Whats The Right Dosage Of Curcumin/turmeric For Rheumatoid Arthritis
Turmeric for Rheumatoid Arthritis- Does it work? Is there difference between curcumin and turmeric. Whats the right dosage of curcumin/turmeric for Rheumatoid Arthritis. Are you Taking the Right Form and Dosage of Turmeric?
Rheumatoid arthritis is a growing concern worldwide. It is a progressive disease what that means is that it slowly destroys your joint and causes significant pain and joint deformity. Inflammation is the major reason for the progression of Arthritis.
Turmeric for rheumatoid arthritis has been used for a long time in various Ayurvedic and Chinese herbal medications. It is well known for its anti-inflammatory properties. Since RA is an inflammatory condition it makes sense to use this herbal to control the symptoms and also to control their Arthritis from getting worse in the future.
Rheumatoid arthritis is becoming a leading cause of disability world over. Although there are new medications that can slow the progression of this disease they come with a host of side effects.
Hence, most people are now looking for an alternative or natural ways to help control their disease and also improve the quality of life, especially joint pain.
So, turmeric is a common supplement or natural product that a lot of people use for pain and inflammation.
What research has shown that turmeric has various active compounds but the most efficacious for reducing inflammation is the curcumin compounds in turmeric!
Curcumin: Health Benefits And Cautions Explained
Date: 27/02/2020
Curcumin is the major component of the herb turmeric and is one of the most versatile and widely used health supplements. There are plenty of high-quality studies to confirm most of the benefits but there are some cautions to be aware of too.
Outlining the benefits
Curcumin is well known therapeutically for its anti-inflammatory action as it can help reduce joint pain. In one systemic review, curcumin was found to be an effective and safe anti-inflammatory across six human trials1.
In another pilot study with patients who had rheumatoid arthritis, the results found that the patients taking curcumin had significant improvement over patients taking diclofenac sodium2.
In people with osteoarthritis C-reactive protein levels , the inflammatory marker was shown to decrease whilst taking curcumin for a period of three months3.
Part of its anti-inflammatory action may also be responsible for its ability to improve heart health, as studies have shown it to be useful for some heart conditions, including arthrosclerosis4.
Although some people believe that it could improve memory loss in patients with Alzheimers, so far the evidence does not confirm this5.
Important cautions
Some studies have found curcumin can cause gastrointestinal side effects such as diarrhoea and nausea7. These side effects were dose dependent and therefore reducing the dose can be enough to reduce adverse stomach effects.
References:
Risks And Side Effects
Is it safe to take turmeric? According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, Turmeric in amounts tested for health purposes is generally considered safe when taken by mouth or applied to the skin. High doses or long-term use of turmeric may cause gastrointestinal problems.
What is the maximum dosage of turmeric? Typically, a recommended dosage of turmeric is not over 2,000 milligrams per day.
You May Like: Stopping Arthritis In Fingers
It Is An Excellent Antioxidant
Oxidative stress or imbalance between prooxidant and antioxidant agents in the body leads to the degradation of joint tissue in arthritis.
A clinical trial was conducted where the effect of curcuminoids and piperine supplementation was assessed on the antioxidant status of patients suffering from osteoarthritis.
The study lasted for 6 weeks and an increase in the level of antioxidant enzymes was observed. Researchers concluded that short term supplementation of curcuminoids alleviates oxidative stress in osteoarthritis.
What does this mean?Research shows that curcumin reduces oxidative stress and improves antioxidant defences in arthritis.
See Our #1 Rated Turmeric
Performance Lab Flex combines a ultra-pure, highly-bioavailable, high-curcumin turmeric extract with herbal extracts and molecular building blocks to provide comprehensive joint support and joint pain relief in a safe, natura, side effect-free way. Each sering provides a large sering of CurcuWIN – the most bioavailable curcumin supplement on the planet.
Recommended Reading: Over The Counter For Rheumatoid Arthritis
Benefits Of Turmeric In Arthritis
Arthritis is a medical condition characterized by swollen and painful joints. It affects children as well as adults irrespective of age.
