- Curcumin and turmeric are not the same substance — in fact, curcumin is one of the compounds found in turmeric.
- Most of the positive health effects of curcumin are related to its antioxidant and anti‑inflammatory properties.
- The bioavailability of curcumin is very low, but it can be improved by being combined with piperine.
What is curcumin, and how does it differ from turmeric?
Curcumin is a bioactive substance (specifically a polyphenol) derived from the root of the Curcuma longa plant. It is often confused with turmeric itself, and although the substances are very similar in name and effects, they are not synonymous.
Turmeric is produced by drying and grinding the rhizome of the turmeric plant and is known mainly as a cooking spice. Turmeric itself contains many bioactive substances, among which are curcuminoids. Three types of curcuminoids are known: bisdemethoxycurcumin, demethoxycurcumin and curcumin. Curcumin typically accounts for up to 77 % of all curcuminoids in turmeric.
So, in simple terms, curcumin is a natural part of turmeric and is one of the many bioactive substances found in this spice. The content of all the curcuminoids in turmeric is usually in the range of 1‑6%, with curcumin most often comprising up to 5% (depending on the total curcuminoid content, of course).
Curcumin and its use in the world
Curcumin is often used in alternative medicine for its health benefits, and in many countries, it is a natural part of food, drinks or specific rituals (most often as part of turmeric). The study by Dr. Hewlings et al. points out its traditional use in:
- India, where it is part of various spices
- Japan, where it is served in tea
- Malaysia, where it is used as an antiseptic
- Pakistan, where it is used as an anti‑inflammatory medicine
What positive effects can you expect from curcumin?
1. Antioxidant and anti‑inflammatory effects
The antioxidant and anti‑inflammatory effects of curcumin are largely at the heart of its positive effects on human health. Curcumin may stimulate the activity of certain antioxidant systems in the body and has been shown to reduce the concentration of markers of oxidative stress. In addition to increasing the body's antioxidant capacity, curcumin is able to scavenge some free radicals itself, and it can also reduce the activity of systems in the body that naturally produce free radicals.
Oxidative stress is closely linked to inflammatory reactions in both directions. Oxidative stress may contribute to the development of diseases characterised by inflammatory processes, and inflammatory deposits in the body are also known to produce additional free radicals. The most prominent mediator of inflammation in the body is TNF-α, whose activation involves, among others, NF-κB. Curcumin plays a role in relation to NF-κB by partially blocking its activation, thereby interfering with the TNF-α trigger pathway.
2. Supportive therapy for metabolic syndrome
Metabolic syndrome refers to a set of symptoms that dramatically increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Metabolic syndrome is characterised by insulin resistance, which leads to the development of type II diabetes, hypertension, elevated blood lipids (typically cholesterol and triacylglycerols) and obesity. In metabolic syndrome, inflammatory reactions are common, particularly in response to excessive weight, elevated lipid levels and damage to the inner lining of blood vessels caused by unnaturally high blood glucose levels and elevated blood pressure.
Studies show that curcumin can contribute to the treatment of metabolic syndrome in several ways: it helps improve tissue sensitivity to insulin, partially suppresses the formation of new fat cells, participates in the regulation of blood pressure and reduces oxidative stress levels. However, it should be noted that these are only complementary effects and the treatment of metabolic syndrome depends mainly on changing your overall lifestyle through weight reduction, replacing saturated fatty acids with unsaturated ones, regular exercise, etc.
3. Supportive therapy for arthritis
Osteoarthritis is a very common and, unfortunately, very painful disease associated with inflammatory processes. This disease mainly affects older people and causes chronic joint pain, which further affects not only the (in)ability to move but also the quality of life and overall health. The role of curcumin here again lies in its anti‑inflammatory activity. In this case, curcumin is thought to act locally at the sites of inflammation, i.e., in the joints, where it reduces arthritis‑related pain. In some studies, despite a decrease in perceived pain, there were no clear decreases in levels of inflammatory markers, suggesting a systemic effect of curcumin.
Curcumin vs turmeric: which is more effective?
Although curcumin and turmeric are often found together in foods or spices due to their shared origin, there may be some variation in efficacy when separated. In fact, curcumin is considered to be one of the most active substances in turmeric, so when extracted and used alone, it may behave differently than when combined with other compounds.
However, since turmeric contains a number of other bioactive compounds in addition to curcumin, studies have shown that its effectiveness may be higher in some respects than that of curcumin alone. This is the case when it comes to inhibiting (i.e., preventing) the growth of filamentous fungi or moulds. Another effect that was more pronounced with turmeric was its inhibition of the growth of cancer cells. However, it should be noted that although these were human tumour cells taken from tissue, the entire study was conducted in vitro (in a test tube). Its results should therefore be taken with caution, and more high‑quality clinical studies will be needed to confirm or refute its effect.
Bioavailability and dosage of curcumin
Studies most commonly work with a dose of 36‑180mg of curcumin per day, which is equivalent to about 440‑2200mg of turmeric.
A major problem with curcumin supplementation, as well as when consumed in the normal diet, is its low absorption capacity, very rapid metabolism, the formation of ineffective intermediates and equally rapid elimination from the body. Thus, when used and consumed alone, much of the positive effects of curcumin remain untapped. Fortunately, however, there are ways to improve this. One of the most effective methods is combining curcumin with piperine, an alkaloid found in black pepper responsible for its pungent taste. Piperine can block the metabolic conversion of curcumin, which normally occurs almost instantaneously, thus increasing its bioavailability by up to 2000%.
Side effects and safety
Although the safety of curcumin has been confirmed by many world food safety authorities (such as FSA and JECFA), and its maximum safe daily dose is as high as 3mg/kg body weight, side effects can still occur in some cases.
Commonly reported symptoms include headache, diarrhoea, nausea, yellow‑coloured stools or rash. In one study, an increase in serum alkaline phosphatase and lactate dehydrogenase concentrations was also noted at high doses.
Curcumin C3 Complex® with Black Pepper
Bottom line
Curcumin is a polyphenol that is often confused with turmeric. However, curcumin is actually one of the components of turmeric and is responsible for many of the spice's positive health effects. Among the most important properties of curcumin are its antioxidant and anti‑inflammatory effects, which are central to most of its benefits.
The bioavailability of curcumin is very poor — curcumin is poorly absorbed and breaks down very quickly into inactive metabolites. This can be greatly improved by combining curcumin with piperine, which blocks its rapid degradation. Studies most often work with a dose of 36‑180mg of curcumin per day, equivalent to 440‑2200mg of turmeric.
