Turmeric Benefits (Curcumin), Dosage, Side Effects + More

by Mallika Varma | May 10, 2018 | Herbs + Remedies | Reviewed by Dr. Deepak Bhanot

Curcuma Longa | Haldi | Haridra | Herbal Remedies | Turmeric | Turmeric Benefits

Table of Contents

Turmeric (Curcuma longa, haridra, or haldi) is a flavorful yellow-orange spice often referred to as the “golden spice”. It is one of the most important and useful herbs in Ayurvedic medicine. Turmeric benefits are incredibly numerous, and scientists are confirming its usefulness for many health conditions.

The rhizome part of the Curcuma longa plant is used as the spice. The orange pulp contained inside the rhizome constitutes the source of Turmeric’s healing powder.

Let’s explore more about this amazing herb such as its benefits, contraindications, therapeutic uses, composition and dosage, possible side effects, interactions, and warnings if any.

Turmeric: Ayurvedic Properties + Historical Use

According to Ayurveda, turmeric (haridra) is pungent and bitter in taste. It is dry in nature and has a hot potency (virya). Its post-digestive effect (vipaka) is pungent (katu).¹

Ayurveda says that Turmeric pacifies all three doshas, Vata, Pitta, and Kapha (tridoshashamaka). By virtue of its hotness, it balances Vata and Kapha.

Because of its dryness and its pungent and bitter taste, it balances Kapha dosha. Due to its bitterness, it balances Pitta dosha.

The ancient Ayurvedic sage Charaka enlisted Turmeric as one of the ten most effective herbs for removing toxins (vishghna mahakashaya).

It’s also one of the most effective herbs for scraping or having a hypolipidemic effect (lekhaniya mahakashaya) and for its use in dermatological disorders (kustaghna mahakashaya).²

Ayurveda considers Turmeric (Haridra) as a broad spectrum herb having various therapeutic properties.

Those include scraping (lekhaniya), anti-bacterial (Krimighna), anti-inflammatory (shothahar), wound healing (vranaropan), and complexion enhancing (varnya).

It is useful in a variety of skin diseases (kushthaghna), diabetes (pramehahar), nodular swelling (apachihar), anemia (panduhar), allergic rhinitis (pinasahar), anorexia (aruchihar), hives (shitapitta), toxic conditions (vishaghna), and in relieving itching sensations (kandughna).

Sayan, a commentator on the Vedas, the oldest written text on ancient Indian culture, while elaborating on the qualities of turmeric said that if turmeric (haridra) is used for a long period of time it can improve memory and concentration.

In Ayurveda, turmeric powder and honey mixed in the juice of Indian gooseberry (amalaki) are considered a good option for diabetic conditions.³

Turmeric Dosage

The amount of Turmeric (Haridra) powder to take, according to the Ayurveda Pharmacopoeia of India is 1-3 grams. That’s about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoons.

One can take this quantity in equal divided dosage with a pinch of black pepper in a glass of milk.  You can also try Golden Milk, a delicious hot, spiced milk beverage. Alternatively, you can take it with plain water.

Turmeric’s Nutritional Profile

Pure Turmeric vs. Curry Powder

Components of Turmeric are called curcuminoids. They include mainly curcumin (diferuloyl methane), demethoxycurcumin, and bisdemethoxycurcumin.

Pure turmeric powder had the highest curcumin concentration, averaging 3.14% by weight. Curry powder contains much less (an average of 0.29%).

In addition, some 34 essential oils are present in pure turmeric, among which turmerone, germacrene, atlantone, and zingiberene are the major constituents.

**Turmeric And Black Pepper (*Anupana***)

An anupana is the medium of administration of an herb. It enhances the bioavailability of its nutrients and aids in assisting the action of that herb.

The healing properties cannot be utilized properly because of its poor bioavailability due to rapid metabolism in the liver and intestinal wall.

Black pepper has an active constituent called piperine which is proven to enhance the serum concentration, extent of absorption, and bioavailability of curcumin, the active compound of Turmeric, by 2000% without any adverse effects.

