Top 15 Proven Health Benefits of Turmeric and Curcumin
Proven Health Benefits of Turmeric and Curcumin – Turmeric, the golden spice, has been used for thousands of years as both a spice and a medicinal herb. The active compound in turmeric is curcumin, which gives turmeric its vibrant yellow color and provides numerous health benefits. In recent years, modern science has started to recognize what Ayurvedic medicine has known for ages – that turmeric truly contains compounds with medicinal properties. Information Guide Nigeria
Curcumin is the main active ingredient in turmeric and has powerful anti-inflammatory effects and antioxidant properties. There have been over 12,500 peer-reviewed articles published proving turmeric benefits, especially due to its curcumin content. Turmeric benefits include boosting antioxidant capacity, improving brain function, enhancing the immune system, promoting heart health, reducing inflammation, fighting infections, relieving arthritis symptoms, easing menstrual problems, delaying aging, protecting against Alzheimer’s, preventing cancer, and improving liver health.
👉 Relocate to Canada Today!
Live, Study and Work in Canada. No Payment is Required! Hurry Now click here to Apply >> Immigrate to CanadaThis article will discuss the top 15 most thoroughly researched and proven health benefits of turmeric and curcumin.
Read Also: 15 Science-Based Health Benefits of Drinking Enough Water
Top 15 Proven Health Benefits of Turmeric and Curcumin:
1. Anti-Inflammatory Compounds
Chronic inflammation contributes to many common diseases today such as arthritis, ulcerative colitis, and heart disease. Curcumin contains powerful anti-inflammatory properties that match the effectiveness of some anti-inflammatory drugs, without the toxic effects.
Curcumin inhibits molecules known to play major roles in inflammation like NF-kB, lipoxygenase, cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2), nitric oxide synthase, and others. By reducing inflammation, curcumin can help treat arthritis, digestive disorders, damage to the skin, obesity, liver disease, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, food poisoning, pulmonary disorders, and more. Proven Health Benefits of Turmeric and Curcumin
2. Powerful Antioxidant
Free radicals are unstable molecules that can damage cells through oxidative stress and inflammation, contributing to aging and diseases like cancer, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and heart disease. Curcumin neutralizes free radicals due to its chemical structure, making it a potent antioxidant.
In fact, the antioxidant effects of curcumin are even more potent than vitamin C or E. It boosts the activity of the body’s own antioxidant enzymes like superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and glutathione peroxidase. This helps prevent oxidative damage and reduces aging effects.
3. Brain Function and Lowers Risk of Brain Diseases
Curcumin can boost levels of BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor), a type of growth hormone in the brain. Higher levels of BDNF can increase the growth of new brain cells and fight various degenerative processes in the brain.
Curcumin may help improve memory and concentration by increasing blood flow and neurotransmitter formation in the brain. It also helps boost serotonin and dopamine, important brain chemicals related to motivation, pleasure, and happiness.
👉 Relocate to Canada Today!
Live, Study and Work in Canada. No Payment is Required! Hurry Now click here to Apply >> Immigrate to CanadaFurthermore, its powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects help prevent inflammation and oxidative damage in the brain that can lead to diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, depression, and other neurodegenerative conditions.
Read Also: 15 Amazing Health Benefits of Utazi (Gongronema Latifolium) Leaves
4. Immune System Booster
Curcumin has antimicrobial, antiviral, and antifungal effects that help strengthen the immune system. It regulates the immune system to prevent overactive responses that can lead to autoimmune diseases.
Curcumin increases the activity of T cells and macrophages, immune cells that detect and destroy viruses, bacteria, and other foreign invaders. It also improves antibody responses and protects immune cells from the damage of free radicals. This makes your body better equipped to fight infections and diseases. Best Online Banks Of October 2023
5. Heart Health
Heart disease is the #1 cause of death worldwide, killing millions each year. Curcumin helps reverse many steps in the pathway that leads to heart disease.
It improves the function of the endothelium, the lining of the blood vessels, preventing plaque buildup, blood clots, and other factors that cause heart attacks and stroke.
Curcumin also reduces inflammation, oxidative stress, and fibrosis in the vascular system. By preventing LDL cholesterol from oxidizing, curcumin helps prevent atherosclerosis from developing
6. Prevention of Cancer
Cancer is characterized by uncontrolled cell growth. Curcumin can contribute to the death of cancerous cells and prevent angiogenesis (growth of new blood vessels in tumors) and metastasis (spread of cancer).
It reduces cancer growth, development and spread at the molecular level. For example, it can decrease tumor size and tumor number in models of oral, breast, intestinal and colon cancer.
Curcumin is effective against various types of cancer cells and provides chemo-sensitization for certain types of cancer treatments. It is most promising against cancers of the digestive system, including colorectal cancer. 15 Best Ankara Off-Shoulder Dresses Styles 2023
7. Delays Aging and Fights Age-Related Chronic Diseases
If curcumin can truly help prevent heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer’s, it could help promote longevity and healthy aging as well. Oxidation and inflammation are believed to play a major role in the aging process.
Curcumin’s powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties fight oxidative stress and inflammation that are implicated in premature aging and chronic diseases. Through these effects, curcumin may help extend lifespan and reduce age-related chronic illnesses.
