Turmeric—or much more especially its most important bioactive compound, curcumin—is just one of the most well-known nutraceuticals in use these days. In point, a report1 by Grand Check out Analysis predicted that the world curcumin sector will get to $94.3 million by 2022. This is constant with a much more recent report from World Current market Insights2, whose data predicts the international curcumin market will exceed $145 million by 2027.
Why is curcumin so preferred? Like vitamin D, curcumin is 1 of those people nutraceuticals for which analysis suggests a broad range of possible added benefits. Similarly, turmeric has been utilized as a classic treatment in Chinese and Indian Ayurvedic drugs for around 2,000 yrs3, and the authors of a textbook on bioactive meals point out that “the use of turmeric in Indian folk medicine is just one of a veritable panacea, seemingly efficacious for conditions that we would at present classify in the realm of infectious, inflammatory, metabolic, and immunological illnesses.”4
A single of curcumin’s lesser-identified positive aspects is its effects on strain/anxiousness and sleep.
Serotonin
How can curcumin enable control strain/stress and slumber? The respond to is serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that stabilizes our mood, feelings of nicely-currently being, and pleasure. This neurotransmitter also helps with sleeping, consuming, and digestion.
As it turns out, in animal analysis, curcumin supplementation was located to raise serotonin concentrations.5 In one particular analyze6, chronically stressed rats had been supplemented with curcumin. Curcumin drastically prevented the worry-induced lower in serotonin, assisting to get over stress-induced behavioral abnormalities. In an additional rat analyze, curcumin supplementation assisted restore serotonin equilibrium when alcoholic beverages usage had adversely afflicted it.7
Tension/Anxiety
Serious publicity to pressure is a nicely-known risk element for the progress of temper and nervousness conditions. Researchers examined8 the efficacy of curcumin in advertising resilience to serious social pressure in mice. The curcumin administration made a 4.5-fold improve in worry resilience in the majority of mice. These mice also introduced considerably less corticosterone (a worry hormone) pursuing acute restraint stress, and had reduce amounts of peripheral IL-6 (an inflammatory compound). Curcumin also prevented anxiety-like conduct.
The results of curcumin (1 g/working day) or placebo have been also examined on the frequency of signs and symptoms of stress and melancholy in 30 obese human subjects in a 30-day, double-blind, crossover demo.9 Severity of anxiousness and melancholy was assessed at baseline and at weeks 4, 6, and 10 of the trial utilizing the Beck Panic Inventory and Beck Depression Inventory, both scientifically validated evaluation questionnaires. Success confirmed that stress and anxiety scores have been considerably decreased next curcumin therapy (P=.03).
Related outcomes had been witnessed in other research, like studies on:
- 80 mg of nano-curcumin displaying usefulness in cutting down despair and stress and anxiety scores in individuals with diabetic polyneuropathy10
- 500-1000 mg of curcumin and blended curcumin/saffron exhibiting efficiency in cutting down depression and stress and anxiety signs and symptoms in persons with significant depressive condition11
- 1 g of curcumin displaying anti-nervousness impact in folks with obesity12
- 1000 mg of curcumin additionally 10 mg of piperine demonstrating considerably higher lowered panic and depression indications as an add-on to common medication in sufferers with significant depressive disorder13
Slumber
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled demo14 was carried out to confirm the outcomes of 1000 mg/day curcumin or placebo on good quality of everyday living (QoL) in 58 patients aged 20-70 a long time with liver cirrhosis. Compared with baseline, overall QoL scores enhanced significantly (P < 0.05) after curcumin administration. Furthermore, curcumin helped significantly reduce (P < 0.05) the following: sleeping during the day, decreased sexual interest, and decreased sexual activity.
Another study15 was conducted to examine the effect of turmeric supplementation on quality of life (QoL) and hematological parameters in 60 breast cancer patients on chemotherapy. Turmeric supplementation for 21 days resulted in clinically relevant and statistically significant improvement in global health status symptom scores, including fatigue and insomnia.
Conclusion
Although known mostly for its anti-inflammatory effects, curcumin clearly has value for positively impacting stress/anxiety and sleep due at least in part to its ability to increase serotonin levels.
Gene Bruno, MS, MHS, RH (AHG) possesses 42 years of dietary supplement industry experience. With a master’s degree in nutrition and a second master’s degree in herbal medicine, he has a proven track record of formulating innovative, evidence-based dietary supplements. Bruno currently serves as both the vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs at NutraScience Labs (Farmingdale, NY) and professor of nutraceutical science at Huntington University of Health Sciences (Knoxville, TN).
References
- PR Newswire press release. “Curcumin Market Is Anticipated to Grow to $94.3 Million By 2022: Grand View Research, Inc.” Published June 22, 2015.
- Global Market Insights report. “Curcumin Market Size to Exceed $145 Mn by 2027.” Published July 14, 2021.
- “Curcuma longa (turmeric). Monograph.” Alternative Medicine Review, supplement 6 (September 2001): S62-S66
- Togni S, Appendino G. “Curcumin and Joint Health: From Traditional Knowledge to Clinical Validation.” Bioactive Food as Dietary Interventions for Arthritis and Related Inflammatory Diseases edited by Watson RR, Preedy VR Academic Press 2013: 67-81
- Kulkarni SK et al. “Antidepressant activity of curcumin: Involvement of serotonin and dopamine system.” Psychopharmacology (Berl), vol. 201, no. 3 (December 2008): 435-342
- Xu Y et al. “Curcumin reverses impaired hippocampal neurogenesis and increases serotonin receptor 1A mRNA and brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression in chronically stressed rats.” Brain Research. Published online June 21, 2007.
- Jagota A et al. “The effect of curcumin on ethanol induced changes in suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and pineal.” Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, vol. 27, no. 8 (December 2007): 997-1006
- Aubry AV et al. “A diet enriched with curcumin promotes resilience to chronic social defeat stress.” Neuropsychopharmacology, vol. 44, no. 4 (March 2019):733-742
- Esmaily H et al. “An investigation of the effects of curcumin on anxiety and depression in obese individuals: A randomized controlled trial.” Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine. Published online March 17, 2015.
- Asadi S et al. “Beneficial effects of nano-curcumin supplement on depression and anxiety in diabetic patients with peripheral neuropathy: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.” Phytotherapy Research, vol. 34, no. 4 (April 2020): 896-903
- Lopresti AL et al. “Efficacy of curcumin, and a saffron/curcumin combination for the treatment of major depression: A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.” Journal of Affective Disorders, vol. 207 (January 1, 2017): 188-196
- Esmaily H et al. “An investigation of the effects of curcumin on anxiety and depression in obese individuals: A randomized controlled trial.” Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine, vol. 21, no. 5 (May 2015): 332-338
- Panahi Y et al. “Investigation of the efficacy of adjunctive therapy with bioavailability-boosted curcuminoids in major depressive disorder.” Phytotherapy Research, vol. 29, no. 1 (January 2015): 17-21
- Nouri-Vaskeh M et al. “Curcumin ameliorates health-related quality of life in patients with liver cirrhosis: A randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial.” Complementary Therapies in Medicine. Published online February 19, 2020.
- Kalluru H et al. “Turmeric supplementation improves the quality of life and hematological parameters in breast cancer patients on paclitaxel chemotherapy: A case series.” Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice. Published online October 13, 2020.