So, it is better to take Turmeric with black pepper in order to increase its absorption and avail its benefits.⁵

Numerous Benefits of Turmeric

This herb draws its miracle powers from the presence of the chemical compound curcumin. Here are some evidence-based studies that demonstrate the benefits of Turmeric.

Turmeric is A Potent Antioxidant

Oxidative stress has been associated with a variety of health problems such as diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, anxiety, insomnia, and cancer. It happens when the number of free radicals exceeds the number of antioxidants. Antioxidants protect our bodies from free radicals.

Curcumin, found in Turmeric, scavenges and neutralizes the different forms of free radicals⁶, reduces oxidative stress and also boosts the body’s own antioxidant capacity with routine dietary intake.

It possesses natural anti-inflammatory activity. Curcumin has also been shown to suppress inflammation through many different mechanisms thereby supporting its potential as an anti-inflammatory agent.

It inhibits a number of different molecules that play an important role in inflammation. Tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) is a major mediator of inflammation in most diseases. Curcumin effectively inhibits the activity of TNF-α .⁷

It possesses natural anti-inflammatory activity.

It also suppresses inflammatory damage by blocking NF-kB, a molecule that travels into the nuclei of cells and turns on genes related to inflammation.

Many clinical trials indicate that curcumin has the potential as a therapeutic agent in diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBS), pancreatitis, arthritis, and chronic anterior uveitis, as well as certain types of cancer.

Moreover, the anti-inflammatory activity of curcumin is comparable to corticosteroid therapy and is also found to be better than that of NSAIDs such as aspirin and ibuprofen.⁸

The lack of side effects with curcumin is its greatest advantage compared with corticosteroid therapy.

Turmeric Is A Brain Booster And Alleviates Depression

Brain-derived neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) is a naturally occurring growth hormone present in the brain. It has been found to enhance neurogenesis.

Higher levels of BDNF are associated with increased intelligence, mood, productivity, and memory along with decreased risks of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and neuropsychiatric diseases like bipolar disorder and mania.

Curcumin effectively improves the level of BDNF in the brain. Thereby it can positively affect depression, anxiety, brain aging, and other brain-related disorders.⁹

Plaques and tangles of beta-amyloids are formed in the brain as Alzheimer’s disease progresses.

Curcumin crosses the blood-brain barrier, binds and clears the Beta-amyloid plaques, delays the degradation of neurons, and metal-chelation, and decreases microglia formation.

It, therefore, improves the overall memory in patients with Alzheimer’s Disease.¹⁰Curcumin has potent antidepressant-like activity in depression. It increases the level of the brain neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine.

It has proved to be effective and safe for the treatment of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) without showing any concurrent suicidal ideation or other psychotic disorders.¹¹

Turmeric For Heart Health And Reversing The Road To Heart Disease

Curcumin is effective in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases as it has beneficial effects on several factors known to play an important role in heart disease.

Endothelium refers to the cells that line the interior surface of blood vessels and lymphatic vessels. Endothelial dysfunction is an early predictor of atherosclerosis and is an important prognostic marker for cardiovascular disease.

Dietary intake of curcumin potentially improves the age-related decline in endothelial function by preventing atherosclerosis and reducing the levels of bad cholesterol in the blood.

Apart from this, curcuminoids have shown similar favorable effects as compared to that of atorvastatin, a standard drug used to improve cholesterol levels and decrease the risk of a heart attack and stroke.

The effects showed positive outcomes on endothelial dysfunction in association with reductions in inflammatory cytokines and markers of oxidative stress.¹²

Curcumin helps in preventing atrial arrhythmias and ventricular arrhythmias and significantly decreases heart attacks associated with coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).¹³

Turmeric Effectively Reduces Hypertension

Due to its anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, curcumin helps in countering high blood pressure.

It inhibits the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) which is needed to produce angiotensin II, a chemical which makes blood vessels narrower.

