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Serpo
23rd July 2013, 03:39 PM
(NaturalNews) The humble spice that gives curry powder its characteristic yellow color may hold the key to helping people lower their cholesterol and fight heart disease naturally, research suggests.
The spice in question, turmeric, has a long history of use as a traditional medicine across Asia. In recent years, Western scientists have conducted numerous studies on turmeric and the trio of yellow pigments that it contains known as curcuminoids. The curcuminoids (sometimes simply called "curcumin," after the most famous of the three) are antioxidant polyphenols known to function as potent anti-inflammatories.
According to a study published in the journal Atherosclerosis in 2004, turmeric extract may reduce the susceptibility of LDL ("bad") cholesterol to oxidation, an important step in the development of atherosclerosis and heart disease. Turmeric extract also reduced overall LDL and total cholesterol levels. Notably, the study found the most benefit to turmeric extract at a lower rather than a higher dose.
Another, more comprehensive, study was conducted by French researchers in 2008, presented at the American Heart Association's Basic Cardiovascular Sciences Annual Conference in 2009 and published in the journal Molecular Nutrition & Food Research in 2012. Mice predisposed to develop atherosclerosis were fed either a control diet or the same diet plus curcumin supplements for four months. At the end of this time, researchers found 26 percent fewer fatty artery deposits in the mice fed the curcumin-enhanced diet. Fewer atherosclerotic lesions were seen in these mice. In addition, the researchers found that curcumin seemed to actually change the expression of genes related to plaque buildup in arteries.
Turmeric outperforms cholesterol-lowering drugs?
Another study on mice predisposed to heart disease was conducted by researchers from Kyungpook National University in South Korea and published in the journal Molecular Nutrition & Food Research in 2011. In this study, the mice were fed a high cholesterol diet that was supplemented either with curcumin, the cholesterol-lowering drug lovastatin or a placebo. After 18 weeks, the researchers found that just like lovastatin, curcumin lowered blood levels of cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL cholesterol, while increasing levels of HDL ("good") cholesterol. It also led to changes in gene expression that could be expected to reduce the risk of artery damage and heart disease.
"Long-term curcumin treatment lowers plasma and hepatic cholesterol and suppresses early atherosclerotic lesions comparable to the protective effects of lovastatin," the researchers concluded. "The anti-atherogenic effect of curcumin is mediated via multiple mechanisms including altered lipid, cholesterol and immune gene expression."
Turmeric for your heart and health
Lowering cholesterol and fighting arterial disease are not the only ways that turmeric improves the health of your heart, or of your body as a whole. In a trio of studies published between June and October 2012, researchers from the University of Tsukuba in Japan found that curcumin supplements improved two measures of heart health (vascular endothelial function and arterial compliance) as much as an aerobic exercise program, while a combination of the two lead to even more dramatic benefits. A combination of curcumin and exercise was also found to significantly slow age-related degeneration in the heart.
Studies have also suggested that turmeric and curcumin can help fight infection, arthritis, Alzheimer's disease, and numerous forms of cancer.
The body absorbs curcumin best from turmeric root (which is more commonly consumed in the West ground up, as a spice), rather than from supplements. As seen in the 2004 study, evidence suggests that the greatest health benefit comes from consuming curcumin and other "nutraceuticals" at low doses over a long period of time, rather than from short-term, high dosage schedules.
Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/041306_turmeric_curcumin_clogged_arteries.html#ixz z2ZuJ1qGio
Glass
23rd July 2013, 08:01 PM
This is the bit of interest to me
"Long-term curcumin treatment lowers plasma and hepatic cholesterol and suppresses early atherosclerotic lesions comparable to the protective effects of lovastatin," the researchers concluded. "The anti-atherogenic effect of curcumin is mediated via multiple mechanisms including altered lipid, cholesterol and immune gene expression."
Mentioned this in the activated charcoal thread just yesterday. Noticed this morning I am nearly out of supply and was at the health shop already this week so might be time to make my own caps. Been taking a supplement sold for joint pain relief.
I'm most interested in detox, fats and liver function aspect of this stuff. I don't know what constitutes an extract? I was going to buy some tumeric powder and make my own capsules. Hopefully that will be ok.
I also agree that consistent/regular consumption over time is better than hitting yourself with big doses. Like everything I find that building up a level at a fairly gentle rate and then maintaining that long term gives the best results.
Libertytree
23rd July 2013, 08:43 PM
Supposedly, there's a concentrated Tumeric capsule available and is great for many things. My use though is for an infection but if it would help joint pain then that's icing on the cake.
Serpo
24th July 2013, 03:29 AM
Extract Superior to Prozac for Depression
24th July 2013
By Sayer Ji
Contributing Writer for Wake Up World
A new study published in the journal Phytotherapy Research has confirmed for the first time in a randomized, controlled clinical trial that the primary polyphenol in turmeric – known as curcumin – is both safe and effective in treating serious states of depression.[1]
The research was performed at the Department of Pharmacology, Government Medical College, Bhavnagar, Gujarat, India, and involved patients already diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD). The objective of the trial was to compare the efficacy and safety of curcumin with fluoxetine (Prozac) in 60 patients diagnosed with MDD. Subjects were randomized to receive either a six week treatment with fluoxetine (20 mg) and curcumin (1000 mg), individually or in combination.
