The Health Benefits of Curcumin, Turmeric’s Secret Weapon

Pardon the pun, but the rhizome root turmeric and its most bioactive ingredient, curcumin, are having a golden moment thanks to abundant research from the medical and scientific community. More than 2,200 scientific papers have been published in the last ten years on the health benefits of curcumin and its influence on inflammation.¹

As consumers learn more about the significance of inflammation as a contributor to so many complex chronic conditions, curiosity and sales in the United States have peaked at an all-time high. In 2020, journalist Todd Runestad, content director at the trade media company Informa, reported that U.S. retail sales were expected to exceed $100 million by 2024.²

As Runestad is known for saying, “Sales follow science.” According to 2023 data, combined sales of turmeric and curcumin for dietary supplements, personal care, and culinary use rose above $90 million and haven’t slowed in 2024.

Why is this data significant to you as a person who values good health? History shows that when the science of a whole food ingredient like turmeric and its beneficial compound, like curcumin, becomes so well known, staying informed about their health benefits and how to use them safely in a crowded marketplace can be challenging.

At The Paleo Diet®, we believe in transparency and have asked Erin Rhae Biller, ND, FAIHM, to use her background in naturopathic medicine to answer common questions about the history, science, safety, and potential uses of both turmeric and curcumin.

The Paleo Diet: Are turmeric and curcumin the same thing?

Erin Rhae Biller, ND, FAIHM: Curcumin is extracted from the rhizome of the Asian plant Curcuma longa. Curcumin gives turmeric its deep yellow color and is prized for use in spicy curries and as a natural dye and food color.

Turmeric has also been used for centuries in Ayurvedic and Siddha medicine in India, traditional Chinese medicine, Unani medicine in Greece, and by the Austronesian peoples of Southeast Asia and Polynesia.³ Healers from these regions rely on the root’s medicinal properties for disorders of the skin, upper respiratory tract, joints, and digestive system.

However, it wasn’t until this knowledge moved from the kitchen and indigenous practices to modern clinical trials that the world realized the full extent of turmeric’s anti-inflammatory benefits from its most active polyphenol, curcumin.⁴ Compared to its history, only recently have doctors learned how to overcome some of the barriers to bioavailability.

For the body to properly absorb curcumin as a single entity or in turmeric, it needs the presence of fats, black pepper, or its active component, piperine. Ingredient companies like Verdure Sciences, Indena, and Sabinsa have made dramatic progress in the bioavailability of curcumin by up to 2,000% by reducing particle sizes, adding piperine, encapsulating it in emulsifying fats, or embedding the beneficial compounds in water.^5-8

TPD: What are the health benefits of whole turmeric?

ERB: Turmeric root contains more than 300 bioactive compounds, including polyphenols, terpenes, phytosterols, and essential oils. Compared to carrots and beetroot, whole turmeric is higher in beta-carotene, polyphenols, and antioxidants that scavenge damaging free radicals.^{9, 10}

These constituents act as antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents to reduce the risk of joint and brain inflammation as well as support the liver and the cardiovascular, immune, respiratory, and endocrine systems. Another beneficial use is to address biofilms in human tissue, characterized as a bacterial matrix that can lead to repeated and difficult-to-treat infections.^{11, 12}

TPD: How often can one safely consume whole or powdered turmeric in foods, and how much is recommended?

ERB: Many factors affect a person’s ability to assimilate the compounds in turmeric, including gut health and permeability, liver function, metabolism, and whether it is eaten with a meal and with fats and black pepper.

It is possible to consume too much turmeric, so pay attention to how often you add it to your daily routine.¹³ Diarrhea is typically the first sign that someone has eaten too much. In India, turmeric is consumed throughout the day as a spice rather than in a single meal, allowing the body to absorb its benefits in small amounts.

The average daily consumption of whole or powdered turmeric in India is 2–2.5 g (2,000–2,500 mg) daily for adults. This equals 60–100 mg of curcumin.¹⁴ Turmeric spice contains around 3–8% curcumin, compared to 95% curcumin in extracts.

Generally, a naturopathic doctor recommends 500 mg to 2,000 mg per day of turmeric to address specific health concerns. I suggest patients undergo liver enzyme testing before taking turmeric and retest after 12 weeks to ensure the body can support and benefit from the recommended dose.

TPD: What are the health benefits of curcumin?  

ERB: Turmeric contains curcumin and 50 other beneficial curcuminoids. Curcuminoids and their derivatives own many biological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties that reduce the risk of cancer and endocrine, liver, neurological, joint, and cardiovascular damage.

While difficult to explain easily in a few sentences, curcumin boosts the activation of detoxifying antioxidant enzymes and signaling pathways that, in the end, reduce inflammation by regulating how cells fight off toxic oxidation and stress.⁶

TPD: Are there circumstances when one should not take curcumin at all or without the guidance of a knowledgeable doctor?

ERB: When recommending curcumin to my patients, I look for any issues or family history related to blood clotting and whether taking blood thinners, kidney disease, anemia, gall stones, and liver or bile duct issues.