The inhibition of ACE widens and relaxes the blood vessels, resulting in lower blood pressure.¹⁴

Turmeric Lowers Blood Sugar

It acts as an antihyperglycemic agent. Curcumin reduces blood glucose levels, stimulates insulin secretion, and promotes pancreatic activity.

Curcumin is effective in delaying the development of type 2 diabetes by reducing insulin resistance, preventing the death of β-cells, and improving β-cell function and it leads to various improvements in the pathological process of diabetes.¹⁵

Turmeric Shows Promise For Digestive Diseases

Curcumin is considered a very promising therapeutic option for the treatment of gastrointestinal and hepatic diseases such as colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel diseases (IBS), functional digestive disorders, and irritable bowel syndrome for which present therapies are largely unsatisfactory.

Turmeric Has Excellent Anti-Arthritic Potential

It’s anti-arthritic and the bone protective property benefits various disorders of the musculoskeletal system.

Due to the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of curcumin present in turmeric, it is beneficial in rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, arthritis of the knee and ankle, ankylosing spondylitis, bursitis, and fibromyalgia.

Curcumin extracts are proved to be as effective as the painkiller ibuprofen for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis with the added advantage that curcumin is safer for the stomach than ibuprofen.¹⁶

One study proves that curcumin employed as an adjuvant therapy with diclofenac has a superior beneficial effect on arthritis than diclofenac alone.¹⁷

Curcuminoids prevent the loss of bone tissue as it reduces the activity of osteoclasts (bone cells that absorb bone tissue) and maintains osteoblast function (cells that lay down bone tissue).¹⁸

Turmeric Has Preventive And Therapeutic Actions On Cancer

Curcumin has an enormous potential in the prevention and therapy of cancer. It suppresses the initiation, progression, and metastasis of a variety of tumors. Many studies have shown that curcumin actually stops cancer cells from dividing.

It suppresses the growth of cancerous cells by simply inhibiting the blood vessels that supply the cancer cells.¹⁹

The activity of curcumin has been reported against a variety of cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma, gastrointestinal cancers, genitourinary cancers, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, lung cancer, melanoma, neurological cancers, and sarcoma reflects its ability to affect multiple targets.

Curcumin produces remarkable symptomatic relief in patients with external cancerous lesions.

It was seen during a study that, there is a reduction in smell, itching, pain, and lesion size and the lesion becomes dry on the application of turmeric ointment.²⁰

Turmeric Benefits Eye Disorders

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a common eye condition that occurs due to abnormal functioning of specific retinal cells which are susceptible to oxidative stress.

It is the leading cause of vision loss among people aged 50 and older. As curcumin is loaded with antioxidant properties it has been shown to be a preventive and augmentative therapy of AMD.

Dietary supplementation of curcumin has also been found effective in diabetic retinopathy and retinal neuroprotection.²¹

Curcumin supplementation also ameliorates inflammation and thereby provides benefits in chronic anterior uveitis (inflammation of the iris and middle coat of the eyeball).

Curcumin Curbs Obesity

Curcumin helps promote weight loss and reduces the incidence of obesity-related diseases by preventing the differentiation and proliferation of fat tissue. It also suppresses chronic inflammation in fat tissue.

Through these diverse mechanisms, curcumin reduces obesity and also prevents its adverse effects on health.²²

Turmeric Helps In Managing Various Skin Ailments

Turmeric is an excellent wound healer for topical application.

Curcumin, the active compound, reduces inflammation, enhances granulation tissue formation, collagen deposition, tissue remodeling, wound contraction, and helps in the formation of new tissue.

It was seen during a study on women who had cesarean sections that the application of Turmeric cream showed positive effects on the speed of their cesarean wound healing.²³

Curcumin in low doses has been successful in stimulating antioxidant defenses in human dermal fibroblasts which shows the inhibitory effect of curcumin on UV induced skin damage.

