Navigating through the Maze of Curcumin Options

By Jennifer Morganti, ND, NEEDS Director of Education

Curcumin, derived from the Indian spice turmeric, is undoubtedly on my top-five favorites list, because it covers the majority of health issues that most people are concerned about. It is so versatile, it could single-handedly replace several different supplements in your pill box. This herb has a low absorption rate, so manufacturers have created options that use different technology to improve effectiveness. Better absorption equates to lower doses.

It’s exciting to see all the new curcumin supplements on the market, but how do you know which one to use? Unfortunately, you can not simply use the culinary spice from the grocery store because the quality isn’t guaranteed. You could buy the fresh root (organic) and grind it up daily, but that takes some serious dedication; therefore, taking curcumin in supplement form is the easiest and most effective way to benefit from this superstar herb.

There are a lot of options when looking for a quality curcumin product. To help simplify the process, we broke down all the variations and gave a simple summary for each so that you can choose a product that fits your needs.

Standardized Extract
Standardization is a common way to extract herbs and make sure they meet minimum potency of certain natural chemicals. A standardized turmeric extract should offer 95% total curcuminoids. This indicates a quality herbal extract, but unfortunately it doesn’t guarantee 100% absorption due to the nature of this ingredient.

C3
C3 offers 95% total cucuminoids and the extraction process ensures the presence of all three naturally-occurring curcuminoids: curcumin, demethoxy curcumin, and bisdemethoxy curcumin. There are no excipients or additives to the C3 extract. Over 70 research papers have been published on this particular ingredient.

Bioperine-Enhanced
Bioperine, known as piperine, a black pepper extract, has been shown to enhance curcumin absorption (as well as other nutrients). It may help with emulsification and nutrient transport.

Meriva
Meriva uses non-GMO soy lecithin-derived Phosphatidylcholine to embed the curcumin molecule. This makes it more acceptable to phospholipid membranes (found on most cells), and therefore better absorbed into cell membranes.

Longvida
Longvida uses a similar concept to Meriva, creating a “Solid Lipid Curcumin Particle” in an optimized lipophilic matrix for better absorption through the cell membrane.

BCM-95
This ingredient extracts all three of the important curcuminoids plus naturally-occurring essential oils through steam distillation and ethanol, making it extremely safe. It is 100% turmeric with no additives or fillers.

Theracurmin
This technology makes curcumin more water-soluble (and therefore more absorbable) by combining the powder with a vegetable gum-derived from the ghatti tree. This significantly improves the percentage of curcumin that gets absorbed through the intestines and into the blood.

MicroActive Curcumin – SR
This is a sustained release formulation that allows for slower, but more consistent absorption. The technology makes microparticles so it is water soluble and better absorbed through the use of carriers that assist in passing through the intestinal wall.

Choosing a curcumin product may not be a simple task, but with the assistance of a NEEDS wellness educator, you’ll be able to choose one that’s right for you!

Tackling Inflammation with Supplements

By Jennifer Morganti, ND

You can’t feel it and you can’t see it, but inflammation has an insidious and damaging effect that can cause some serious health issues. Inflammation is at the root cause of joint pain and arthritis, atherosclerosis, Alzheimer’s Disease, autoimmune diseases, intestinal conditions, and a long list of other problems. The typical American diet, lacking omega-3 fatty acids and chockfull of sugar and bad fats, fans the fire for inflammation, along with food allergies and toxic burdens. Addressing these concerns by eliminating junk foods, identifying food allergies, and detoxing are all important steps to start dampening inflammation. There are also some key supplements you can incorporate to see a big boost in your health.

Curcumin, derived from the Indian spice turmeric, is one of the top-selling anti-inflammatory supplements, and with good reason. A variety of research has shown that it reduces key inflammatory substances, such as COX-2 and certain cytokines that cause pain, in a method similar to anti-inflammatory medications without the side effects. It crosses the blood-brain-barrier and has been shown in animal studies to aid in digestion of amyloid plaques, the offender implicated in Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). As possible proof, in India, where curry consumption is significant, there are much lower rates of AD than in the U.S.

Magnesium is another key nutrient for lowering chronic inflammation, supported by the fact that it lowers C-reactive protein (CRP). CRP is a marker for systemic inflammation, and is an important predictor for cardiovascular disease such as atherosclerosis. In a large study, people who had low magnesium intake (from food and supplements) were found to be 40% more likely to have elevated CRP levels. It is not clear how magnesium minimizes inflammation; however, scientists do know that magnesium is a co-factor critical to many biochemical pathways, so it may be that optimal functioning of metabolic pathways keeps inflammation in check.

One last, but possibly most important recommendation is omega-3 oil. The American diet is typically severely deficient in this type of fat, and overloaded with omega 6, 9, and bad fats such as saturated and trans fats. This resulting imbalance has an exponentially-damaging effect by constantly pushing a pro-inflammatory system. The only way to rebalance the system is reduce the dominant fats, and increase omega-3 intake. Fish oil is the most common source of omega-3, but there are other sources such as flax seed oil and krill. People with omega-3 deficiencies commonly experience dry skin, dry scalp, eczema, psoriasis, arthritis, or heart disease.

By addressing inflammation through diet, lifestyle, and supplementation, you could potentially be aiding in the prevention of dozens of health ailments.