An Overall Health Supplement Every Man Needs Search Skip to content Menu Menu follow us Store Articles Community Loyal-T Club Loyal-T Points Rewards Subscribe to Save Search Search The World s Trusted Source & Community for Elite Fitness EatingSupplements An Overall Health Supplement Every Man Needs New Curcumin Research by TC Luoma June 24, 2022July 13, 2022 Tags Nutrition & Supplements, Super Health Curcumin A Staple Health Supplement There are plenty of problems with Western medicine, but perhaps chief among them is that the institution spends more time treating the symptoms rather than figuring out how to prevent the disease in the first place. So you see study after study on what the effects of this drug or that supplement are on a specific population. Very few studies concern themselves with what effect a particular compound might have on healthy people. Until recently, this was the case with curcumin. Some Ohio State researchers were only able to find a single study on what effects a daily dose of 500 mg. of curcumin had on healthy people. After taking the substance for just a week, subjects had reduced cholesterol and triglycerides, along with an increased amount of antioxidants in their blood. So they decided to look at the substance themselves. They already knew of research supporting its use as a pain-reliever, anti-catabolic, and possible anabolic compound, along with how it stimulates fat burning and protects men from prostate cancer, but again, they wanted to know how it affected regular people and not just some specific condition. The scientists rounded up 38 people between the ages of 40 and 60 and split them into two groups of 19. They gave 400 mg. of plain curcumin or placebo to each group for 4 weeks. Afterward, they noted the following statistically significant changes: "...lowering of plasma triglyceride values, lowering of salivary amylase levels, raising of salivary radical scavenging capacities, raising of plasma catalase activities, lowering of plasma beta amyloid protein concentrations, lowering of plasma sICAM readings, increased plasma myeloperoxidase without increased c-reactive protein levels, increased plasma nitric oxide, and decreased plasma alanine amino transferase activities." To put that it in less technical language, triglyceride levels dropped, digestive enzymes of carbohydrates in saliva went up, free radical scavenging abilities increased, the type of protein responsible for plaques in the brain went down, and the amount of blood-pressure-lowering nitrous oxide went up (which can boost stamina and increase blood flow to muscles). They also noted a drop in the levels of an enzyme that helps hair turn gray, which would seem to warrant another study, albeit of a longer duration. Each new study on curcumin seems to strengthen the idea that nearly everyone should be taking it, whether for the purposes of increasing athletic ability or just plain health. If you're sold on the merits of curcumin, make sure you use micellar curcumin. Despite the positive results of the study above, standard curcumin has poor bioavailability, even when piperine is added. Biotest's Micellar Curcumin formula contains solid lipid curcumin particles that produce 95 times more free curcumin in the bloodstream than standardized curcumin with piperine (Gota VS et al, 2010). DiSilvestro RA et al. Diverse effects of a low dose supplement of lipidated curcumin in healthy middle-aged people. Nutr J. 2012 Sep 26;11:79. PubMed. Get The T Nation Newsletters Don' t Miss Out Expert Insights To Get Stronger, Gain Muscle Faster, And Take Your Lifting To The Next Level related posts Eating Tip Lose Fat Keep Muscle Know How Much To Eat Get your body fat where you want it with easy math. Here's how. Losing Fat, Nutrition & Supplements, Tips Paul Carter December 23 Eating Tip The Truth About Exogenous Ketones Sorry, keto crowd, science doesn't substantiate the hype. Carb Control, Nutrition & Supplements Dr Jade Teta October 2 Eating Best and Worst Fats for Bodybuilders & Athletes Some eat too much, others eat too little. How much fat should a lifter actually have? From what foods? Nine experts weigh in. Diet Strategy, Dietary Myth Busting, Feeding the Ideal Body, Nutrition & Supplements T Nation July 24 Diet & Fat Loss Nutrition Quest 4 In this column, Dr. Roussell answers your questions about fat burners and glucomannan. Diet Strategy, Feeding the Ideal Body, Nutrition & Supplements Mike Roussell, PhD March 18