Turmeric vs Curcumin

Marianna, I don't know the entire answer to your question, but will comment re. what I do know in order to bump your thread.  I was in a natural foods market yesterday and noticed both curcumin and turmeric supplements on the shelf.  So, yes, you can buy either.  At least one of the curcumin offerings said something on its label like "the active component of turmeric." 

I'm also pretty sure that curcumin has been identified as the component in turmeric that kills some types of cancer cells.  Beyond that, I'm going to venture a guess that some of the non-cancer uses for turmeric, such as for inflammation and pain, may not be specifically linked just to the curcumin, but I don't know that for sure.  As with so many natural compounds, sometimes there are micronutrients that affect the way it works, so there's probably a benefit to getting at least some of your curcumin from turmeric.   

I use Paradise Essential Turmeric, and it says it's "Turmeric Root Extract,"  The label also says something about the process by which its made not isolating or fractionalizing its components, and also mentions the synergistic effect of taking it this way. ????

I've also read that you need black pepper to properly absorb curcumin, but don't know if this applies to both turmeric and curcumin, or just when it is or isn't extracted.  Maybe someone else can shed some light on this.    Deanna     

A few years back, one of the research hospitals did a study on curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric that is supposedly responsible for doing the good that it does.  The study was not on turmeric.  The outcome was positive for us.  Since then, I try to take curcumin daily.  Since they tested curcumin and not turmeric, on actual people, I've decided that curcumin was the better source.  Maybe they've done other studies on taking turmeric, I wouldn't know.

I would love to see them do both studies and see which wins.  And how much of either one that does win, would do the job.  I remember the hospital now, it was John Hopkins that did the research. 

Dr. Oz mentioned Tumeric and black pepper today on his show for cancer. He also included garlic salt in his recipe for this spice mix. He didn't explain the garlic salt although garlic is supposed to help in cancer but oil wasn't mentioned. Does anyone else know why oil is needed?

Turmeric works wonderfully on burns as well.  If I burn myself in the kitchen, I run cool water over it, then dab on some turmeric. 

By the way, EVOO, turmeric, curry powder, black pepper, and salt mixed together make a wonderful dressing for whole grain pasta!

E

Hahaha - I probably should!  I used to cook primarily for self-defense but find myself doing it even when not threatened. 

Yes on the garlic!  I forgot to list that as an ingredient!

I have found I can't get curcumin in my diet regularly enough, so I have been taking Doctor's Purist supplements. (The website is agelesscures.com)

Another bc cancer patient that I met recently said she uses turmeric root to make "golden milk." So I went in search of dried turmeric root. I found what I thought was the right thing in a small Indian supermarket. However, when I peeled it, I found it was cream colored inside rather than the familiar orange color of turmeric. I grated some of it, which was hard work, and cooked it with a little water to form a paste. But the smell was offputting so I haven't used it. I'm guessing what I bought was "white turmeric."

Anyone else out there using the actual turmeric root?

Here is a useful article about turmeric.  I take the turmeric/bromelain combination in capsule form twice a day.  I also use black pepper and ground turmeric almost every night just sprinkled on my food.  

I hadn't heard about using it with oil before now.  I will do some homework on that.

"Cancer. There is good evidence to suggest that turmeric helps prevent colon, breast, and lung cancers as well as melanomas (and you may recall from earlier chapters that I'm genetically targeted for colon cancer). In animal studies, for example, researchers have found that turmeric--or, more specifically, the curcumin it contains--may reduce the risk of colon cancer by 58 percent. One reason it's so powerful is that it interferes with at least four separate links in the cancer-causing chain.

For starters, curcumin appears to literally neutralize some cancer-causing substances. After that, it acts as an antimutagenic, meaning it stops very early changes in cells that can turn to cancer. At still later stages, curcumin appears to reduce the number and size of different types of tumors. Importantly, curcumin also possesses antimetastatic properties." 

 http://www.mothernature.com/Library/Bookshelf/Books/54/15.cfm

My oncologist reccomended that I take "Doctor's Best"  Best Curcumin C3 Complex 2 times a day.  It already has the pepper in it too which is  great.  He also wants me to take "NOW: EGCg 400mg 2X day. I got both products online. 

Susand,

 Did you take the curcumin during chemo and rads or was it after?

Thanks! 

MiracleMile...You might want to research piperine....I think I read somewhere that you should not have more than 15 mg a day. 

Inspiewriter...I have never had the tingling.  Most days.... take a lot of tumeric.  I mix 1 or 2 heaping tsps organic tumeric in organic hummus with EVOO and Hemp Oil and lots and lots of black pepper.  I also usually throw in a 1/2 tsp of pink sea salt and 1 tsp of organic ceylon cinnamon from Sri Lanka.   With that I take 2 caps of Life Extension Super Bio Curcumin and 2 caps Jarrow 500 curcumin....no tingling.