Curcumin is an active ingredient that is found in the East Indian curry spice Turmeric. It is bright yellow in color and has been widely used to color foods with for many years. It has also been used as an ingredient in medicines in both India and Egypt for thousands of years. For over forty years Curcumin has been studied by researchers to see what its benefits are in herbal or allopathic medicine as a nutritional supplement.
Curcumin has many medicinal factors that can widely benefit a number of ailments. It has been studied and has shown in several clinical trials to be as beneficial as pharmaceutical preparations in several diseases however it has little or no side effects when compared to the same pharmaceutical medications. We will discuss the various medicinal factors in detail below.
Several clinical trials have been done to see the effect that Curcumin has on cancer cells. The Cancer Clinical Research Journal has published some of these studies. In said studies researchers found that this supplement was able to inhibit and even stop the growth of certain types of multiple myeloma cells. They found in another study that Curcumin was able to help stop the growth of certain squamous cell carcinoma cells. What researchers found was that this supplement was able to inhibit certain protein production which kept cancer cells from growing and thus caused them to deteriorate. When the proteins were not produced the cancer cells were not grown or multiplied at the same rate. These studies were either done in vitro which is in the lab on cells under the microscope or with mice.
Other studies done at the University of Texas and other prestigious institutions such as Yale on Curcumin and its effects on myelomas and other cancers showed that this supplement was able to reduce the growth rate or helped to stop the multiplication of cancer cells as well. This goes to show that this supplement is an excellent antioxidant. It very well may help those who take it on a regular basis reduce the chances of developing cancer which is a great benefit for the average consumer.
Curcumin has been studied for its anti-inflammatory benefits on the body. This supplement has been used in the past in other cultures for ailments such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Researchers have done clinical trials on this supplement and tested its effect in this respect. They found that Curcumin was just as effective as a Cox-2 inhibitor as some of the pharmaceutical drugs that are on the market today and have to be prescribed by a physician. The difference being that Curcumin does not have the side effects that the Cox-2 inhibitors have been plagued with and some have even been pulled off the market for in the United States. They were very effective against diseases such as arthritis but the severe side effects such as increased risk of heart attack or stroke left the FDA with little choice but to pull them from the shelves. Many people have not found other drug choices that have given them the relief that they found with the Cox-2 inhibitors in the past. Curcumin may indeed be a healthy choice! The way that Curcumin works is that it inhibits the bodies ability to produce prostaglandins as an inflammatory response in these diseases.
Curcumin is also an excellent antioxidant and can help to benefit the average person against premature aging and against the ravages of the pollutants in the environment. Science has shown us that free radicals can increase the bodies ability to succumb to diseases such as heart diseases, cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal disease and cancer. Antioxidants in the diet in addition to healthy living give our bodies additional defenses against these free radicals and reduce our chances of developing these diseases.
Curcumin has few side effects that have been noted. Mild gastrointestinal distress has been reported by some people who take this supplement. Indigestion, mild nausea and some diarrhea has been reported upon starting to take the supplement which resolves itself with time. Taking the supplement with food can reduce the chances of this problem. Curcumin can increase bleeding times so it should not be taken by anyone who has problems with bleeding or takes anticoagulants. Anyone with a chronic illness should consult with their physician before starting any nutritional supplement.
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