The Indian spice turmeric has a potent component called curcumin. It’s known widely as a potent anti-inflammatory agent that helps reduce joint and muscle pain. However, there are many other benefits of using curcumin that you may not be aware of. After you check out the eight benefits of curcumin below you will be excited to add it to your daily regimen. 

• Curcumin is a testosterone booster for men. It improves testosterone levels by increasing the activity of the enzymes  3-beta-HSD and 17-beta-HSD in the testes. These enzymes play a role in the biosynthesis of testosterone. Click here for the study

• Curcumin is an estrogen blocker and reduces estradiol levels. Likely due to blocking estrogen receptor uptake. Curcumin also lowers inflammation which plays a role in blocking the conversion of testosterone to estrogen. This is why it is one of the main ingredients in EC along with two other potent estrogen control herbs  Click here for the study

• Curcumin has fat-loss properties. “Curcumin reduces the number of vessels that are laid down in the fat tissue, however, and therefore inhibits the growth of fat layers. Curcumin also inhibits the production of PPAR-gamma, the sensor that alerts fat cells in the presence of fat. If the sensor works less well, fat cells absorb less fat.” Click here for the study

• Curcumin has anti-depressant effects. A study showed that people taking 1000mg daily of a potent Curcumin supplement did just as well as those taking 20mg of fluoxetine an active ingredient in Prozac.  Click here for the study

•  Curcumin improves insulin sensitivity and glucose disposal. “Just a couple of capsules of curcumin – the active ingredient in turmeric [Curcuma longa] – can radically boost the amount of glucose that muscle cells take up.” Click here for the study

• Curcumin improves brain health and performance. “The hippocampus plays an important role in the storage and retrieval of new information in the brain. Turmeric boosted the activity of the transcription factor CREB [pCREB] and the concentration of the growth factor BDNF. BDNF makes brain cells grow and develop.” Click here for the study

• Curcumin has been shown to stop the creation of metastases in prostate cancer benefits and may help with other forms of cancer as well. “The authors believe that curcumin may have useful properties for the prevention of cancers associated with inflammation, such as prostate and breast cancers, as well as inhibiting metastases.” Click here for the study
• Curcumin may improve liver health by lowering the liver enzymes AST and ALT. “Supplementation with curcumin or turmeric reduced the concentration of the liver enzymes ALT and AST by 4.1 and 3.9 points, respectively.” Click here for the study

There are many ways to incorporate curcumin into your regimen. One, add turmeric powder to cooked meals and smoothies. Consuming turmeric with a fat such as olive oil increases absorption as does taking turmeric with black pepper. In addition, using a curcumin-containing supplement such as EC (EC has 300mg of Curcumin per cap plus black pepper via Bioperine to increase bioavailability by up to 2000%! EC info) is an effective method to ensure you are getting an optimal dose daily.