Curcumin

Curcumin may help to treat or prevent several health conditions, including high cholesterol and cancer. It may also have antioxidant effects and may stimulate the immune system. Even though curcumin is a "natural" substance, it may still cause side effects, such as nausea and diarrhea. Before using it, talk to your healthcare provider if you have gallbladder disease or a bleeding disorder.

 

What Is Curcumin?

Curcumin is an active component of turmeric, a spice and coloring agent used in curry powder. There has been much interest in using curcumin to treat or prevent a number of different medical conditions, such as high cholesterol and cancer. There are many other purported uses of curcumin as well, some of which are more valid than others.
 
(Click Benefits of Curcumin for more information.)
 

How Does Curcumin Work?

Curcumin may have several different effects in the human body, such as:
 
 
  • Anti-inflammatory -- Curcumin seems to inhibit several different inflammatory substances and enzymes. This may be helpful for a number of conditions, such as arthritis or heart disease.
     
  • Angiogenesis inhibition -- Curcumin may inhibit the growth of new blood vessels (a process known as angiogenesis). This property may be useful for preventing or treating cancer, but it could cause problems in the treatment of heart disease.
     
  • Blood clotting -- There is some evidence that curcumin may help to prevent blood platelets from sticking together (a process known as platelet aggregation), an important step in the formation of blood clots.
     
There is also some evidence that curcumin may have antioxidant effects and may stimulate the immune system.
 

Is Curcumin Effective?

There is not enough evidence to know for sure if curcumin is effective for most uses. Some uses have more scientific evidence in their favor than others (see Does Curcumin Work? for more information).
 

Dosing Information for Curcumin

The best curcumin dose has not yet been determined (see Curcumin Dosage for more information).
 

Side Effects of Curcumin

Even though it is a "natural" product, curcumin can cause side effects, such as nausea and diarrhea.
 
(Click Curcumin Side Effects to learn more, including potentially serious side effects that you should report immediately to your healthcare provider.)
 

Drug Interactions With Curcumin

Theoretically, curcumin may interact with some medications (see Curcumin Drug Interactions).
 

Safety Issues With Curcumin

Some people are more likely than others to experience problems with curcumin. Therefore, you should talk with your healthcare provider prior to taking it if you have:
 
  • Gallstones or gallbladder disease
  • A bleeding disorder
  • Any allergies, including allergies to foods, dyes, or preservatives.
     
Also, let your healthcare provider know if you are:
 
Make sure to tell your healthcare provider about any medications you are taking, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
 
(Click Is Curcumin Safe? for more information, including any available warnings and precautions.)
 

What If I Take an Overdose of Curcumin?

It is not known what exactly to expect from an overdose with curcumin, or even if an overdose is possible. It is reasonable to assume that taking too much may cause the usual side effects of curcumin, but perhaps more severely.
 
(Click Curcumin Overdose for more information.)
 
Add this article to your Favorites     Email this article     Print
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;