Here's Why Your Turmeric Supplement Isn't Helping Your Pain
Are you taking turmeric supplements to try to help your pain, have you noticed it isn’t working? That’s because it isn’t! Read on to learn more about how to better use turmeric for pain.
What is Turmeric?
Turmeric is a bright orange yellow spice derived from the root of the Curcuma longa plant, and belongs to the ginger family. It’s been used for centuries in cooking, medicine, and as a natural dye. It is known for it’s antioxidant and pain support
About Turmeric:
Curcumin, is the active compound in turmeric which gives turmeric its vibrant orange yellow and many of its health benefits.
Use: Found in curries, teas, and supplements; used in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine
Bioavailability: Curcumin is better absorbed when consumed with black pepper (piperine) and fats
Does Turmeric help pain:
So by now you might be wondering, well if turmeric has so many benefits, why doesn’t it work for pain support? The answer is that it does, sort of!
The active anti-oxidant compound in turmeric is curcumin however it is a big, bulky molecule and it is hard to absorb. So, if you’re taking a turmeric supplement for pain support, it is unlikely to be supportive of pain anywhere else, unless the pain you are working on is isolated to your digestive system.
For pain like period, back or muscle pain, you need to take the extract of turmeric, curcumin, instead.
Who shouldn’t take Turmeric
If you are taking HRT, particularly estrogen, it is not usually safe to take turmeric supplements.