adenoma (benign tumors) from multiplying by 73 percent. Curcumin inhibited it at low doses by 63 percent. Combining both completely abolished tumor formation at both low and high doses.
Other research comparing turmerones and curcumin has found similar results. A study in Hong Kong evaluated the tumor-fighting potential of both turmerones and curcumin (plus other compounds) from turmeric. As expected, they found that curcumin inhibited breast and liver cancer cells. And so did turmerones—quite well, in fact. The concentrated turmerones inhibited cell proliferation by 70 percent compared to controls in three types of cancer cells.
So combined or individually, turmerones show abundant strength. I think the reason you see such excellent synergistic results with turmerones and curcumin is because it replicates the way turmeric has been used traditionally—with a complete spectrum of compounds present in every meal over the course of a lifetime—but with a much more concentrated impact for faster, therapeutic results.
The “how” of turmerones’ effect on cancer growth seems to center on their ability to inhibit the reactions that lead to tumors or other diseases. A Korean cell study showed that ar-turmerone shows potential protection against lymphocytic leukemia. Of course, many cancers are related to outside factors, like carcinogens that cause cells to mutate. Indian research showed that turmerones not only directly impeded cells’ “mutagenic ability”—the likelihood and rate to which they form tumors—but also inhibited levels of p450 enzymes, which can also be involved in enabling carcinogens in the body. This same study estimates that 90 percent of all mutagens are from carcinogenic compounds, so including turmerones in your daily regimen can provide powerful protection.
Beyond this, turmerones have been found to increase superoxide dismutase and glutathione levels. These are natural antioxidants produced by the body. They have incredible cell-protecting power and could practically be considered “fountains of youth” for their abilities to keep us healthy and avoid cognitive decline, premature aging, and cancer.
Turmerones Preserve Cognitive Health
For cognitive health, turmerones—specifically ar-turmerone—may be one of the next major therapeutic compounds. Research shows that it suppresses beta-amyloid responsible for the plaques and tangles in the brain that stop neural connections, and reduces various inflammatory markers and pathways that cause damage to the brain. So turmerones may be able to stop—or at least slow down—the cognitive decline of Alzheimer’s.
Additionally, German research found that ar-turmerone helps regenerate brain cells—a potentially major leap for treating neurological diseases, such as Parkinson’s, brain injuries, or recovery from ischemic stroke.
In other work, a Belgian study found that turmerones may help stop symptoms of epilepsy and acted as an anticonvulsant in laboratory models of the condition. Even at high dosages, ar-turmerone was safe and while it quieted convulsions, it didn’t cause any ill effects on healthy motor function. The researchers concluded that ar-turmerone may be a potential therapeutic for those with severe cases of epilepsy, or who have not reacted well to current conventional medications.
Turmerones Stop Inflammation Throughout the Body
Turmerone-rich essential oil from turmeric partners well with oil from ginger. Since ginger is a relative of turmeric, this isn’t surprising. Laboratory studies combining the two ingredients have found that they protect the kidneys against toxic and oxidative damage and the stomach from gastric ulcer.
But I think you can count on turmerones to reduce inflammation no matter where it occurs, with effects virtually the same as curcumin. This is why I think that incorporating a curcumin enhanced with turmerones from turmeric essential oil is so important—it helps promote the full potential of the botanical medicine.
Curcumin Safety
No toxicity issues have been reported for curcumin, even when used in dosages as high as 10 grams or more daily. Because it is so safe and non-toxic, curcumin and turmeric essential oil (turmerones) can be used for almost any condition.
Powerful Natural Medicine
I hope this information has shown you why I think curcumin and turmerones are powerful natural medicines. No matter what your health concern might be, curcumin can help. I recommend clinically studied curcumin enhanced with turmeric essential oil for better absorption, blood retention, and the added benefits of turmerones. This form of the remarkable extract will help you get the best results from this amazing natural medicine.
