Video Transcript: Anti-Cancer & Other Health Benefits of Turmeric and Curcumin
Dr. Sunil Pai: So, we look at a variety of things and one of the main ingredients or natural therapies that has been very effective. And now that we have a preponderance of data in terms of clinical efficacy, in terms of cell culture, animal studies, and now in human clinical trials is many of the ingredients I spoke about today such as curcumin.
Curcumin is an ingredient that comes from turmeric. Turmeric is a root. We use it in cooking. So we think of curry. It’s a spice, but it’s not spicy. A lot of people have a misperception that, “oh, it’s spicy.” It’s a spice, but it’s not spicy. It doesn’t have the heat component like a chili, for example. We use it in yellow curry if you went to a Thai restaurant, or when people have mustard, what makes it yellow is turmeric powder.
Unfortunately in American cooking it’s used as a colorant because it does have that yellow color. It’s a natural colorant, but it has a variety of other benefits. And one of the benefits is that it’s a strong anti-inflammatory. It now has been shown to block over 97 different mechanisms of inflammation. Eating it as a food or even taking it as a supplement has a variety of benefits.
We can see a lot of data showing the supporting use of why we have used this historically in our past, and also what we use now in clinical trials as a supplement. Many companies now are looking at how to do it pharmaceutically as well.
Ty Bollinger: You talked about [that it] reduces inflammation; inflammation linked to cancer.
Dr. Sunil Pai: Right.
Ty Bollinger: So any anti-cancer effects from…?
Dr. Sunil Pai: Most of the data right now—there’s 5,000 published studies on the benefits of curcuminoids. In the last ten years there’s a lot of data now on how that affects cancer cell growth. Through these mechanisms of inflammation like NF-kappa B, which I talked about today, one of the major switches of the immune system. COX enzymes, LOX enzymes. These are things that we take certain drugs [for] like say ibuprofen, Motrin, Advil, Celebrex. But the nice thing with the curcumin is that we have no GI, kidney, or liver side effects. So we can take this in higher doses or lower doses.
I didn’t mention it today, that India, for example, has the lowest dementia rates in the world. One of the issues that we’re looking at. Well, why as a culture? It’s not that they’re smarter people. It’s that we’re finding out that they consume about 25–50 milligrams of turmeric daily over their lifetime. And that prevents inflammation of the brain.
Ty Bollinger: Wow! That’s very interesting.
Article Summary
Curcumin is an ingredient that comes from the turmeric root used in cooking.
Eating turmeric (curcumin) or taking it as a supplement has a variety of benefits including being anti-inflammatory. It has been shown to block over 97 different mechanisms of inflammation.
There are 5,000 published studies on the benefits of curcuminoids. In the last ten years there has been a lot of data on how that affects cancer cell growth.
India has the lowest dementia rates in the world. People in India consume about 25–50 milligrams of turmeric daily over their lifetime which prevents inflammation of the brain.
I am in my late 70s and am concerned regarding Alzheimer’s as I am forgetting things. My sister has Alzheimer’s. At this point, what is the best for me to do? Eat the turmeric root, use the powder, or consume the turmeric pills?
Very interesting artiicle.Nine yrs ago I had a lumpectomy it was her2neu aggressive breast cancer.Docs keeep telling me I will get it back.I had tender breast started using turmeric,and tenderness gone.Now I am reading turmeric is an estrogen type plant,an d my cancer was estrogen dependent.
So confused,will turmeric still be okay for me to use?
Many thanks
I am concerned about Gail’s comment above too as my mom had breast cancer 3x. She was HER2 positive. I don’t want too much estrogen in my diet either, but have recently added a really good source of Curcumin. Should I be concerned about the estrogen from turmeric also? Thank you so much.
Hi Leslie,
The best advice we can give you for specific medical questions is to consult with one of the doctors we interviewed in our docu-series. We’ve created a page with the experts contact info as it was available to us. Here’s the link to get their info: http://thetruthaboutcancer.com/experts-info-sheet/
I found this on Dr. Axe’s site.
5. Cancer treatment
Of all the various topics scientists have tackled in regards to the curcumin and disease reversal, cancer (of various types) is one of the most thoroughly researched topics. In the words of global authorities like Cancer Research UK,
A number of laboratory studies on cancer cells have shown that curcumin does have anticancer effects. It seems to be able to kill cancer cells and prevent more from growing. It has the best effects on breast cancer, bowel cancer, stomach cancer and skin cancer cells.
In layman’s terms, tablespoon, teaspoon…how much is 25 – 50 mgs.?
http://www.livestrong.com/article/543411-how-much-curcumin-is-there-in-powdered-turmeric/
I found on the site above:
a tablespoon of turmeric, which weighs 6.8 grams, contains about 0.136 gram curcumin, or 136 milligrams.
So about a teaspoon a day?
So is the answer a teaspoon a day? lol That’s very doable!
I’ve read recently a lot of studies and articles demonstrating that curcumin can actually cause DNA damage to cells (other than cancer cells) is there any more information anywhere on this? Thank you.
Proof is in the pudding. Lowest incidence of strokes in India, believed to be due to curry diet(curriculum)
I have been drinking a cup of hot water with honey and curcumin every morning on an empty stomach. I read it is a natural anti-inflamatory. I do it hoping it will help with my throat, rhinitis and occasional headaches and it has also help my digestion. Its a win win.
to get that amount of curcumin a day ,is awfully hard to do?bioen its hard to get into the blood stream!ill settle for 2 pills a day.if one could measure it in the bllod by a strip of somesort?that would be great,until that occurs ,most people will just gamble and take it in small amounts’