22 replies to this topic

[BDon]

Curcumin is a hit or miss. I know regardlessly of the type of curcumin it has poor-bioavailability. My friend told me he takes injectable curcumin along with injectable Glutathione. But is there anything updated with Curcumin lately?

Thanks

[blood]

I suspect that the situation is not as bad as you suggest.

You can find studies on Pubmed (or the manufacturer's website) documenting enhanced bioavailability compared with 95% curcuminoids for most of the following products:

- Theracumin (Japanese product; uses very small particles of curcumin, which are emulsified, for better absorption)
- BCM95 (contains oils from turmeric, mixed with curcuminoids; the oils apparently enhance absorption of the curcuminoids)
- Meriva (curcumin complexed with lecithin, made by Indena)
- LongVida
- C3 (manufactured by Sabinsa; contains a defined ratio of three curcuminoids; uses bioperine to enhance absorption)


Admittedly, the studies are typically funded by the manufacturers.

Edited by blood, 19 January 2014 - 09:30 AM.

[timar]

Today's video from nutritionfacts.org: http://nutritionfact...ty-of-curcumin/

[BDon]

This is interesting.

Curcumin Inhibits Adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 Adipocytes and Angiogenesis and Obesity in C57/BL Mice1,2,3

http://jn.nutrition....100966.abstract

[joelcairo]

Today's video from nutritionfacts.org: http://nutritionfact...ty-of-curcumin/

I've always found that 2,000% improvement in curcumin absorption due to piperine to be unbelievable. I'd like to see that study replicated.

The first study below, and I think also the second although I can't see the full text, suggest that the benefits of piperine are real but much, much less.

http://www.ncbi.nlm....les/PMC2792534/

http://www.sciencedi...928098709000621

[Kevnzworld]

LEF has a new curcumin formulation
http://www.lef.org/m...Pathways_01.htm

[sthira]

I don't know, call me conservative, but there seems something creepy about attempting to stuff as much curcumin into my blood as possible. To enjoy a curried meal is one thing. Maybe chew on turmeric roots will give you whiter teeth. But are there any studies in healthy people showing the benefits is 100x absorption of this stuff? If it "kills tumors" why wouldn't it also kill healthy cells? Or decrease sperm mobility? Whatever's next, I feel like in a few years (like so many other miraculous substances) we'll be suddenly informed by more accurate studies that -- whoops, taking this stuff with hyperactive abandon wasn't the best idea for healthy people. Just a hunch.

[timar]

For those people suffering from full blown arthritis or cancer, the benefits of attaining high plasma levels or curcumin probably far outweight the risks. After all, despite the liver beeing to keen to get rid of it, curcumin has been shown to be remarkable non-toxic. When it comes to healthy people I tend to agree with you, though. Why take even the minimal risk such unprecedented high dose, high absorbtion supplements may pose in the long term (not to mention the costs), when turmeric is known to be safe, cheap and to provide curcumin in a very bioavailable form as well? In India it is not unusual at all to consume about a teaspoon of powdered turmeric a day, combined with oil and black pepper. This use of turmeric has been part of traditional Indian cuisine for centuries, which is probably the best indication of safety you could ever come up with.

Edited by timar, 21 January 2014 - 07:59 AM.

[Darryl]

There have been some liver pathologies observed in animal feeding trials, but I haven't found anything in humans - it appears to be one of the safest herbal medications out there.

Kandarkar, S. V., et al. "Subchronic oral hepatotoxicity of turmeric in mice--histopathological and ultrastructural studies." Indian journal of experimental biology 36.7 (1998): 675-679.
El-Makawy, A., and H. A. Sharaf. "Cytogenetical and histochemical studies on curcumin in male rats." Environmental toxicology 10 (2006): 169-180.
Al-Sultan, S. I., and A. A. Gameel. "Histopathological changes in the livers of broiler chicken supplemented with turmeric (Curcuma longa)." International Journal of Poultry Science 3.5 (2004): 333-336.

My concern would be mostly with the curcumin extracts like BCM-95. One 500 mg capsule has same curcumin as 10 grams (1.5 Tbsp) of turmeric spice, still well within the range of dietary consumption. But as with green tea extract, curcumin extracts would certainly make approaching any hepatoxic thresholds easier. Fortunately, turmeric isn't marketed to the quick weight-loss crowd.