Success of the treatment was evaluated using the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D17). The results were reported as follows:
“We observed that curcumin was well tolerated by all the patients. The proportion of responders as measured by the HAM-D17 scale was higher in the combination group (77.8%) than in the fluoxetine [Prozac] (64.7%) and the curcumin (62.5%) groups; however, these data were not statistically significant (P = 0.58).
“Interestingly, the mean change in HAM-D17 score at the end of six weeks was comparable in all three groups (P = 0.77). This study provides first clinical evidence that curcumin may be used as an effective and safe modality for treatment in patients with MDD without concurrent suicidal ideation or other psychotic disorders.”
Discussion
If the results of this relatively small trial are applicable to a wider population, this is truly groundbreaking news. There was already a rather sizable body of preclinical research indicating that curcumin is an effective antidepressant in the animal model,[2] but this was not enough to sway most physicians who practice so-called “evidence based medicine” into actually suggesting it to patients as a Prozac or antidepressant alternative.
And this is understandable, as the lack of solid human clinical evidence supporting the use of a natural substance is no small matter from a legal-regulatory perspective. Unless a substance has passed through the approximately 800 million dollar financial gauntlet of phase I, II, and III clinical trials required to apply for FDA drug approval, and has actually received that approval, there is scant legal protection for those who use natural medicines to prevent or treat disease, and who might face a lawsuit (frivolous or genuine) as a result of a claim of injury.
Curcumin, of course, is extremely safe, with a 2010 phase I safety study finding that oral doses as high as 8 grams a day were well tolerated.[3] Fluoxetine, on the other hand, is highly controversial due to its well-known toxicity, and its laundry list of side effects, which include suicidal ideation (not a good side effect for someone already depressed!).
Also, even though it would appear the study found that curcumin and Prozac were equivalent in effectiveness, the fact that curcumin comes “… without concurrent suicidal ideation or other psychotic disorders,” clearly proves its superiority over Prozac. There are also a wide range of additional side benefits that come with using curcumin, including its powerful neuroprotective properties. You will find no less than 109 studies on GreenMedInfo’s database documenting curcumin’s ability to protect, and in some cases restore brain function. [see research here: curcumin's neuroprotective properties]
Studies like this are greatly encouraging as they confirm the timeless wisdom of plant, mineral and nutrient-based medical interventions which were once the norm before pharmaceutical medicine, only recently, attempted to dominate the spectrum of alternatives available to the public.
Some final details that may be of assistance are: (1) curcumin is approximately 3-4% of the whole root powder by weight. (2) curcumin is poorly bioavailable, as it is alcohol and not water or fat soluble, so must be taken in higher quantities, or in combination with either carrier molecules such as the phospholipid phosphatidyl choline or bioavailability enhancers such as black pepper, or the primary compound responsible for increased absorption in black pepper: piperine.
For additional information on the topics covered here read: 600 Reasons Turmeric May Be The World’s Most Important Herb
[1] Jayesh Sanmukhani, Vimal Satodia, Jaladhi Trivedi, Tejas Patel, Deepak Tiwari, Bharat Panchal, Ajay Goel, Chandra Bhanu Tripathi. Efficacy and Safety of Curcumin in Major Depressive Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Phytother Res. 2013 Jul 6. Epub 2013 Jul 6. PMID: 23832433
[2] GreenMedInfo.com, Animal Research on Curcumin’s Anti-Depressive Properties
[3] Masashi Kanai, Kenichi Yoshimura, Masanori Asada, Atsushi Imaizumi, Chihiro Suzuki, Shigemi Matsumoto, Takafumi Nishimura, Yukiko Mori, Toshihiko Masui, Yoshiya Kawaguchi, Kazuhiro Yanagihara, Shujiro Yazumi, Tsutomu Chiba, Sushovan Guha, Bharat B Aggarwal. A phase I/II study of gemcitabine-based chemotherapy plus curcumin for patients with gemcitabine-resistant pancreatic cancer. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol. 2010 Sep 22. Epub 2010 Sep 22. PMID: 20859741
http://wakeup-world.com/2013/07/24/groundbreaking-study-finds-turmeric-extract-superior-to-prozac-for-depression/
Serpo
16th August 2013, 01:15 AM
Sacred herb turmeric may make at least 14 pharmaceutical drugs utterly obsolete
Thursday, August 15, 2013 by: Jonathan Benson,
(NaturalNews) You may have already heard about the many amazing healing properties of the spice turmeric, which is also sometimes referred to as curcumin. But did you know that literally thousands of published, peer-reviewed studies conducted and compiled over the years lend credence to the notion that turmeric works the same as, or even better than, at least 14 pharmaceutical drugs currently on the market?
