06/12/2021
*CURCUMIN AND CANCER*
Turmeric is a plant from the ginger family.
The bioactive ingredient in turmeric which makes the plant yellow, is called Curcumin.
Curcumin makes up only 3% of the turmeric plant. Studies have looked at therapeutic doses of 500-1000mg curcumin to see an effect. In some studies up to 12g of curcumin have been needed to see a nanomolar concentration in the blood stream. That's a huge dose, for a very tiny blood concentration.
Social media reports that curcumin:
- prevents cancer
- treats cancer
- blocks carcinogens
- prevents cancer spreading
There is some truth to these headlines, but the data these comments are based on are seen in cancer cell lines grown in plastic, which are very different to clinical trials.
Many drugs are found to be promising in preliminary trials in cellular models but fail in human clinical trials or before.
Drug screens are used to identify compounds of potential interest. But some compounds are instead pan-assay interference compounds, which look like they might be promising, but are just false positives.
Curcumin has poor availability, meaning large doses are needed to achieve a very low blood concentration. And it is rapidly metabolised and cleared from the body.
There have been over a 100 human clinical trials, but very little significant effect from curcumin. At present the evidence just doesn't support an anti-cancer health benefit from curcumin, which makes up just 3% of turmeric.
Given the poor bioavailability of curcumin, and rapid metabolism, it means that to get anything like the doses used in these clinical trials you would have to eat a vast quantity of turmeric (up to 12g!!).
So drink turmeric chia, or lattes or add to curries because you love the taste, instead of for health benefits.
What do you think of turmeric and curcumin? Do you take them? 👇🏻
