Curcumas: The spice that is good for the stomach, according to new research

The turmeric or yellowish is one derived from the root of the plant “Curcuma longa” and has beneficial properties for our body. The well-known spice is one of the main ingredients of Indian cuisine, giving its characteristic yellow color to foods. CORVERSE The main active substance in turcuma is curcumin, which has an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effect, limiting the risk of heart disease. In addition, dozens of studies have shown that curcumin can alleviate joint pain. At the same time, turkoumas is the basis for curry which is a mixture of ground spices, giving it a golden appearance. The turmeric has not only been used in cooking, but in many medicines for thousands of years. CORVERSE In recent decades, turmeric has also become popular as a food supplement, thanks to the benefits curcumin offers, according to a related New York Times report that highlights a new study. In Thailand, turcumas is also often consumed in the form of spices or supplements to suppress gastrointestinal symptoms such as bloating and dyspepsia, said Dr. Krit Pongpirul, an associate professor of Preventive and Social Medicine at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. However, only limited studies have assessed the benefits of turmeric. In a relevant trial published in the medical journal BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine, Dr. Pongpirul and his associates examined whether curcumin supplements could help patients with functional dyspepsia, a common gastrointestinal condition causing stomach pain, nausea and bloating after eating meals. For the eight-week survey, researchers divided 206 people with functional dyspepsia into three groups, randomly divided: One group received 20 milligrams of omeprazole (an active substance that reduces stomach acid) once a day, another taking two 250 milligrams of curcumin capsules four times a day, and a third taking both omeprazole and curcumin in addition to the above doses each day. There were 151 patients who completed the study, and in both four and eight weeks, all three groups reported relief of unpleasant symptoms: pain, bursing, heartburn and bloating. According to Dr. Pongpirul, curcumin seemed to be as effective in reducing the symptoms of functional dyspepsia as omeprazole. Few people experienced side effects, although the authors noted that long-term studies were required to assess the risks and benefits of the supplement. Dr. Brian Lacey, a gastroenterologist and professor of Medicine at the Mayo clinic in Jacksonville, Florida told the New York Times that despite promising results, he would hesitate to recommend curcumin supplements to his patients only from this particular study. As he said, the results would be more convincing if the study included a placebo group. Without it, it is impossible to know whether the participants’ responses came from the treatment, from a placebo phenomenon or from the passage of time. However, as functional dyspepsia causes serious discomfort and there are no authorised drugs for its treatment – omeprazole seems to help only 1 out of 10 patients – Dr. Lacey stresses that those who prefer natural or plant products “could use the above data with certainty to say: “Let’s try curcumin first”. However, Dr. Mahtab Jafari, Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of California (Irvine), points out that “patients with painful gastrointestinal symptoms should not use curcumin, without having had a proper medical evaluation before.” However, given the scientific community’s concerns about the purity and safety of the currant supplements, the ideal choice, according to her, is to obtain fresh turmeric root: “Buy turmeric roots, rub them, add them to your food and enjoy it,” suggests Dr. Jafari.