Brad Stanfield on Curcumin
3 episodes · 23 references · 2023–2026
- Stanfield recommends curcumin only for osteoarthritis patients, calling it a waste for otherwise healthy people - Notes strong evidence for arthritis pain relief comparable to NSAIDs, plus tentative benefits for diabetes and inflammation markers - No evidence of personal consumption; warns of rare but life-threatening liver injury risk
Benefits
- Meta-analyses show curcumin improves arthritis pain and joint function, performing comparably to anti-inflammatory medications - In a 9-month trial, 0% of the curcumin group progressed to type 2 diabetes vs 16.4% on placebo - Over 50% of ulcerative colitis patients achieved remission on curcumin in 4 weeks vs 0% on placebo
Best Practices
- Clinical trials showing benefits use 500–2,000 mg of curcumin; look for 95% standardized extract - Pair with piperine (black pepper extract) to increase bioavailability by up to 2,000% - Monitor liver enzymes via blood test if supplementing; consume alongside fatty foods to aid absorption
Cautions
- Rare but life-threatening liver injury reported with curcumin supplements; always consult a doctor first - Alzheimer's patients scored worse on cognitive tests when treated with curcumin; Crohn's patients had higher severe recurrence rates - Turmeric powder (vs extract) carries lead contamination risk; avoid gummies as they tend to be a ripoff
“Curcumin worked just as well as omeprazole for managing indigestion.”
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“Over 50% of the patients who took curcumin they got their colitis to a state of remission after 4 weeks. None of those in the placebo group did.”
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“Curcumin supplements are associated with improvements in markers of diabetes, for example HbA1c and improvements in insulin resistance markers.”
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“Crucially though, the pain effect was similar to that of anti-inflammatory medications. This is a big deal for older adults who I see with osteoarthritis.”
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“What you want to see is 95% standardized extract. So that indicates 95% curcumin.”
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“Some evidence shows that consuming curcumin alongside fatty foods can help with absorption.”
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“In clinical trials that we've seen tentative evidence of health benefits, they're often using dosages in the range of 500 to 2,000 milligs of curcumin.”
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“If that patient elects to try curcumin supplements, we make sure to regularly check their liver enzymes on a blood test.”
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“Outside of arthritis though, I wouldn't recommend curcumin supplements. The existing trials we have are small and we can't make any definitive conclusions about the potential benefits yet.”
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“Do make sure to watch out for gummies, which tend to be a ripoff.”
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“Outside of using it for osteoarthritis patients, the current research suggests that curcumin is a waste for otherwise healthy people.”
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