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ConsumerLab.com Answers
Question: I've heard that curcumin is a MAO inhibitor. Is this true, and does that mean it is not safe to take if you eat amine-rich foods like cheese and dark chocolate?
Answer: It is true that curcumin can act as a MAO inhibitor, but this has only be demonstrated in animals when given intravenously at high doses. There are no studies on curcumin's effect on MAO inhibition in people taking oral supplements -- which have significantly lower absorption and tend to be taken in much lower doses. There are, however, certain supplements and drugs which should not be taken when using curcumin and turmeric. For more information about this, see the Concerns and Cautions section of the Turmeric/Curcumin Supplements Review>> Also see the Encyclopedia article about Curcumin>>
ConsumerLab.com Answers
Question: I read that turmeric may be a GI irritant. I have GI problems and wonder if I should avoid turmeric and curcumin?
Answer: Although curcumin (from turmeric) has been shown in clinical studies to improve symptoms of indigestion and ulcerative colitis, it is true that it a small percentage of people may experience nausea, diarrhea and mild stomach distress, especially when taking high doses for prolonged periods of time. This and other concerns are discussed in the Turmeric and Curcumin Supplements Review, which includes details about dose, side-effects, tips for taking curcumin and turmeric supplements, as well as ConsumerLab.com’s tests of products. Also see the article about on Turmeric in our Encyclopedia.
Be aware that curcumin and turmeric should be avoided by people with gallstones or gallbladder disease, as these can stimulate the gallbladder.
ConsumerLab.com Answers
Question: After taking a curcumin supplement, I started getting chronic diarrhea which went away when I stopped taking it. Can curcumin supplements cause diarrhea?
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 >>
ConsumerLab.com Answers
Question: I recently read that turmeric is only effective if it is combined with black pepper. Is this true?
Answer: It is true that key compounds in turmeric are not normally well absorbed and that absorption is enhanced with an extract of black pepper. Other types of "bioavailability enhancers" are also used and may be more effective than black pepper extract. Details about these, as well as the products which include them and our tests of those products, are found in the Turmeric (Curcumin) Supplements Review>>
ConsumerLab.com Answers
Question: Are supplements which claim increased absorption or improved bioavailability telling the truth? Is it worth paying more for these? Are there concerns?
Answer:
It is true that some supplements contain special ingredients, or enhancers, which can improve the absorption or bioavailability (amount of ingredient circulating in your blood) of certain supplements, such as CoQ10, curcumin, milk thistle, green tea, grape seed, ginkgo, and resveratrol. Enhancers typically act in the gut to either improve solubility or reduce the amount of enzymatic breakdown which occurs there. By allowing you to absorb more active ingredient, the supplement may be more potent, meaning that a smaller dose may be used. At the same time, enhancers may increase the absorption or otherwise interact with other supplements or drugs which you take, so it is important to use caution.
The four main types of enhancers currently found in supplements are emulsifying agents, like lecithin; self-emulsifying systems, which involve an oil; phytosomes made from phosphatidylcholine; and enzyme inhibitors, like black pepper extract. Liposomes and nanoparticles have also shown promise for improving absorption. Pros and cons of these enhancers, and the types of ingredients with which they may be useful, are discussed below (and in many of ConsumerLab.com's Product Reviews). See the full answer >> >>
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Product Review:Turmeric and Curcumin Supplements and Spices
Posted: 12/14/13 Last Update: 3/3/15
33% of Turmeric and Curcumin Supplements Selected for Testing Fail Quality Review
Find Out Now If Yours Passed!
Turmeric Spices Also Tested -- You Won't Believe What We Found!
Alphabetical list of turmeric and curcumin supplements and spices in report
Make sure the turmeric supplement or curcumin supplement or spice you use passed our review and is right for you!
Isn't your health worth it?
Supplements containing turmeric and its key compound, curcumin, may be helpful in treating inflammatory diseases and other conditions such as diabetes. However, recent tests by ConsumerLab.com found significant problems with two out of nine turmeric and curcumin products selected for testing.
Two supplements contained only 33.1% and 52.9% of their expected curcumin compounds (known as curcuminoids). In fact, one contained less than 10 mg of these compounds, while the typical dosage shown to work in studies is hundreds of milligrams! The other product was found to be contaminated with small amounts of the toxic heavy metals lead and cadmium. A third product failed to provide label information required by the FDA.
To help you get the best value from a turmeric or curcumin supplement, ConsumerLab.com calculated the cost to obtain a 500 mg dose of curcuminoids from each product. Among the top-quality supplements we identified, we found that you can get this dose for as little as 21 cents -- much less than you might expect.
Five popular, ground turmeric spice products were also tested. Several contained large numbers of insect parts, which suggests insanitary storage, and one "organic" product contained a whole insect larva! We did find one spice, however, which was exceptionally clean and not contaminated with Salmonella, lead ,or cadmium.
You must join to get the full test results for curcumin supplements and turmeric supplements and spices along with ConsumerLab.com's recommendations and quality ratings. You will get results for nine supplements and five spices selected by ConsumerLab.com and for seven other supplements that passed voluntary, quality certification testing. You'll also learn about two products similar to that was tested.
In this comprehensive report, you'll discover:
Which turmeric and curcumin supplements failed testing and which passed
Direct comparisons and quality ratings of turmeric and curcumin supplements, as well as ground turmeric spices
How the bioavailability of curcumin may be enhanced with ingredients such as Bioperine, BCM-95, and Meriva
Dosage for specific uses of turmeric and curcumin including ulcerative colitis and proctitis, osteoarthritis, uveitis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, prediabetes, and cancer
ConsumerLab.com Answers -- for Turmeric and Curcumin Supplements and Spices
Question: I've heard that curcumin is a MAO inhibitor. Is this true, and does that mean it is not safe to take if you eat amine-rich foods like cheese and dark chocolate? Get the answer >>
Question: I read that turmeric may be a GI irritant. I have GI problems and wonder if I should avoid turmeric and curcumin? Get the answer >>
Question: After taking a curcumin supplement, I started getting chronic diarrhea which went away when I stopped taking it. Can curcumin supplements cause diarrhea? Get the answer >>
Question: I recently read that turmeric is only effective if it is combined with black pepper. Is this true? Get the answer >>
Question: Are supplements which claim increased absorption or improved bioavailability telling the truth? Is it worth paying more for these? Are there concerns? Get the answer >>
Update:
The manufacturer of a product which failed ConsumerLab.com's review due to inadequate label information has notified ConsumerLab.com that it has updated the labeling of the product. See the Update in the full review for details.
