A Pinch of Curcumin Curbs Diabetes Risk
Curcumin, a compound found in turmeric spice that is used to flavor curry, may help prevent pre-diabetes from developing into the full-blown disease and provide a host of other health boosts.
People with pre-diabetes have abnormally high blood-sugar levels that puts them at extremely increased risk of developing full-blown type 2 diabetes. In the United States today, an estimated 79 million people have pre-diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association.
The curcumin study, which was published in Diabetes Care, included 240 Thai adults with pre-diabetes who either took curcumin capsules, which are available as over-the-counter supplements, or a placebo. After nine months, a sixth of the placebo-group patients developed type 2 diabetes while none of the curcumin group did.
Researchers believe this occurred because the supplement improved the function of beta cells — those essential cells in the pancreas that release the hormone insulin, which regulates blood sugar. In people with type 2 diabetes, beta cells are unable to produce enough insulin to meet the body's requirements, partially because of a developed resistance to insulin's effects.
"Because of its benefits and safety, we propose that curcumin extract may be used for an intervention therapy for the prediabetes population," wrote study leader Somlak Chuengsamarn of Srinakharinwirot University in Nakomnayok, Thailand. However, more research is needed to determine if curcumin can prevent diabetes over a longer period and whether it's more effective than the traditional diabetes-management techniques of a sensible diet and regular exercise.
Curcumin's Additional Health Perks
Curcumin may do more than stop the progress of diabetes, recent research indicates. Here are some health conditions that may benefit from the spice.- Rheumatoid arthritis. Recent research from Baylor University found that curcumin supplements helped reduce joint swelling and pain in people with RA. In the study, some participants took curcumin alone while others took curcumin along with a common RA drug. The curcumin group had no negative side effects while the drug group experienced enough negative side effects that use of the drug was discontinued.
- Knee osteoarthritis. In an Italian study, patients with knee osteoarthritis who took curcumin extract had decreased pain and stiffness and were able to cut their dosage of painkillers compared to people receiving standard medical care for arthritis.
- Prostate cancer. The spice has also been shown to slow tumor growth in some prostate cancer patients. In a study published in the journal Cancer Research, researchers were able to stop tumor growth in patients whose cancer cells have become resistant to andogen deprivation therapy, a common treatment for prostate cancer.
- Other types of cancer. There are more than 1,000 studies showing curcumin's ability to shrink cancer cells and tumors, and even prevent some forms of cancer. However, experts say, taking an easily absorbable curcumin supplement is only necessary if you have a strong family history of cancer.
- Spinal cord damage. One recent study demonstrated that curcumin, when combined with DHA, can help preserve walking ability in rats with spinal-cord damage. Researchers found that curcumin minimizes cellular injury, while the omega-3 fatty acids in DHA improve nerve function