There are many types of arthritis some common ones are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, infectious arthritis, gout etc.
The common features of this disease include:
- Stiffness of joints
- Inability to use the limb
- Fatigue
- Loss of flexibility
Rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis are the two common forms of arthritis that are commonly observed.
Osteoarthritis that is caused due to wasting of bone cartilage is commonly observed in people above fifty years of age.
Rheumatoid arthritis develops due to attack of own immune system against the joints.
Gout occurs as a result of deposition of uric acid crystals in the joints leading to inflammation. Septic arthritis occurs due to infection in the joints.
Old age can also make you susceptible to these diseases, but that is not the case always as even children can develop arthritis.
Generally, steroids and NSAIDs are used. But, they cause severe side effects.
Patients are unable to tolerate the side effects of drugs search for natural remedies for arthritis. Use of turmeric for arthritis alleviates symptoms such as tenderness, swelling, and pain in joints.
Turmeric is a rhizome similar to ginger and is obtained from the plant Curcuma longa. Turmeric plant is a perennial herb that is native to Asia.
It is cultivated widely in China and India for its medicinal value.
Turmeric Can Combat Infection In Arthritis
Septic arthritis can be a result of fungal infection like Candida and Aspergillus as well as bacterial infection by superbug MRSA.
Also, certain medicines recommended for arthritis treatment can increase risk of developing serious infections in arthritis.
Curcumin has a broad spectrum anti-microbial activity- it inhibits the growth of bacteria, viruses and fungi. It also has a synergistic action with antibiotics and potentiates their activity.
This property could be beneficial in reducing sepsis in arthritis.
What does this mean?Curcumin has broad spectrum anti-microbial properties and immune boosting properties that help reduce risk of infection in arthritis.
Recommended Reading: Arthritis In Knuckles Relief
Dosage Of Turmeric For Rheumatoid Arthritis
The majority of the research studies believe you need to take at least 1000 mg to 2000 mg of curcumin supplement daily to see the benefits with Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Another problem is the absorption of curcumin in your gut. All the curcumin cant be absorbed from the supplement, and so even though you are taking high doses of curcumin supplement but if your body doesnt absorb it, it will not work.
But research has found a simple solution for it, you take black pepper or piperine with it and it increases the bioavailability of curcumin for the gut by 2000 percent.
Summary of Turmeric for Rheumatoid Arthritis
So the bottom line is that it is good to have turmeric in your diet but it is very difficult to get the required amount of curcumin from turmeric spice alone to control or improve your RA symptoms.
So try to take Turmeric / Curcumin supplement which has 500 mg of curcuminoids in them and start with 1000 mg of curcumin daily and can increase to 2000 mg daily. Also look for a supplement that has black pepper or piperine added to it, if not can take black with your supplement and it works.
Turmeric has so many good benefits, especially for rheumatoid arthritis patients. It improves not only quality of life by reducing pain, but can also help with controlling the disease process better. But it is very important to take the right form of curcumin and in the right dosage to reap the benefits of this wonderful supplement.
Reduces Joint Pain And Swelling
Curcumin in turmeric is known to possess potent anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties. In a pilot clinical study on patients of rheumatoid arthritis, patients were either given 500 mg curcumin, or 50 mg diclofenac sodium, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, or a combination of the two. The patients in the curcumin group showed the maximum improvement in terms of number of swollen joints, levels of inflammation markers in the blood, pain, and function.2
Another study on people with osteoarthritis saw a face-off between turmeric and ibuprofen. Those who took a 2 gm dose of turmeric every day reported lower pain levels while climbing stairs than those who took the ibuprofen. The pain level while walking improved as did knee function.3
Also Check: What Does Arthritic Changes Mean
Turmerics Skin Protective Properties Benefits In Psoriatic Arthritis
Around 30% of the individuals with psoriasis develop an inflammatory condition called psoriatic arthritis. Traditionally turmeric has been used to treat various skin disorders and research now proves the potential of curcumin to aid in various skin diseases.
