Are You Excited Over the Potential Health Benefits of Tumeric?
Are YouExcited Over the Potential Health Benefits of Tumeric? - Scientists are
very excited about the potential health benefits of turmeric. Test tube and
animal studies have provided enough preliminary evidence for researchers to
begin clinical trials. Currently, they are looking at how turmeric benefits
various kinds of cancer, psoriasis and Alzheimer's, as well as a syndrome that
leads to leukemia.
Other clinical trials are currently recruiting
volunteers. It will be years before effective drugs are developed, but there
are a number of dietary supplements on the market, today.
Can you get the benefits of turmeric by taking the
dietary supplements that are currently on the market? If you suffer from a
disease or illness, you should consult with your doctors.
If you are not happy with the alternatives that they
offer, talk to a doctor of naturopathic medicine.
There are some specialty supplements that are
beneficial for arthritis, cholesterol imbalances, diabetes, depression and
anxiety, as well as lack of energy, visual problems, heart disease, insomnia,
ADHD, poor memory, sexual dysfunction and skin ailments.
Actually, practically any disease that you can think
of is caused or aggravated by poor nutritional intake.
Are there turmeric benefits in all of these
conditions? Single ingredient dietary supplements are never that beneficial.
Most of the supplements on the market are poorly designed and not well
researched.
The supplements that you see in drugstores are
distributed by retail companies. They get the raw ingredients from wholesalers.
There are many reputable wholesale distributors and many non-reputable ones.
So, you might get turmeric benefits from a dietary
supplement, but you might not. The benefits of turmeric have to do with a
compound called curcumin. Curcumin is responsible for the yellowish orange
color of the plant's rhizomes.
In many supplements, the curcumin content in the
extract is not very high. Some manufacturers don't even bother to list it. But,
without curcumin, there are no turmeric benefits. You may as well eat curry.
Even the bottle that it comes in can detract from the
benefits of turmeric. Curcumin is very sensitive to light and heat. The bottle
should be opaque, not clear, and it should be stored in a cool dry place. The
shelf-life is limited, as well. If a bottle has been sitting on the store shelf
for years, the pills inside will have lost their potency.
The better manufacturers have more control over the
quality of the supplements they produce. Instead of taking the wholesalers word
for potency and purity, they have an independent laboratory verify their
claims.
Of course, all of this costs money, which means that
a company selling a $10 bottle of turmeric did not make the investment. Price
is not always indicative of quality, but when a company's prices are far below
those of their competitors, they have made sacrifices.
Judging by the research, there are turmeric benefits,
both in the long and short term. Curcumin supports the immune system, nervous
system, cardiovascular system and many of the body's organs.
But whether you will get the benefits of turmeric or
simply waste your money, depends on the supplement you choose.
