17/02/2026
Of all the anti-inflammatory agents, curcumin, found in the bright yellow pigment in turmeric, has the most positive evidence. It has been known about and used medicinally for thousands of years.
What has really brought curcumin-rich supplements into the spotlight is the discovery of ways to enhance its absorption into the bloodstream.
Typically, when ground turmeric is eaten there is very little increase in available curcumin in the bloodstream. However a new generation of supplements has increased absorption at least a hundred fold.
Plenty of studies show it works as well as anti-inflammatory drugs, but without the side effects. Like NSAIDs, it blocks the formation of the pro-inflammatory prostaglandins (PGE2), as well as leukotrienes. In fact, it turns out to be what everyone hoped drugs like Vioxx would be (a mild 5-Lox and Cox-2 inhibitor that not does not affect Cox-1).
There is no evidence of any downsides, even in high doses of 8g a day. It also mops up nitric oxide (another inflammatory mediator) and is a powerful anti-oxidant. In addition, it has been shown to promote detoxification. A review of Turmeric in the Journal of Clinical Immunology states that curcumin at low doses can also enhance antibody responses.
This suggests that curcumin’s reported beneficial effects in arthritis, allergies, asthma, atherosclerosis, heart disease, Alzheimer’s and cancer, might be due in part to its ability to modulate the immune system and dampen down inflammation.
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