Medical data suggests that tumeric, a member of the ginger family of herbs, can potentially be effective in preventing or treating heart disease, cancer, and dementia. It is also purported to provide anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. As a result, some people choose to supplement their diets with turmeric capsules. Dietary capsules or supplements, however, vary in quality, strength, and purity. In choosing the best turmeric capsule, reading the label carefully is important. Reputable nutritional supplement companies provide a full disclosure of the ingredients on the bottle. Things to look out for include how much curcumin is included in a capsule, how the capsule is coated, and whether the supplement contains fillers. Often, the best way to find an ideal tumeric supplement is to consult a healthcare provider who is educated on the matter.
Curcumin, the primary active ingredient in turmeric, is believed to be the driving force in turmeric's many healing benefits. With that in mind, it's generally recommended that buyers select capsules with at least 95% standardized curcumin extracts. The standardization process ensures manufacturing consistency in the amount of curcumin from bottle to bottle. In other words, you won't be shortchanged on the amount of this key ingredient. This is a significant factor in that many clinical trials and medical studies have shown good results with turmeric supplementation in dosages containing 95% curcumin.
Proper absorption of turmeric in the body, known as bioavailability, is another important factor in optimizing the beneficial effects of turmeric supplements. Selecting a pill that is enteric-coated, a technology that should allow the turmeric to reach your internal organs, will help the turmeric you take work better. The content of a non-enteric turmeric capsule will likely be dissolved by stomach acids before it reaches your bloodstream.
Some turmeric capsule contain binders, fillers, artificial colors and flavors, or preservatives. These ingredients have no nutritional value and in some cases may be toxic. When you read the label of a turmeric product you should typically try to avoid these ingredients. If you wish to avoid animal-based products, look for a brand that uses vegetarian capsules.
Certain compounds may aid in the absorption of the turmeric capsule. For example, piperine, a substance found in black pepper, may increase bioavailability of turmeric by about 200%. A capsule containing both turmeric and piperine can be beneficial as long as it also, of course, contains a sufficient amount of standardized curcumin. Other potential synergistic compounds may include green tea, bromelain, and ginkgo biloba.
Turmeric is generally regarded as safe. As with all nutritional regimens, however, check with your healthcare provider about possible turmeric side effects before adding a daily turmeric capsule to your diet, especially if you are currently taking any pharmaceutical medications. Additionally, a healthcare professional may be able to recommend particular products that they find to be good.
