How to take Turmeric for inflammation

Turmeric is often described as a “super food” these days. By this, people mean that turmeric confers a wide range of health benefits, from improved joint health to lower risk of cancer.It is used in all of the best joint supplements, including Performance Lab Flex.

While the links between turmeric and chronic diseases like cancer have little empirical proof, it is true that turmeric seems to have numerous health benefits.

Some of the benefits associated with turmeric consumption include:

• Reduced joint pain
• Reduced risk of heart disease
• Reduced risk of developing diabetes
• Better, clearer skin
• Reduced oxidative stress
• Better immune system function
• Enhanced cognitive function

You may notice that most of the health benefits associated with turmeric consumption appear to stem from its anti-inflammatory properties.

Indeed, turmeric’s main benefit is often said to be the fact that it is a potent anti-inflammatory. Inflammation is thought to be the underlying cause – or at least trigger – of many chronic conditions, including some forms of heart disease and diabetes, as well as the obvious candidates like arthritis.

But does turmeric really have anti-inflammatory properties? If so, how does it work? Do all of these benefits result from turmeric’s anti-inflammatory action? What is the best way to take turmeric for inflammation?

Let’s take a closer look at this incredible root and try to answer these questions in some detail.

Does Turmeric really reduce Inflammation?

Yes! Dozens of clinical studies have found that turmeric is highly effective at reducing systemic inflammation.

Turmeric’s main active anti-inflammatory component is a compound called curcumin.

Curcumin is a potent anti-inflammatory and a powerful antioxidant.

Research studies suggest that curcumin can help in the management of oxidative and inflammatory conditions, metabolic syndrome, arthritis, anxiety, and hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol). Curcumin may also help in the management of exercise-induced inflammation and muscle soreness, thus enhancing recovery and subsequent performance.

However, it is important to note that turmeric root is not that rich in curcumin. Normal turmeric root is only about 3% curcumin by weight. In order to see a significant positive effect on antioxidant profile and inflammation, you would need to consume a lot of turmeric.

How much turmeric should I take to reduce inflammation?

So how much turmeric should you take to reduce inflammation, ease joint pain, and help fight inflammatory diseases?

The Arthritis Foundation recommends 400 to 600mg of turmeric, three times per day, for inflammation relief. One study in the Journal of Medicinal Food found that people with arthritis benefited from as much as one gram of curcumin per day. Most studies report significantly reduced inflammation when using 500mg of high-curcumin turmeric extract per day for several weeks.

The main determinant of how much turmeric you should use to fight inflammation is the curcumin content. That is what is actually doing all the anti-inflammatory work here; everything else in turmeric is pretty much just for flavor, or it’s completely useless.

So the higher the curcumin content, and the more bioavailable that curcumin is, the less the amount of turmeric you need to take to get the same results. The turmeric is really a delivery mechanism for the curcumin here.

Ultimately, taking more than about 400-600mg of curcumin is not going to give you extra benefits. About 500mg of a curcumin-rich turmeric extract is going to be highly effective for reducing inflammation.

When should I take turmeric to reduce inflammation?

It doesn’t matter when you take a turmeric supplement for inflammation. All that matters is that you take it every day at roughly the same time. This helps keep inflammation suppressed round the clock.

While doctors commonly recommend taking 500 milligrams twice daily with food, the dose that’s right for you depends on your overall health. More isn’t always better, so talk to your doctor.How long does it take for turmeric to work for inflammation?

How quickly does turmeric work for inflammation?

Technically speaking, turmeric starts to work against inflammation as soon as you start taking it. However, to see noticeable improvements in things like joint pain and flexibility, you need to take turmeric for at least 6 weeks. That is how long it takes for turmeric to really start working.

Recent research published in the Journal of Medicinal Food on turmeric extracts concluded that eight to 12 weeks of treatment with standardized turmeric extract can reduce inflammation and associated pain due to arthritis.

However, when using a high-curcumin turmeric extract, one that is highly bioavailable, results should be faster. A curcumin-rich turmeric extract should start working to reduce inflammation within 6 weeks, possibly sooner.