It keeps a check on skin aging by preventing tanning and the formation of wrinkles as it inhibits an enzyme (matrix metalloproteinase-2) which can degrade collagen, the component responsible for skin elasticity.²⁴

Topical application in a cream base is helpful in maintaining oil balance by regulating excessive sebum secretion in those suffering from acne and related problems.²⁵

It helps in preventing psoriasis, an inflammatory disease of the skin, by decreasing the activity of phosphorylase kinase (PhK) which is responsible for this condition.

Turmeric Relieves Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)

Curcumin present in Turmeric provides relief in PMS by regulating brain chemicals, and neurotransmitters and reducing inflammation. It attenuates pain and mood changes occurring in PMS.

It is helpful in stimulating contraction and uterine bleeding. That is how it helps in regularizing the menstrual cycle and normalizing the menstrual flow.²⁶

Turmeric Side Effects

Curcumin has a long-established safety record. According to The Joint United Nations and World Health Organization Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) reports, the Allowable Daily Intake (ADI) value of curcumin is 0–3 mg/kg of body weight.²⁷

Despite its well-established safety, during some studies, some people experienced some side effects like diarrhea, headache, rash, and yellow stool.

Turmeric Interactions

Turmeric might interact with certain medicines. Take caution when using the following medications.

Blood thinners or anticoagulant drugs like warfarin (Coumadin), aspirin, clopidogrel, et cetera
Diabetes medications

Turmeric Warnings + Precautions

Turmeric, when taken in a limited amount in the form of spice in food, is safe. However intake of high doses of Turmeric supplements is likely to be unsafe in the following conditions.

During pregnancy and while breastfeeding. Turmeric stimulates uterine contraction and bleeding when taken in high amounts, so it is better to avoid it during pregnancy. Turmeric is not much studied in breastfeeding women, and its resultant effects on breastfed infants are also unknown, so it is best to avoid it.
Surgery. Turmeric supplements should not be taken prior to any surgery due to their blood-thinning property. It is better to discontinue turmeric supplements two weeks prior to surgery to minimize bleeding risk.
Gall bladder obstruction. It can cause painful contractions in cases of gallbladder obstruction.
Bleeding Disorders. As the curcumin present in Turmeric has blood-thinning properties, Turmeric inhibits platelet aggregation and therefore prevents blood clotting.
In hypotensive conditions (lowered blood pressure). Turmeric itself has the property of vasodilation. It reduces blood pressure. It should be avoided in hypotensive conditions.
In low blood sugar level conditions. It acts as an anti-hyperglycemic agent, so it should be given with caution to blood sugar clients.
If the level of oxalates in the blood is high. Turmeric supplements may increase the risk of kidney stone formation. One should also limit or avoid turmeric in gout for the same reason.
If trying to conceive. It acts as a contraceptive. It decreases sperm motility and affects sperm morphology.
Iron deficiency anemia. High-dose Turmeric supplements might lead to impaired iron absorption.

Always keep in mind that adding Turmeric in a limited quantity as a spice is invariably beneficial for health as it is full of nutrients and provides several health advantages.

But to treat any health condition, it is better to speak with your healthcare provider before using a turmeric supplement. Turmeric benefits are numerous.

Consult a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner to see if turmeric is right for you.

About the Author

Mallika Varma

Mallika Varma, holds a bachelor’s degree, B.A.M.S. from State Ayurvedic college and Hospital, Lucknow and a postgraduate degree M.S. in Kshara Sutra Avum Anushastra Karma from Sri Venkateswara Ayurvedic College, Tirupathi. She brings more than 7 years of experience in the field of Ayurveda. She is specialized in Ayurvedic general surgery, parasurgical procedures (Kshara Jalauka, Siravedhyan, Agni Karma) and in the treatment of anorectal disorders. She is also experienced in the treatment of gastro, respiratory, genitourinary, skin and lifestyle disorders through natural herbal medicine, Yoga and Panchkarma. She has participated in many national and international seminars in the field of Ayurveda and has also presented best awarded papers on Ayurveda.

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How we reviewed this article:

Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

Current Version
May 10, 2018

Written By
Mallika Varma

Medically Reviewed By
Dr. Deepak Bhanot