Turmeric: What Is It And What Are The Benefits?

What is Turmeric?

Turmeric is a special type of spice that is utilized commonly in Asian cuisines, such as curry. It comes from a plant of the same name, and its roots have been widely used to make various types of medicine. These medicines can treat numerous conditions, including pain and inflammation from osteoarthritis. Tumeric can also help relieve symptoms of depression, hay fever, high cholesterol, heartburn, stress, and several other conditions. In short, turmeric is a beneficial ingredient that can serve both culinary and medicinal purposes for those that use it.

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What is Curcumin?

Turmeric contains a small portion of a substance known as curcumin, which is primarily responsible for its powerful properties as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. Even though curcumin comprises only about 3% of the total weight of turmeric, it is its main active ingredient. 

However, it’s important to note that studies conducted on this herb didn’t utilize the plant itself. They used an extract containing mostly curcumin, and dosages that are given to study participants tend to exceed one gram per day. This amount of curcumin would be challenging to obtain just through the ingestion of turmeric contained in food. Due to this, those wanting to experience the full range of potential benefits of curcumin need to take specialized supplements containing significant amounts of the extract.

How Does Turmeric Work?

As stated above, turmeric contains several components, including the chemical known as curcumin. These chemicals- primarily curcumin- allow turmeric to help decrease swelling and bodily inflammation if high enough amounts are consumed. However, research has indicated that turmeric may possess other significant health benefits by suppressing the symptoms of various conditions.

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Turmeric Benefits:

Turmeric and curcumin possess several different health benefits, especially regarding reducing unpleasant symptoms that come with various medical conditions. The following is a list of the conditions that turmeric has been scientifically proven to assist with. However, this is not a comprehensive list. 

There are many more conditions that turmeric may potentially reduce the symptoms of, including asthma, declining memory and cognitive ability due to aging, certain blood disorders, various types of cancer, muscle soreness, diabetes, Crohn’s disease, and more. Research on the connections between turmeric and these conditions has been scarce, though, and there is insufficient evidence to support turmeric's effectiveness against them. Additional human research is needed before we can be sure that turmeric effectively reduces any symptoms of these conditions or diseases.

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Osteoarthritis

Some research has indicated that taking turmeric extracts can reduce pain and improve function in those suffering from osteoarthritis in their knees. Some studies have also suggested that turmeric worked as well as ibuprofen in reducing this kind of pain. However, it does not seem to be as effective at improving function or pain as diclofenac.

Hay Fever

Hay fever often involves symptoms such as itching, sneezing, congestion, and a runny nose. Curcumin has been found to help reduce the intensity of these symptoms when taken in a high enough concentration. 

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)

Studies have shown that the consumption of turmeric extract can reduce the various markers of liver injury in individuals who have liver disease that is caused by something other than alcohol. Additionally, it seems to help prevent further fat build-up in the livers of people with this condition.

Triglycerides

According to research, turmeric can help lower blood fats (triglycerides) within the body, including cholesterol and other fats (lipids). The exact effects of turmeric on relieving high cholesterol levels are conflicting, however, and more research needs to be conducted to be sure of its impacts. Additionally, there are several different types of turmeric products available on the market, and it is currently unknown which ones work the most effectively.

Depression

Most of the research that has been done on the effects of curcumin has found that it can help to reduce depression symptoms while also boosting people’s overall mood. However, the most significant reduction in depressive symptoms was experienced by those already taking antidepressants.

Itching From Kidney Disease

Though this benefit of reducing itchiness was already mentioned in the above section regarding hay fever, research has also suggested that turmeric can help reduce the sensation of itching in those who have been diagnosed with long-term kidney disease. Specifically, itching was reduced in those who took turmeric by mouth three times per day for eight weeks.

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Final Points to Consider

Suppose you have found yourself suffering from any of the conditions or symptoms listed in the above sections. In that case, it may be a good time to consider taking turmeric or turmeric extracts that are high in curcumin. If you’d like a fast, effective, and healthy way to start taking turmeric regularly, then you should consider checking out Magic Mind. Not only is it the world’s first productivity drink, but it also contains turmeric curcumin along with several other adaptogens and nootropics to provide you with numerous health benefits. These include elevated mood, better focus, decreased inflammation, reduced stress, enhanced cognition and blood flow, and much more. So consider skipping the individual pill supplements that provide a limited range of benefits and give Magic Mind a shot today.

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