Do The Benefits Of Turmeric Reduce Your Risk Of Heart Attacks & Cardiovascular Disease?
Heart health should be one of the top concerns for Americans today. According to the CDC, every 1 in 4 deaths are caused by heart disease or some other cardiovascular problem. Now, some people debate whether heart disease or cancer is the top cause of death in the United states, but also according to the CDC, heart disease wins.
Now, that news is not fun for anyone, so what can you do to help reduce your risk of heart disease or other cardiovascular troubles? Can the benefits of turmeric truly help reduce your risk of this serious disease?
There’s a variety of things you can do, and almost all of them are healthy life choices. This may be anything from getting more (and better quality) sleep, health diet changes, exercise, relieving yourself of emotional stress, and other things. The earlier you start making these changes, the better – but surely there are supplements out there that will help you along the way?
The answer is: Yes! Absolutely.
Turmeric is one of those supplements. Curcumin comes from turmeric, a rhizomous root from eastern Asia. Thanks to its bright orange to yellow coloration, it’s often used to color and spice curry dishes and is widely thought of as a medicinal supplement.
How To Achieve The Turmeric Benefits You're Looking For
Now, turmeric isn’t a supplement you’d normally think of when it comes to helping prevent heart disease and other cardiovascular issues – in fact, turmeric root itself is rather ineffective as a medicinal supplement. Your body absorbs very little of the curcumin inside of the turmeric root, which is the main compound that helps facilitate many of the health benefits people think about. In fact, your body only absorbs 2-3% of curcumin from the root, and of that 2-3%, your body actually metabolizes 1-2%.
That means, on average, your body is absorbing 0.1-0.2% of the product you purchase. That’s an incredibly low efficacy, and it makes sense why so many people doubt the supplement – they’re not absorbing enough to see the benefits.
The real magic happens not when you extract the curcumin, but when you add piperine – the main compound of black pepper – to help your body absorb it. Studies have shown that by just adding 5% piperine to curcumin extract will boost the bioavailability of the supplement by over 2000%.
What Type of Turmeric Benefits Help Heart Health?
There are a variety of ways that turmeric curcumin can benefit the health of your heart. For some, it’s easier to think of the cardiovascular system as a fuel tank – keep it clean and you’ll get more mileage out of it. Let sludge build up, and you’ll start noticing problems throughout your day-to-day life that can eventually become life-threatening.
Now, the human body is a little bit more complicated than that, so how exactly does turmeric curcumin help?
People all around the world have already reported major health benefits of using turmeric curcumin extract to help alleviate their joint pain, arthritis, hypertension, and brain fog, among other ailments. It’s so widely applicable thanks to a multitude of medicinal properties it carries, one of which is anti-inflammatory.
Taking an anti-inflammatory can be good for your heart health, but do you know why?
We’ll look at hypertension for an example. Hypertension is also known as high blood pressure, which alters the lining and structure of your arteries and vascular wall. These effects of these changes, commonly caused by excessive emotional stressors, consistent physical stress, poor diet, or other medical conditions, can be alleviated by taking curcumin supplements on a consistent basis.
Cardiovascular disease itself is considered an inflammatory disease. Studies have been done on how well Turmeric curcumin works in preventing and treating cardiovascular disease, and with the proper rate of absorption, it shows some promising results.
Turmeric Curcumin can also help you lower your LDL and bad cholesterol, which is a common cause of heart disease and heart attacks.
In a controlled study, three groups of rabbits were used to study the effects of turmeric curcumin and bad cholesterol. The three groups were fed a mix of standard grade rabbit feed, cholesterol, and lard. One of these groups received a high dose of turmeric curcumin extract every day, and the second group received a lower dose of turmeric curcumin extract daily, and the third group received no turmeric curcumin to act as a control.
The study concluded that the second group, who received the lower dose of daily turmeric curcumin extract, had the lowest overall cholesterol and LDL levels. This study suggests that a consistent and properly dosed amount of turmeric curcumin may help reduce bad cholesterol levels in humans. In combination with a healthier diet, you can potentially lower your bad cholesterol even more, helping reduce the strain you place on your heart and arteries.
Does Turmeric Curcumin Have Any Side Effects?
Turmeric Curcumin is safe for any individual to take, in most cases. There are almost no reports of individuals who are allergic to turmeric curcumin or have any debilitating side effects. However, it is important to note that even natural remedies can have side effects or interactions with certain medications, or affect you differently depending on any medical conditions you may have.
Always stay on the safe side and talk to your doctor before taking any natural supplement, whether it’s a remedy for your heart, your arthritis pain, or even general well-being. Your doctor will have an understanding of how turmeric curcumin will react to the medication you’re currently taking and will be able to better advise you than any information you find on the internet, especially if you’re taking multiple medications. Taking turmeric curcumin concurrently with multiple medications potentially increases your risk of an allergic reaction or causing unwanted side effects, so be aware of how your body feels and be sure to inform your doctor of any changes.
Turmeric Curcumin is not a replacement for traditional medical attention such as surgeries or recommended medications – while studies are being performed on the efficacy of turmeric curcumin and have positive results to show, the medical community at large has not accepted it as a mainstream remedy, likely due to the issue of bioavailability.
When Will I Notice The Benefits Of Turmeric Curcumin?
Results depend on the individual. Some people say it takes them several weeks to achieve the results they are looking for, and others say it took them a few days. The success of the supplement also depends on the results you want to see – for example, you are much more likely to notice results for alleviating brain fog and boosting your immune system before relieving chronic arthritis.
Many people will see results in a very short time period once they begin taking turmeric curcumin on a regular basis. By taking the recommended daily dosage of 95% turmeric curcumin extract and 5% piperine, you are likely to see faster results than with just a 100% curcumin extract. This is thanks to bioperine's ability to boost the bioavailability of curcumin by 2000%.
Turmeric Curcumin is metabolized by everyone’s body differently, so the efficacy of the supplement depends not just on the manufacturer’s quality assurance and certifications, but also on your own body’s metabolism. Luckily, turmeric curcumin can help boost your metabolism as well, so your benefits will compound over time.
Taking your supplements around the same time every day can ensure you achieve the best, most consistent results overall. Combining this strategy with a high-quality supplement, you’re likely to see some health benefits in as little as a few days.