Edited by Darryl, 21 January 2014 - 10:07 AM.

[LaViidaLocaa]

What's your intake on Longvida Curcumin?
I have been taking 500 mg twice a day, but since I started C60 and I'm also starting Resveratrol and PQQ, I want to cut back on 500 mg Longvida once a day. Is this still a reasonable dose for a healthy 19-year old? Or is there a better curcumin product? I have used Doctor's Best C3 1000 mg before, but I changed to Longvida since it appeared to be better.

[aribadabar]

Not sure if this method has been discussed before?

 

 

Characterization of CurcuEmulsomes: nanoformulation for enhanced solubility and delivery of curcumin

http://www.jnanobiot...content/11/1/37

 

 

It is above my biochemical knowledge so I would like to ask the more experienced members to compare it to the popular liposomal formulation prepared with an ultrasound jewelry cleaner.

 

Thanks!

[blood]

I plan on blending my Curcumin and black pepper in a small coffee grinder (to reduce particle size) and then mixing it with about 1-2 tablespoons of Coconut Oil for the MCT's. I will be drinking this concoction and then taking 1 sunflower lecithin pill all on an empty stomach. Does this seem like an effective way to reach high bioavailability?

 

Seems like a lot of work.

 

 

Edited by blood, 24 April 2014 - 05:07 AM.

[Godof Smallthings]

What's your intake on Longvida Curcumin?
I have been taking 500 mg twice a day, but since I started C60 and I'm also starting Resveratrol and PQQ, I want to cut back on 500 mg Longvida once a day. Is this still a reasonable dose for a healthy 19-year old? Or is there a better curcumin product? I have used Doctor's Best C3 1000 mg before, but I changed to Longvida since it appeared to be better.

 

Unless you have cancer or any serious disease, I would question why you are taking high doses of curcumin, resveratrol and C60 at your age? Why not wait until 25 or so when your body actually will start to slowly degrade. At 19 you are still growing and your brain's prefrontal cortex (the really good stuff) is still developing with great plasticity. Take advantage of this.

 

While it is great to be health conscious, remember that too much of a good thing can really be too much.

 

So here is my advice for what it's worth. If I were your age again, with my adult life ahead of me and no family to provide for, I would focus on meditation: take a 10-day Goenka vipassana retreat or a 21-day Mahasi Sayadaw vipassana retreat and after that, get into the habit of daily practice as much as you can. This will be more a lot more beneficial to your life overall, and much cheaper, than taking lots of supplements. 

Edited by Godof Smallthings, 24 April 2014 - 08:08 AM.

[LaViidaLocaa]

 

What's your intake on Longvida Curcumin?
I have been taking 500 mg twice a day, but since I started C60 and I'm also starting Resveratrol and PQQ, I want to cut back on 500 mg Longvida once a day. Is this still a reasonable dose for a healthy 19-year old? Or is there a better curcumin product? I have used Doctor's Best C3 1000 mg before, but I changed to Longvida since it appeared to be better.

 

Unless you have cancer or any serious disease, I would question why you are taking high doses of curcumin, resveratrol and C60 at your age? Why not wait until 25 or so when your body actually will start to slowly degrade. At 19 you are still growing and your brain's prefrontal cortex (the really good stuff) is still developing with great plasticity. Take advantage of this.

 

While it is great to be health conscious, remember that too much of a good thing can really be too much.

 

So here is my advice for what it's worth. If I were your age again, with my adult life ahead of me and no family to provide for, I would focus on meditation: take a 10-day Goenka vipassana retreat or a 21-day Mahasi Sayadaw vipassana retreat and after that, get into the habit of daily practice as much as you can. This will be more a lot more beneficial to your life overall, and much cheaper, than taking lots of supplements. 

 

 

I appreciate your input! I cut down the Longvida to one dose a day. I know I'm still young, and I am free of diseases, which I like to keep it this way. I will continue taking C60, Resveratrol and Curcumin as they are silent helpers even for healthy people or, in the case of C60, rather an experiment contributing to science.