Psoriasis is characterised by excessive cell death in skin cells compared to the growth rate of new skin cells. Curcumin is found to reverse such rate of cell death in psoriasis.
Animal study shows that curcumin can be taken safely with cyclosporine, an immune suppressing drug used to treat psoriasis.
What does this mean?Curcumins anti-inflammatory and skin protective properties can prevent inflammation occurring in skin in psoriasis to spread to joints in psoriatic arthritis.
What Gets Stored In A Cookie
This site stores nothing other than an automatically generated session ID in the cookie no other information is captured.
In general, only the information that you provide, or the choices you make while visiting a web site, can be stored in a cookie. For example, the site cannot determine your email name unless you choose to type it. Allowing a website to create a cookie does not give that or any other site access to the rest of your computer, and only the site that created the cookie can read it.
Also Check: Stiff Neck Rheumatoid Arthritis
Turmeric Dosing For Specific Conditions
What is the best turmeric daily dosage? The answer to this question can depend upon the specific reason youre taking a turmeric curcumin dosage.
Other turmeric dosing recommendations
For ulcerative colitis, 140 milligrams of a specific turmeric extract in 20 mL water, has also been given as a daily enema for eight weeks. For high cholesterol in children at least 15 years old or older , 1.4 grams of turmeric extract in two divided doses daily for three months. Recommendations for a turmeric dosage for high blood pressure in adults include taking 400 to 600 milligrams of standardized curcumin powder 3 times daily 30 to 90 drops of extracts daily or a 1.5 to 3 gram turmeric powder dosage per day.
Wondering about an appropriate turmeric cancer dosage or turmeric anxiety dosage? Its always best to talk with your health care provider before taking a turmeric supplement for these health concerns as well as any of the other health concerns mentioned or not mentioned above.
Curcumin Exerts Antioxidant Effects On The Target Tissue And Joints In Ra
Oxidation, just like inflammation is a process that leads to extensive damage in the cells of the joints in rheumatoid arthritis.
Oxidation is caused when the damage in the joints due to immune attack starts secreting oxidative molecules, also known as reactive oxygen species.
Reactive oxygen species such as NOS, peroxide, and others react with the cellular components and kill them so that the cell dies.
This leads to increased degeneration of the tissue which exacerbates the effects of rheumatoid arthritis.
In many research studies, it has been found that curcumin inhibits the secretion of several of the reactive oxygen species in the tissue under immune attack in rheumatoid arthritis.
This effect is known as the antioxidant effect which curcumin is known for.
Preventing the secretion or formation of various oxidants helps in reducing the damage to the joints and also prevents the premature and unnecessary death of the target cells.
Ultimately, there is reduced degeneration, pain, inflammation and other similar symptoms on consumption of this herb.
What it means: curcumin from turmeric exerts anti oxidant effects and helps prevent the oxidation in the cells of the joints so that there is reduced degeneration in the target tissue accompanied by ameliorated symptoms and better pain management .
Don’t Miss: Is Ra Painful
Is Turmeric Good For Arthritis
turmericturmericarthritis
. Then, how do you use turmeric for arthritis?
Boil 2 cups of water with 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. Let it simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Add lemon, honey, or milk to taste.
Likewise, how much turmeric should I take daily for arthritis? Dosage: Capsules, extract or spice. For OA: Capsule, typically 400 mg to 600 mg, three times per day or 0.5 g to 1 g of powdered root up to 3 g per day. For RA: 500 mg twice daily.
In this regard, how long does it take for turmeric to work for arthritis?
And a recent analysis of research published in the Journal of Medicinal Food on turmeric extracts concluded that eight to 12 weeks of treatment with standardized turmeric extracts can reduce pain due to arthritis, compared with placebo. Studies are still in the early stages, and much more research is needed.
How much turmeric should you take a day?
The recommended turmeric dosage is between 500-2,000 mg of curcumin per day. This daily dose should be enough to yield significant health benefits to those who remain consistent with the supplement. Difference between turmeric vs. curcumin.
