Turmeric has long been recognized for its medicinal properties, due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
It can aid in the management of oxidative and inflammatory conditions, metabolic syndrome, arthritis, anxiety, and hyperlipidemia. It has also been shown to help in the management of inflammatory and degenerative eye conditions as well as to benefit the kidneys.
Curcumin may also help in the management of exercise-induced inflammation and muscle soreness, thus enhancing recovery and performance in active people. In addition, a relatively low dose of the complex can provide health benefits for people that do not have diagnosed health conditions. Curcumin combined with enhancing agents, such as black pepper, ginger, cloves and coconut oil can provide multiple health benefits.
To date, the majority of curcumin studies in humans have been in populations with existing health problems. However, one study on healthy adults aged 40–60 showed that curcumin significantly lowered triglyceride levels.
There was a decrease in salivary amylase activity, which can be a marker of stress, and an increase in salivary radical scavenging capacities. Plus, there was a decrease in beta amyloid plaque, a marker of brain aging, and in plasma alanine amino transferase activities, a marker of liver injury. This indicates that a relatively low dose of curcumin can provide health benefits for people that do not have diagnosed health conditions.
In a randomized trial, the effects of curcumin on cognitive function & mood, in healthy adults aged 60+ were examined. Curcumin significantly improved performance on sustained attention and working memory tasks. Working memory and mood (general fatigue and change in state calmness, contentedness, and fatigue induced by psychological stress) were significantly better. A significant effect on alertness and contentedness was also observed.
An exercise routine that one is not used to can cause inflammation, oxidative challenges, and resulting soreness.
In a recent study, healthy subjects that did not participate in resistance training were randomly assigned to receive curcumin. The findings demonstrated that the consumption of curcumin reduced biological inflammation. This may help to decrease recovery time, thus improving performance during subsequent exercise sessions.
Subjects in the curcumin group reported significantly less pain and significantly fewer subjects in the curcumin group had MRI evidence of muscle injury. These results further support that curcumin may be beneficial to attenuate exercise-induced muscle soreness.
Humans may also suffer from periods of anxiety or depression which are sub clinical but may still benefit from treatments that can decrease the symptoms.
In a randomized trial the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) scales were filled out for each participant at baseline and during the trial. Mean BAI score was found to be significantly reduced following curcumin therapy. This study suggests that curcumin has a potential anti-anxiety effect in otherwise healthy people.