Read Also: Top 15 Healthiest Cooking Oils in Nigeria
8. Treats and Prevents Alzheimer’s Disease
One of the most promising uses of curcumin is for treating and preventing Alzheimer’s disease, the most common neurodegenerative disorder and leading cause of dementia.
The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of curcumin help prevent the amyloid plaque buildup, inflammation and oxidative damage that leads to the progression of Alzheimer’s disease in the brain.
In studies, curcumin has been shown to cross the blood-brain barrier and bind and break up amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain, allowing the body to clear them away. This can slow or even reverse Alzheimer’s disease progression. NYSC Portal
9. Improves Symptoms of Arthritis
Arthritis involves inflammation and deterioration of the joints. The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of curcumin can help treat symptoms of arthritis and protect joints from further damage.
In studies, curcumin performs as well or better than anti-inflammatory drugs for improving pain, stiffness and physical function in people with osteoarthritis. It also helps reduce inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis.
Curcumin can be as effective as ibuprofen and diclofenac sodium at reducing pain symptoms in arthritis. It may outperform anti-inflammatory drugs due to its ability to protect joint cartilage from degradation.
10. Helps Treat Depression
Curcumin influences neurotransmitter systems in the brain that are involved in depression, especially serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine. This can boost mood and ease depressive symptoms.
Curcumin can increase levels of BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor), a brain hormone that boosts mood and helps treat depression when deficient. It also helps reverse damaging effects of stress on the brain.
In a controlled trial, patients treated with curcumin for 6 weeks had similar improvements in depression symptoms as the group treated with Prozac. Curcumin enhanced the effects of antidepressants as well.
11. Reduces Menstrual Problems in Women
Dysmenorrhea refers to pain during menstruation that affects up to 90% of women. Curcumin can significantly reduce menstrual pain and associated symptoms.
It works as well as painkillers like ibuprofen, mefenamic acid and naproxen sodium at reducing pain, cramping, bloating and mood swings during periods. Curcumin is thought to work by relaxing the uterine muscles and reducing inflammation.
Curcumin is also effective at reducing premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms. It can help modulate mood hormonal changes and prevent associated emotional and physical symptoms in the luteal phase.
Read Also: 15 Amazing Health Benefits of Drinking Triphala Juice
12. Helps Treat and Prevent Diabetes
Curcumin helps regulate blood sugar levels and prevents insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, hyperglycemia and other symptoms associated with diabetes.
It interacts directly with proteins and enzymes involved in insulin secretion and signaling. Curcumin also helps reduce inflammatory markers that can worsen insulin resistance and irritate the pancreas.
Additionally, curcumin can help prevent or reverse many complications of diabetes like cardiovascular disease, neuropathy, nephropathy and retinopathy. JAMB Result
13. Protects Against Liver Damage
The antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and detoxification properties of curcumin help protect the liver from injury and damage.
It helps boost liver function and reduce inflammation and fibrotic activity in liver tissue caused by toxins, alcohol consumption or viral infection. Curcumin promotes proper detoxification and excretion of drugs and toxins to prevent liver overload.
It also helps prevent gallstone formation and dissolve gallstones. Curcumin can even help regenerate liver tissue and improve recovery in liver cirrhosis and fatty liver disease. 200 romantic love message for her
14. Helps Treat Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
Inflammatory bowel disease involves chronic inflammation in the intestines leading to symptoms like abdominal pain, diarrhea, bloating, weight loss and poor nutrient absorption.
Curcumin delivers significant anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects in the intestines that can help treat inflammatory bowel diseases like ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.
It helps maintain remission in quiescent ulcerative colitis, preventing flareups and reducing relapse rates. Curcumin also helps protect against physiological damage in IBD, decreasing inflammation, oxidative stress and injury to the intestines. 105 good morning messages
15. Protects Against Food Poisoning
Food poisoning is an acute gastrointestinal infection caused by bacteria, viruses or parasites found in contaminated food or water. Common symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain.
Curcumin has antimicrobial effects that fight bacterial infections causing food poisoning, including poisonings from common culprits like E. coli, S. aureus, Bacillus cereus and Salmonella typhimurium.
Curcumin helps reduce infection-related inflammation and intestinal damage associated with food poisoning. It also helps balance gut bacteria populations and strengthen gut barrier function to inhibit infection and toxin absorption.
Read Also: Top 15 Health Benefits of Turmeric
Conclusion
Turmeric and its main active ingredient curcumin provide incredible health benefits, from fighting inflammation to preventing heart disease, cancer, diabetes and more. No wonder it has been cherished in ancient Indian and Chinese medicines for thousands of years.
Adding more turmeric into your diet is an easy, safe and tasty way to boost your overall health. Try sprinkling it onto eggs, soups, veggies, lentils, meat marinades, smoothies or simply brew a therapeutic turmeric tea.
With over 12,500 peer-reviewed articles proving turmeric benefits, especially due to its curcumin content, turmeric is truly a superfood worthy of its place in your kitchen.
Check JAMB Result
Check and Confirm: How much is Dollar to Naira