 

I have started meditating about a month or two ago, once a day for 10 minutes, but I have never thought about going to a retreat for multiple reasons.
Regarding my brain: I understand it's still developing and I'm certainly taking advantage of it. Medical School isn't just playing around with stethoscopes, you know 

[Godof Smallthings]

It's great you are going to medical school! The combination of regular meditation practice (which teaches you about the inner workings of yourself and by extension also other people, cultivating compassion and patience - the stuff that people tend to say matters the most as they get sick, age and die) and the practical/technical understanding of the body is hard to beat!

A retreat should indeed be a personal decision, but I have honestly never met anyone who tried a vipassana retreat and thought it was a waste of time. The only reason I am telling you this is because once I got my ass to one, I understood I had been missing out.

[LaViidaLocaa]

Thank you for the information. I have looked for some information about such retreats here in Belgium and found some in the nearby future. However, these are all for about 10 whole days, which seems extremely long. I have just started doing 10 minutes of meditation per day, so 10 days straight of whole-day meditations might be a bit too soon for me.

I noticed that there are some places to participate during meditation evenings for 2 hours, which might be better for me to start with.

 

It is indeed very important to listen to the inner body as well. Honestly, two years ago I would have considered it nonsense, but I have read the abundance of evidence and scientific studies and experienced it a bit as well that meditation really works. This will surely be of much benefit in my future studies and career in Medicine!

[Godof Smallthings]

Sounds like you've got a good plan.

 

Many vipassana courses, in particular the 10 day Goenka ones, are pretty full-on. One typically sits through both physical and mental suffering - this is also how one learns to accept and come to terms with this type of suffering, which everyone experiences in life. Their hard core nature is also a reason why these courses tend to bring about very evident progress.

 

However, as long as you have a daily practice and stick to it, that really is the most important thing.

[Logic]

The role of turmerones on curcumin transportation and P-glycoprotein activities in intestinal Caco-2 cells.

...The presence of turmerones did affect the absorption of curcumin in vitro. These findings suggest the potential use of turmeric extract (including curcumin and turmerones), rather than curcumin alone, for treating diseases.

http://www.ncbi.nlm....pubmed/22181075

 

http://biofoundations.org/?p=3042

 

Edited by Logic, 08 January 2016 - 08:09 PM.

[Skyguy2005]

Honestly I simply don't believe thus bioavailability guff. Curcumin gives me some of the best, strongest effects, similar to Ginkgo Biloba, Red Reishi, He Shou Wu, etc.

 

As someone who feels supplements (herbal, mainly), I simply am 100% certain that anyone who says that I am not getting anything from eating turmeric/curcumin is 100% wrong.

 

I have no way of proving this.

[IWS]

As someone who feels supplements (herbal, mainly)

 

If so I would suggest my own recipe, I do an apple (1) + orange (1) + carrots (3) juice (with a juicer, NOT a blender) plus a raw piece of ginger root (3~4 gr) and raw curcuma roots (up to 5 gr), followed by a slice of bread with pure butter. Ginger and butter are (also) for curcuma absorption, raw roots pieces are juiced with skin, just wash them well with bicarbonate.
 

[Never_Ending]

I don't know, call me conservative, but there seems something creepy about attempting to stuff as much curcumin into my blood as possible. To enjoy a curried meal is one thing. Maybe chew on turmeric roots will give you whiter teeth. But are there any studies in healthy people showing the benefits is 100x absorption of this stuff? If it "kills tumors" why wouldn't it also kill healthy cells? Or decrease sperm mobility? Whatever's next, I feel like in a few years (like so many other miraculous substances) we'll be suddenly informed by more accurate studies that -- whoops, taking this stuff with hyperactive abandon wasn't the best idea for healthy people. Just a hunch.

 

The thing about what you said is that there's a huge range between A and B

 

A. To enjoy a curried meal (if done only on occasion will yield almost no results as it's such a insignificant amount )

B. Taking this stuff with hyperactive abandon

 

That's like an example of drinking a few drops of water to drinking a few gallons of water.

 

I think taking curcumin like substances is great but its good to spread among similar products with the same properties as opposed to just curcumin only