Turmeric is having a moment – High Street chain Holland & Barrett revealed it was its best-selling supplement across all categories last year, even more popular than multivitamins.
The golden-yellow spice, used for centuries in Indian cooking, is attracting attention for its potential anti-inflammatory effects; proponents claim it can help ease everything from joint pain to indigestion and prediabetes.
Much of the scientific interest centres on curcumin, the main active compound in turmeric. For instance, in May a major review found curcumin could reduce pain and improve joint function in people with osteoarthritis, and some effects were comparable to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen, reported the journal Frontiers in Medicine.
‘Curcumin has been shown to reduce inflammation by blocking the activity of the enzymes that cause the body’s inflammatory response in conditions such as arthritis,’ says Anthony Booker, a reader in ethnopharmacology (how different cultures use plants for medicinal purposes) at the University of Westminster, and a leading turmeric researcher.
‘Many modern painkillers target pain by blocking these same enzymes. There is some evidence to suggest that curcumin can also lower blood sugar levels – possibly by making cells more responsive to insulin, so they clear more sugar from the bloodstream – and so it may have a use in the management of type 2 diabetes and in prediabetes [where blood sugar is higher than normal but not enough to warrant a diabetes diagnosis].
‘There is also early evidence for its use in the treatment of heartburn and digestive problems – potentially by reducing gut inflammation.’
Studies suggest beneficial doses of curcumin start from 160mg, but comparing products on shop shelves is not straightforward, as names are used interchangeably: some state the amount of turmeric root or powder they contain, while others list curcumin or total curcuminoids (which includes curcumin and two other compounds with a lesser anti-inflammatory effect).
For reference, there is roughly 100mg of curcumin in a teaspoon of turmeric powder. The European Food Safety Authority sets a daily safe limit of 210mg of curcumin for an average adult, which is roughly two teaspoons of turmeric powder – so an amount people who cook Indian food might easily use.
Turmeric, the golden-yellow spice used for centuries in Indian cooking, is attracting attention for its potential anti-inflammatory effects
Another challenge is that curcumin is fat-soluble and doesn’t dissolve in water, so much of it is broken down and excreted before it can be absorbed by the body.
To get round this, products are often made with black pepper extract (piperine) or with added fat, which helps its absorption.
‘There is evidence that piperine can increase absorption up to 20 times,’ says Anthony Booker. But boosting absorption by this much could mean a product exceeds the safe dosage directions, so always check the label, he adds.
‘My research also suggests that the quality of curcumin supplement can be variable – especially with products bought online.’
We asked him to assess some of the turmeric products on the market, which we then rated…
Budget tablets
Holland & Barrett Turmeric, £14.85 for 90 capsules, hollandandbarrett.com
The traditional way to take this type of turmeric is to add a teaspoon or two to full-fat milk with some black pepper and drink
CLAIM: 500mg turmeric per capsule, ‘supports joint health’. Take one a day.
EXPERT VERDICT: Plain turmeric at this dosage will only give about 25mg of active curcumin. While this is safe, it doesn’t reach the beneficial dose used in studies for arthritis, for example.
This also contains magnesium stearate and silicon dioxide (which stop the powder clumping) – and some people prefer to avoid these, as they see them as unnecessary chemical additives.
The traditional way to take turmeric is to add a teaspoon or two to full-fat milk with some black pepper and drink – or add to oil when cooking: this would be much cheaper and more effective as you would be getting closer to 200mg of curcumin – eight times the amount in this product. 3/10
High absorption
Healthspan Opti-Turmeric, £14.99 for 30, healthspan.co.uk
CLAIM: Each capsule contains 500mg liquid curcumin, plus 20mg vitamin C, wrapped in a fatty capsule, ‘to make it 185 times better-absorbed than a standard tablet’. ‘Ideal for cartilage formation and immune support.’ Take one or two a day.
EXPERT VERDICT: This is a high-dose and relatively low-cost product with increased absorption properties – here the curcumin is wrapped in emulsifiers and fats, which makes it easier for the gut to absorb, so the science is sound.
