Introduction
Turmeric is a spice that’s been used in Indian cooking for thousands of years. It’s also known for its anti-inflammatory properties and ability to fight certain types of cancer. Turmeric supplements are becoming more popular, but there are some serious questions about whether or not they’re actually effective—and if they’re safe too. In this article we’ll take a look at the science behind turmeric, what it does in your body and why you should (or shouldn’t) be taking it as a supplement
Supplements are a booming business.
Supplements are big business. Supplements are a $30 billion industry, and they’re growing every year. The fact that people are willing to pay more for them than food is telling.
The FDA’s role in regulating supplements is somewhat different from its role in regulating prescription drugs. While the FDA does regulate and approve prescription drugs, it does not have the same authority over supplements as it does over prescription medications because these products are classified as “generally regarded as safe” (GRAS), which means that they don’t need to go through rigorous testing before being sold on shelves or online—they just have to follow labeling requirements (like listing their ingredients). This means that supplement manufacturers can make claims about their products without having any scientific evidence backing up those claims; they just have to print them on the label and put them near checkout lanes at grocery stores.
The turmeric plant.
Turmeric is a rhizome (an underground stem) that’s used as a spice and dye. The active ingredient in turmeric is known as curcumin, which gives turmeric its bright yellow-orange color. Curcumin has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties, which makes it beneficial for certain health problems such as heart disease and arthritis.
Turmeric supplements are available in pill or capsule form, but they’re also included in many foods like curry powder. Some people prefer taking supplements because they believe them to be more potent than cooking with turmeric itself or using the spice on meals after they’ve been prepared at home; however, research shows that most of the curcumin content of turmeric supplements isn’t absorbed by our bodies anyway!
Not all supplements are regulated by the FDA.
You probably know that supplements are not regulated by the FDA, but you may not realize how many different types of supplements are out there. The FDA has a list of products it regulates, which includes food, drugs (including prescription medications), and medical devices. However, there are still some dietary supplements that aren’t included on this list and they aren’t subject to any sort of federal regulation—though that doesn’t mean they’re unsafe!
For example:
Vitamin D is often found in multivitamins or alone as a supplement. This vitamin is important because it helps us absorb calcium from our diets; however, it’s actually produced naturally by your body when you’re exposed to sunlight (which means no need for supplementation). However, if you live in an area where sunlight isn’t available year-round or if you don’t get outside much at all (like me), then yes—you should definitely be taking vitamin D supplements!
Fish oil is another great example since it contains omega 3 fatty acids which research has shown can help lower risk factors for heart disease and stroke – just make sure to take only high quality fish oil brands that are free from heavy metal contamination (the last thing we want is mercury poisoning).
There is no easy way to know for sure what is in a supplement.
You might have heard that turmeric, the bright yellow spice found in curry, is good for you. And you might have heard that your body can absorb turmeric more efficiently when it comes in supplement form.
However, there are some things to keep in mind before you start popping these supplements like candy:
Supplements are not regulated by the FDA. This means that there’s no way to know exactly what is in them or whether they contain contaminants or fillers; they could also just be plain old sugar pills (which would be very bad). A study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that 23% of supplements tested failed to meet label claims and were actually different from what was listed on their bottles—and those same researchers noted similar results when they looked at previous studies; one found that up to 55% of supplements had fillers or contaminants!
In addition, there’s no guarantee that even if you get a high dose of turmeric from your supplement, it will still have the same effects as if you were eating actual food with actual spices rather than taking an isolated ingredient like curcumin (which may not even come from turmeric).
The data on turmeric is mixed and sometimes contradictory.
As noted by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), studies on the health benefits of turmeric have yielded mixed results. In some studies, turmeric has shown to be effective in decreasing inflammation and improving cancer treatment outcomes. Other research has suggested that taking turmeric supplements may increase cancer risk and cause kidney damage.
Another important consideration is cost. If you’re considering adding a supplement to your daily routine, it’s important to consider both how much you’ll pay per day or week as well as how much value you’ll get out of taking it in the first place. For example: if there’s conflicting data on whether or not a supplement works effectively or safely, but that same supplement costs $30 per month—and each month after your first purchase—it might not be worth purchasing at all!
It’s not clear whether or not turmeric will have any real effect on your health, but it probably can’t hurt you either.
Turmeric supplements are not a drug. They’re a spice, so it’s important to keep that in mind when considering whether or not you should take them. There is no evidence that turmeric has any real health benefits and it’s certainly possible that taking a supplement could be harmful, but there’s also no indication that it will have any negative effects at all.
In general, taking a daily turmeric supplement probably won’t hurt you as long as you don’t have any pre-existing medical conditions (such as diabetes or high blood pressure). That being said, if your goal is to maintain optimal health then there are likely better ways of achieving this than by taking an over-the-counter supplement. Inflammation may play a role in many chronic diseases like cancer and heart disease—but whether or not this is true remains unclear because the data on inflammation and its role in disease development is limited at best. So while some people might find relief from certain symptoms by taking curcumin supplements such as BioPerine (a special form of black pepper extract), there isn’t much evidence yet to suggest that dietary turmeric consumption provides significant benefits for most people beyond what one would get from eating normal amounts of food containing the spice itself
Conclusion
Now that you know the truth about turmeric supplements, you can make the decision for yourself whether or not it’s worth taking them. The science is still out on turmeric and its health benefits, but there’s no harm in giving it a try if you’re curious about this popular supplement and want to see how it affects your body.
