Save to favorites
This feature is restricted to active members.
Join now to save favorites and get all member benefits, including over 1,300 reviews.
Join NowAlready a member? Sign in here.
Our Members Asked:
After taking a curcumin supplement, I started getting chronic diarrhea which went away when I stopped taking it. Can curcumin supplements cause diarrhea?
Reviewed and edited by Tod Cooperman, M.D.
Answer:
Yes, unfortunately diarrhea is one of the reported side-effects of curcumin supplements. The risk of diarrhea may increase with higher doses of curcumin (900 mg/day or more) or when taken for one month or longer (Sharma, Clin Cancer Res 2004). For more information, including other potential side-effects of curcumin, evidence for use, and our tests of curcumin supplements, see the Curcumin Supplements Review >>Join today to unlock all member benefits including full access to all CL Answers and over 1,300 reviews.
Join NowAlready a member? Sign In Here.
Join now at www.consumerlab.com/join/
Related CL Answers (8)
Join the conversation
Join today to unlock all member benefits including full access to CL Answers
Join NowAlready a member? Sign In Here.
Join now at www.consumerlab.com/join/
Submit your comment
This feature is restricted to active members.
Join now to add comments and get all member benefits, including over 1,300 reviews.
Join NowAlready a member? Sign in here.
Agree to Comment Terms
Please abide by the following:
- If you make a statement of fact, such as whether a type of treatment does or does not work, state your basis -- such as personal experience or a published study.
- If you make a positive or negative comment about a product, note whether or not you have a financial interest in the product or in a competing product.
- Please be respectful in your tone.
- Please do not submit any type of HTML markup or scripting as it will not be accepted, nor will posts that exceed 2,500 characters.
For your privacy, only your first name (from your account) followed by a random number will appear with your comment. Your last name and email address will not be displayed.
Your comment has been submitted
We will review your comment before it is posted.
Roger8558
March 27, 2016I know that all of this is personal - having said that I have been taking 1/2 tsp of curcumin twice a day for about a year and I have had no adverse result. I do feel a positive result from that and other "supplements" I have been taking.
SUBBIAH6914
September 3, 2015I am using curcumin supplements regularly for my colon cancer therapy. I was using different formulations that claim higher bioavailabilty. When I was using pepperine curcumin I faced severe constipation. when I stopped i recovered from constipation. when I contacted the producer, they suggested to consume more water!!! Now I am taking nono curcumin formulation 'Threracurmin'. I feel comfortable, no more constipation for the past 6 months. It is true that pepperine curcumin may cause constipation some times more severe like my case. I want to share my experience to all people who are taking curcumin supplement. It is worth studying the impact of pepper.
Brenda11368
November 1, 2016I take Terry Naturally extra strength Curamin. It uses BCM-95 instead of the black pepper for absorption. No problems with constipation.
Kathy17572
February 24, 2019Long time subscriber of CL. Started taking a 'recommended' curcumin with black pepper extract around 12/1/18 - 1000mg a day for arthritis. Sudden severe diarrhea started on 1/28/19, lasting 25 days, regardless of 2 Dr visits, negative lab results for bacteria, parasites, elimination of gluten, dairy, coffee, etc. Continued with severe diarrhea. Then I researched my supplements. Found articles re diarrhea being a common side effect of tumeric, so I stopped taking it. Started seeing improvements the very next day! Diarrhea was totally gone within 4 days. (My husband is still taking it with no side effects.)
Uros17383
December 19, 2018I had soft stool when the dosage was to high. Might be a good idea to go up gradually. Like +500mg every 7-10 days. When I jumped from 2 g to 4g daily I had soft stool trouble and loud bowel movements. So I went down to 1,500 mg daily dose and went up slowly. Now my dosage is 3000 mg daily and the bowels work fine.
It is always a good idea to go up slowly.
eve16392
January 31, 2018it seems logical to take turmeric at a culinary dose, the dose that people in India might consume on a daily basis. i take a quarter teaspoon daily for general anti-inflammatory health and well being.
ConsumerLab.com
January 31, 2018Thanks Eve, you may be interested in our CL Answer about using turmeric in food: https://www.consumerlab.com/answers/how-does-turmeric-spice-differ-from-turmeric-curcumin-supplements/tumeric-spice-vs-supplements/
Maurice H131
September 2, 2014I apply DMSO to my wrist when I inadvertently stress my old carpal tunnel injury.