It Prevents The Progression Of Arthritis
Just as in cancer, there are some cells in rheumatoid arthritis that are immune to cell death and destruction. These are called fibroblast like synoviocytes.
They are found on the lining of the joints which ensure smooth movement and flexibility.
Under the inflammatory conditions of rheumatoid arthritis, these cells begin to grow and resist cell death and thereby contribute to inflammation and joint destruction.
Targeting these cells would be a stronger approach towards treating arthritis.
Interesting enough, curcumin actually targets these cells, prevents them from producing inflammatory agents and destroys these cells.
Curcumin increases the activity of proteins that causes apoptosis and simultaneously reduces the level of survival proteins.
What does this mean?Research suggests that curcumin can destroy the indestructible fibroblast like synoviocytes in rheumatoid arthritis and thereby prevent progression of the disease.
You May Like: Rheumatoid Arthritis Over The Counter Medication
Works As Adjuvant Therapy With Other Anti
While the benefits of turmeric on its own are reason enough to give this remedy a closer look, some evidence also suggests it could improve quality of life and provide better pain relief for patients on other medication. In one instance, patients who were already taking 75 mg of diclofenac sodium to manage their knee osteoarthritis were given 1000 mg of curcuminoids daily along with their regular medication. And while there was no statistically significant difference overall, the group that took the curcuminoids tended to have better results on function in daily living as well as pain.15 So even if you do not go all out with turmeric, you could try it alongside your other treatments to manage arthritis.
Novel Formulations Of Curcumin Are Being Developed To Treat Arthritis
Curcumin diclofenac conjugate has been developed and studies show that this compound is more stable than curcumin, twice stronger than diclofenac in terms of anti-inflammatory and its anti-arthritic property is superior to that of individual constituents.
Also, this form increases the bioavailability of curcumin by five folds.
Nanoparticles of curcumin in fats are a novel approach for delivering curcumin to inflamed joints and effectively treating arthritis.
Curcuminoids wrapped in fats are superior to curcuminoids alone in reducing inflammation, maintaining osteoblast function and preventing osteoclast activity.
Nanoparticles of polyphenols- curcumin and resveratrol have been developed to treat arthritis, thanks to their anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antioedematogenic properties.
Meriva, a novel formulation of curcumin is thought of as a long term complementary treatment for arthritis as it significantly reduces joint pain and improves joint function. Glucosamine and chondroitin sulphate are supplements prescribed during arthritis for good bone health.
A clinical trial was conducted where the effect of Meriva+glucosamine combination was compared with glucosamine+chondroitin sulphate combination.
Interestingly the Meriva combination acted faster than the other duo and produced better outcomes.
Patients taking Meriva combination had a better walking distance on the treadmill test within one month and this effect lasted till the end of the study.
You May Like: How To Help Someone With Arthritis
Curcumin May Lower Your Risk Of Heart Disease
Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the world . Researchers have studied it for many decades and learned a lot about why it happens. Unsurprisingly, heart disease is incredibly complicated and various things contribute to it.
Curcumin may help reverse many steps in the heart disease process .
Perhaps the main benefit of curcumin when it comes to heart disease is improving the function of the endothelium, the lining of your blood vessels .
The endothelial dysfunction is a major driver of heart disease. This is when your endothelium is unable to regulate blood pressure, blood clotting, and various other factors .
Several studies suggest that curcumin can lead to improvements in heart health . Additionally, one study found that its as effective as exercise in post-menopausal women .
In addition, curcumin can help reduce inflammation and oxidation , which can play a role in heart disease.
In one study of 121 people undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery, researchers assigned them either a placebo or 4 grams of curcumin per day a few days before and after the surgery.
The curcumin group had a 65% decreased risk of experiencing a heart attack in the hospital .
Summary
Curcumin has beneficial effects on several factors known to play a role in heart disease. Plus, its an anti-inflammatory agent and antioxidant.
Dont Miss: Ra In Hand Symptoms