It is true, and thanks to the diligent work of GreenMedInfo.com's Sayer Ji in compiling this valuable information, it is now available publicly for the benefit of your and your family's health. Many of the most commonly prevalent chronic illnesses, it turns out, can be prevented, treated, and even cured using turmeric, so you will want to pay attention. Here are seven drugs and classes of drugs that science shows can be effectively replaced with turmeric:
1) Statin drugs for cholesterol. Popular cholesterol drugs like Lipitor (atorvastatin calcium) and Crestor (rosuvastatin) are completely unnecessary when taking standardized doses of curcuminoids extracted from turmeric, according to a 2008 study published in the journal Drugs in R & D. Researchers found that in patients with endothelial dysfunction, the underlying blood vessel pathology that leads to atherosclerosis, turmeric extract worked at least as good as the drugs at reducing inflammation and relieving oxidative stress in type 2 diabetics.
2) Corticosteroid drugs. Millions of people receive steroid injections every year to treat the inflammation associated with conditions like arthritis and even cancer. But a 1999 study published in the journal Phytotherapy Research found that turmeric's primary antioxidant, curcumin (http://www.naturalnews.com/curcumin.html), works just as well as steroid medications in the treatment of inflammatory eye disease. Several studies released in the years following found similar benefits for other inflammatory diseases commonly treated with steroids.
3) Antidepressants. Besides their copious side effects, antidepressant drugs like Prozac (fluoxetine) and Paxil (paroxetine) are extremely risky, as they can actually make depression symptoms worse for some people. But why even bother to use them when turmeric (http://www.naturalnews.com/turmeric.html) has been shown to effectively reduce depressive behavior the same or even better than these dangerous drugs?
4) Blood thinners. People at high risk of heart attack or stroke, or who require blood-thinning drugs (http://www.naturalnews.com/drugs.html) to avoid these and other cardiovascular events, may simply be able to take turmeric instead. This suggestion is based on a 1986 study published in the journal Arzneimittelforschung, which found that curcumin has similar anti-platelet and prostacyclin modulating effects as aspirin, the blood-thinning drug (http://www.naturalnews.com/drug.html) of choice for many conventional doctors.
5) Anti-inflammatory drugs. Aspirin is also commonly prescribed for other inflammatory conditions, as is ibuprofen, naproxen sodium, and a number of other pain pills. But these may be unnecessary as turmeric was shown in a 2004 study published in the journal Oncogene to exert similar anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative activity, particularly against cancer cells, as these drugs.
6) Chemotherapy drugs. The cancer industry would have us all believe that chemotherapy drugs are one of the few methods we have at our disposal to treat cancer. But a 2007 study published in the International Journal of Cancer found that curcumin works just as well as oxaliplatin (Eloxatin) at treating colorectal cancer.
7) Diabetes drugs. Not only is turmeric a viable contender in treating diabetes, a 2009 study published in the journal Biochemistry and Biophysical Research Community found that it works up to 100,000 times better than the popular diabetes drug Metformin at increasing glucose uptake. Turmeric also helps suppress glucose production in the liver at least as well as the most popular diabetes drugs on the market today.
Beyond this, turmeric is a powerful cancer-fighting herb as well, which Ji expounds upon further in his turmeric review. Be sure to check it out at:
http://www.greenmedinfo.com (http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/science-confirms-turmeric-effective-14-drugs)
Sources for this article include:
http://www.greenmedinfo.com (http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/science-confirms-turmeric-effective-14-drugs)
http://www.naturalnews.com/040330_turmeric_heart_health_curcumin.html
http://www.naturalnews.com/Infographic-Benefits-of-Turmeric.html
http://www.naturalnews.com/041642_turmeric_curcumin_drug_alternatives.html
(http://www.naturalnews.com/041642_turmeric_curcumin_drug_alternatives.html)Wh y turmeric AND black pepper? February 28, 2010 (http://monamifood.wordpress.com/2010/02/28/why-turmeric-and-black-pepper/)
Curcumin and other bio-active components of turmeric are powerful anti-inflamatory, anti-oxidant, and anti-cancer agents. But turmeric must be combined with black pepper for full benefits.
You see, turmeric is not easy to absorb, and if your body can’t absorb it, you can’t benefit from it! Fortunately, black pepper makes it easier for your body to absorb turmeric. So just add black pepper to a recipe that calls for turmeric or sprinkle black pepper over the curry or other turmeric containing food on your plate!
http://monamifood.wordpress.com/2010/02/28/why-turmeric-and-black-pepper/
(http://www.naturalnews.com/041642_turmeric_curcumin_drug_alternatives.html)
Serpo
16th August 2013, 01:19 AM
Supposedly, there's a concentrated Tumeric capsule available and is great for many things. My use though is for an infection but if it would help joint pain then that's icing on the cake.
needs pepper or dried ginger to help activate it
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