Curcumin is the bright yellow chemical property found in some plants and the main curcuminoid of turmeric. Used in India and relied on for its anecdotal health benefits – the backing from science has recently caught the eye of the public and for good reason too.

Curcumin has been shown in numerous studies to be an effective substance for treating a number of diseases and with 100 ongoing curcumin trials – we so far know that it can be used to treat:

• Alzheimer’s
• Cancer
• Cardiovascular
• Central Nervous System
• Neurology
• Oncology
• Inflammation

Consumption of curcumin

The curcumin content of turmeric is not that high with a very small 3% content by weight. To get a  more potentdosage and effective supply of curcumin – a supplement containing the substance should be adopted into the diet.

The absorption of curcumin into the bloodstream is another issue concerned with the substance and measures should be taken to optimize. Consuming curcumin with piperine is a huge positive which increases the absorption of curcumin by a huge 2000%.

Bioavailablity

Piperine can be consumed with something as simple as black pepper which contains the substance. Top quality curcumin supplements will include piperine so you won’t have to worry if you’ve already checked the ingredients.

Curcumin is also fat soluble, so it may also help to take with a fatty meal that may be high in natural fats such as oily fish or olive oil. Combined with black pepper, the absorption will be optimized, and health benefits maximized.

Pharma grade curcumin boosting (cyclodextrin)

Pharmaceutical grade curcumin boosting is also available in the form of cyclodextrin which accelerates the absorption of the curcumin. Similar to the natural optimization strategies – the use of cyclodextrin accelerates and increases the amount of curcumin absorbed by the blood.

Cyclodextrins are often used to improve the water solubility of lipophilic compounds – so it’s no surprise here then that the absorption rate is increased. Although cyclodextrins can be purchased in a variety of supplement based forms – this is no substitute for a correct and healthy diet that should be paired with the ingestion of curcumin and thus turmeric in its natural forms.

The takeaway

With so much new, high-quality evidence pointing towards curcumin as a strong and stable bet for the future in treating the wide number of diseases aforementioned – we’d definitely recommend the inclusion of curcumin in a form that can be easily ingested with the assistance of piperine. With the increased absorption rate and curcumin in supplement form, strong positive correlations can be seen in health as well as with some diseases and inflammation.

Pharmaceutical grade curcumin boosters are also available in the form of cyclodextrin, but we recommend thorough research before blindly taking anything with scientifically-based reports as the preferred research method.