This product uses a dosage similar to that used in clinical trials, so may well be effective – but always discuss taking a supplement with a healthcare professional if you have an existing medical condition, or take prescription medication, to ensure it doesn’t interact. 7/10
Juice
Fushi fresh-pressed turmeric juice, £26 for 500ml, fushiwellbeing.com
CLAIM: Freshly squeezed turmeric root, ‘boosts & defends immune system’. There’s 60g of turmeric root per 30ml serving.
EXPERT VERDICT: Studies show that 30ml of turmeric juice can contain anything from 30-120mg of curcumin, depending on the extraction process.
This is a relatively low amount and doesn’t reach the minimum therapeutic dose used in most trials of around 160mg.
Curcumin is also poorly soluble in water, so in this format much of it won’t reach the bloodstream.
Adding black pepper before you drink it might help – but all in all this is a very expensive way to get a pretty low dose of curcumin. 1/10
Oral drops
Hinnao Technology sublingual turmeric, £54.99 for 30ml, healf.com
Sublingual (absorbed through the soft tissue into the bloodstream) delivery can also be very effective in increasing absorption in people with gut issues
CLAIM: ‘Uses lipid [fat] technology to allow absorption through the mouth.’ Put 0.5ml in your mouth, hold for 60-90 seconds, then swallow. Turmeric extract 200mg per 0.5ml daily serving.
EXPERT VERDICT: This contains 200mg turmeric, of which 95 per cent is curcumin – so you get 190mg daily, which is a safe and therapeutic dose.
In theory, sublingual (absorbed through the soft tissue into the bloodstream) delivery can also be very effective in increasing absorption in people with gut issues such as Crohn’s disease, as it completely bypasses the gut.
But the specific product claims here about the timing have only been tested on a lab model simulating the mouth tissue. 7/10
Gummies
Novomins 4,000mg turmeric gummies, £19.99 for 60, boots.com
Gummies are popular, including for people who struggle to swallow pills, but the high added sugar needs to be considered
CLAIM: ‘With black pepper extracts to increase the bioavailability of turmeric and added vitamin D to support your immune system.’ Take two gummies a day.
EXPERT VERDICT: The information regarding the dose is quite confusing – consumers may well assume two gummies provide 4,000mg of 95 per cent pure curcumin, but the 4,000mg refers to turmeric root – what you are getting here is 200mg of pure turmeric extract, which is 95 per cent curcumin, and the amount of curcumin is decent. It also contains black pepper extracts, which will help its absorption.
The added vitamin D allows for the health claims, but it’s a fairly negligible amount at 1.25mcg per two gummies – the NHS recommends adults take a 10mcg supplement per day at this time of year.
Gummies are popular, including for people who struggle to swallow pills, but the high added sugar needs to be considered. 5/10
Premium capsules
BioCare MicroCell curcumin turmeric complex, £43.75 for 60, biocare.co.uk
CLAIM: 500mg curcumin per two capsules, plus 10mg ginger and 25mg pine bark, ‘to support inflammation and immune balance’. ‘Emulsified to make it 144 times better absorbed.’
EXPERT VERDICT: The curcumin here is emulsified – broken into tiny droplets and mixed with fat – said to help with absorption.
There is little evidence to suggest that this combination of compounds would be more effective than a pure turmeric extract. And it’s also very expensive. 6/10
Tea
Nutra Joint curcumin and piperine tea, £5.99 for 20 tea bags, nutratea.co.uk
CLAIM: Made with 50 per cent curcumin, 30 per cent green tea and 20 per cent piperine, ‘to help maintain normal joint mobility and flexibility’. Each tea bag contains 20-50g curcumin and can be reused up to three times a day.
EXPERT VERDICT: The absorption will be limited as curcumin isn’t water-soluble – although the added piperine will help a bit.
Obviously, re-using a tea bag up to three times, as the maker suggests, will result in a progressively lower dose on each subsequent use.
This is not the easiest way to take curcumin unless you particularly enjoy the taste. It’s also relatively expensive. 3/10
