Turmeric and Turmeric Extract
Literature review:
Turmeric, and its bioactive constituent, curcumin, have been extensively studied for their potential antioxidant,
antimicrobial, wound-healing, hypoglycemic, and anti-inflammatory activity. Therapeutic use of turmeric
extract, which typically contains 95% curcumin, and pure curcumin supplementation have yielded
beneficial findings in clinical and laboratory studies relating to the development and management of
cardiovascular disease, infections, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and a number of other human
diseases1.
It is important to note that the safety and toleration of curcumin has been well-established in humans, and is
approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration as being GRAS(generally recognized as
safe)1. A number of clinical studies administering regimens of relatively high doses between 6-12g per
day for anywhere between 3 weeks and 6 months, reported minimal, if any, side effects, of which most
pertained to the size of the curcumin capsule, which is irrelevant for the purpose of this drink2-6.
In an extensive review of the literature, curcumin intake has demonstrated clinical efficacy and impact on
biomarkers related to the development and progression of disease. Albeit using small populations, peer-
reviewed published studies in reputable scientific and medical journals suggest benefits of curcumin in the
following conditions and diseases: Cancer of the colon, rectum, pancreas, lung, breast and prostate,
multiple myeloma, inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid and osteoarthritis, postoperative
inflammation, gastric and peptic ulcers, skin conditions vitiligo and psoriasis, atherosclerosis, diabetes,
and metabolic syndrome1.
The average dosage of turmeric extract or pure curcumin used to prompt significant benefits ranges from 0.5-1.5g/
day1-7. Conventional turmeric spice contains 2-6% curcuminoids, of which 80% is purely curcumin1.
Therefore, to obtain .5-1.5g curcumin, roughly 16-46g of turmeric spice would need to be used. At around
6.5g per tablespoon, the amount needed would equate to 2.5-7 tablespoons, which would undoubtedly
compromise the palatability and texture of the drink. Turmeric extract, however, increases the
curcuminoid content to about 95%, of which 80% is curcumin. Therefore, to obtain the beneficial
curcumin amount of 0.5-1.5g, you would need anywhere between 0.65-2g (roughly 1/3-1 teaspoon)
turmeric extract, a much more feasible and appropriate amount for this drink.
Recommendation:
Turmeric extract, as opposed to turmeric powder, in any amount ranging from 1-2g should be used in order to
most effectively promote the benefits of curcumin, while maintaining palatability and desired consistency
of the drink.
1 Gupta SC, Patchva S, Aggarwal BB. Therapeutic Roles of Curcumin: Lessons Learned from Clinical Trials. The American
Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists Journal. 2013; 15(1):195-218.
2 Dhillon N, Aggarwal BB, Newman RA, Wolff RA, Kunnumakkara AB, Abbruzzese JL, et al. Phase II trial of curcumin in patients
with advanced pancreatic cancer. Clin Cancer Res. 2008;14(14):4491–9.
3 Kanai M, Yoshimura K, Asada M, Imaizumi A, Suzuki C, Matsumoto S, et al. A phase I/II study of gemcitabine-based
chemotherapy plus curcumin for patients with gemcitabine-resistant pancreatic cancer. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol.
2011;68(1):157–64.
4 Bayet-Robert M, Kwiatkowski F, Leheurteur M, Gachon F, Planchat E, Abrial C, et al. Phase I dose escalation trial of docetaxel
plus curcumin in patients with advanced and metastatic breast cancer. Cancer Biol Ther. 2010;9(1):8–14.
5 Vadhan-Raj S, Weber D, Wang M, Giralt S, Alexanian R, Thomas S, et al. Curcumin downregulates NF-КB and related genes in
patients with multiple myeloma: results of a phase 1/2 study. Blood. 2007;110(11):357a.
6 Kurd SK, Smith N, VanVoorhees A, Troxel AB, Badmaev V, Seykora JT, et al. Oral curcumin in the treatment of moderate to
severe psoriasis vulgaris: a prospective clinical trial. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2008;58(4):625–31.
7 Burns J, Joseph PD, Rose KJ, Ryan MM, Ouvrier RA. Effect of oral curcumin on Dejerine-Sottas disease. Pediatr Neurol.
2009;41(4):305–8.
Prepared by: Leanna Shea, MS ldshea@bu.edu