Curcumin is sometimes used as an adjunct therapy for cancer patients under the direct supervision of an oncologist. However, this should only be considered with complete transparency and careful guidance because curcumin can interfere with other treatments.

TPD: If someone needs to supplement with curcumin, what should they look for?

ERB: For all individuals—regardless of why one is taking curcumin—it is recommended to speak with a doctor who is educated in botanicals. We are still learning many aspects about these ingredients and their powerful benefits, so taking them for preventive health or addressing specific health issues needs careful consideration and planning.

The scientific advances in the bioavailability of curcumin are significant. This means that if you’ve taken curcumin in the past, today’s formulations may affect your body very differently and you may need smaller amounts.¹³

As with turmeric, I recommend baseline testing for the liver and the desired outcomes before starting a curcumin regime. Twelve weeks is the recommended time frame before a second round of testing and assessing progress and outcomes with a health professional.

References

1. PubMed Search, (curcumin[Title/Abstract]) AND (inflammation[Title/Abstract])  Jan. 12, 2025. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=%28curcumin%5BTitle%2FAbstract%5D%29+AND+%28inflammation%5BTitle%2FAbstract%5D%29&filter=datesearch.y_10&sort=date
2. Runestad, T. Curcumin sales follow science. Supply Side Supplement Journal, Oct. 7, 2020. https://www.supplysidesj.com/herbs-botanicals/curcumin-sales-follow-science
3. Gupta SC, Patchva S, Aggarwal BB. Therapeutic roles of curcumin: lessons learned from clinical trials. AAPS J. 2013 Jan;15(1):195-218. doi: 10.1208/s12248-012-9432-8. Epub 2012 Nov 10. PMID: 23143785; PMCID: PMC3535097. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23143785/
4. Priyadarsini KI. The chemistry of curcumin: from extraction to therapeutic agent. Molecules. 2014;19(12):20091-20112. Published 2014 Dec 1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25470276/
5. Sharifi-Rad J, Rayess YE, Rizk AA, et al. Turmeric and Its Major Compound Curcumin on Health: Bioactive Effects and Safety Profiles for Food, Pharmaceutical, Biotechnological and Medicinal Applications. Front Pharmacol. 2020;11:01021. Published 2020 Sep 15. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33041781/
6. El-Saadony MT, Yang T, Korma SA, et al. Impacts of turmeric and its principal bioactive curcumin on human health: Pharmaceutical, medicinal, and food applications: A comprehensive review. Front Nutr. 2023;9:1040259. Published 2023 Jan 10. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9881416/
7. Heidari H, Bagherniya M, Majeed M, Sathyapalan T, Jamialahmadi T, Sahebkar A. Curcumin-piperine co-supplementation and human health: A comprehensive review of preclinical and clinical studies. Phytother Res. 2023;37(4):1462-1487. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36720711/
8. Shoba G, Joy D, Joseph T, Majeed M, Rajendran R, Srinivas PS. Influence of piperine on the pharmacokinetics of curcumin in animals and human volunteers. Planta Med. 1998;64(4):353-356. doi:10.1055/s-2006-957450 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9619120/
9. Moulick, S. P., Jahan, F., Islam, M. B., Bashera, M. A., Hasan, M. S., Islam, M. J., Ahmed, S., Karmakar, D., Ahmed, F., Saha, T., Dey, S. S., Boby, F., Saha, M., Saha, B. K., & Bhuiyan, M. N. H. (2023). Nutritional characteristics and antiradical activity of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.), beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.), and carrot (Daucus carota L.) grown in Bangladesh. Heliyon, 9(11), e21495. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e21495
10. Iweala, E. J., Uche, M. E., Dike, E. D., Etumnu, L. R., Dokunmu, T. M., Oluwapelumi, A. E., Okoro, B. C., Dania, O. E., Adebayo, A. H., & Ugbogu, E. A. (2023). Curcuma longa (Turmeric): Ethnomedicinal uses, phytochemistry, pharmacological activities and toxicity profiles—A review. Pharmacological Research – Modern Chinese Medicine, 6, 100222. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prmcm.2023.100222
11. Perry EK, Tan MW. Bacterial biofilms in the human body: prevalence and impacts on health and disease. Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2023;13:1237164. Published 2023 Aug 30. doi:10.3389/fcimb.2023.1237164 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37712058/
12. Zheng N, Xie Y, zhou M, Liu Y, Xu H, Zeng R, et al. Utilizing the Photodynamic Properties of Curcumin to Disrupt Biofilms in Cutibacterium acnes: A Promising Approach for Treating Acne. Photodiagnosis and Photodynamic Therapy. 2023 Dec;103928. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38070633/
13. Batt, A. The Trouble with Turmeric: Associated Liver Injuries. Jefferson Health. Accessed Jan. 6, 2025. https://www.jeffersonhealth.org/your-health/living-well/the-trouble-with-turmeric-associated-liver-injuries
14. Amalraj A, Pius A, Gopi S, Gopi S. Biological activities of curcuminoids, other biomolecules from turmeric and their derivatives – A review. J Tradit Complement Med. 2016;7(2):205-233. Published 2016 Jun 15. doi:10.1016/j.jtcme.2016.05.005 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28417091/