Curcumin - Ranked #1 Against Cancer, Dementia, Arthritis, & Diabetes - Part I

The Most Effective All-Around Natural Health Agent Known to Man

Curcumin’s Healing Effects. Courtesy of Smirnova et al via Creative Commons 4.0 License

Recently AI ranked Curcumin #2 in metastatic cancer pathways blocked. But Curcumin does much more than block cancer. It is highly active against infections and inflammatory conditions. It even chelates metals toxins, including Aluminum. Curcumin has powerful anti-depressant and immune enhancing effects.

Dr. Peter McCullough has even included it in his Base Spike Detox formula.

If you had to choose one natural supplement to take on a daily basis with all the diseases, viruses, toxins, and health challenges that surround us, Curcumin is your best bet according to AI. When compared with all other natural supplements, AI agreed Curcumin was the Gold Standard against which all other natural supplements should be measured.

Curcumin Compared with Other Nutraceuticals

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Curcumin remains unparalleled in its ability to address a wide array of pathological conditions. These range from chronic inflammation to microbial infections to neurodegenerative disorders to cardiovascular disease, notwithstanding it’s monumental anti-cancer activity.

While resveratrol and sulforaphane excel in specific niches—such as longevity and CSC elimination, they lack Curcuminʼs versatility. Quercetin and berberine offer some benefits in metabolic and oxidative stress management but they fall short in antimicrobial and broad anti-inflammatory action. EGCG, though potent in cancer prevention, lacks Curcumin’s action against many other diseases.

Curcumin exerts a head-spinning array of beneficial effects.

It is antioxidant, anti-amyloid, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-neoplastic, immune-modulating, metabolism regulating, anti-depressant, and neuroprotective.

And it is safe. FDA’s adverse event database contains only 12 curcumin-related reports from 2004-2023, all non-serious.

Let us begin with Curcumin’s astonishing action against dementia.

I. Dementia

Dementia, a syndrome characterized by progressive cognitive decline, poses significant challenges to our global health. Alzheimer's disease (AD) accounts for 60–70% of cases.

Early studies with standard Curcumin showed little benefit due to the poor absorption and lack of bioavailability. However newer formulations offer enhanced - up to 200-fold increased absorption. More on this later.

The studies with these formulations showed impressive clinical benefits with significant improvements in memory, attention, and even in PET scans.

The Efficacy of Curcumin in Dementia - Pre-Clinical Data

• Preclinical studies highlight its capacity to inhibit β-amyloid (Aβ) aggregation, reduce hyperphosphorylated tau protein accumulation, and mitigate neuroinflammation.

• By binding to Aβ plaques, curcumin prevents fibril formation and promotes clearance through phagocytosis.

• Animal models demonstrate that curcumin restores BDNF levels in AD, correlating with improved memory and learning.

Dementia Clinical Trials - Bioavailable Forms Best

• In a 2023 double-blinded RCT, 48 AD patients receiving 800 mg/day of CurQfen®-curcumin (CGM)—a formulation with demonstrated BBB permeability—exhibited significant improvements in MMSE scores (cognitive function) and GLFS-25 scores (locomotor function) over 6 months.

• CGM also reduced serum Aβ42 (-18.2%), tau protein (-15.7%), IL-6 (-21.4%), and TNF-α (-24.3%), while increasing BDNF (+19.8%).

• Another 18-month RCT using Theracurmin® (90 mg twice daily) in 40 non-demented adults demonstrated improved verbal memory (Buschke-Fuld Selective Reminding Test, p = 0.002) and attention (Trail Making Test A, p < 0.0001)58. PET imaging revealed reduced amyloid deposition in the amygdala, further supporting curcumin’s ability to attenuate AD pathology.

• Similarly, Longvida® (400 mg/day) enhanced working memory and attention in healthy older adults within 4 weeks.

Parkinson’s Disease

• Parkinson’s patients exhibited 32% slower UPDRS score progression, linked to reduced α-synuclein aggregation and microglial activation.

Next, we turn to Curcumin’s impressive activity against heart disease.

II. Cardiovascular Disease

• A landmark 2012 randomized controlled trial (RCT) by Wongcharoen et al. evaluated curcuminoids (4 g/day) in 121 coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) patients. Curcumin reduced in-hospital myocardial infarction (MI) incidence from 30% to 13.1% (adjusted HR = 0.35, p = 0.038). This was attributed to lowered oxidative stress (reduced MDA) and inflammation (lower C-reactive protein [CRP]).

• Similarly, a 2023 meta-analysis of four human studies (435 patients) confirmed curcumin’s ability to reduce major adverse cardiac events (MACE) and cardiac dysfunction post-revascularization.

Improvement in Hypertensive Heart Disease

• A 2022 double-blind RCT investigated high-absorption curcumin (90 mg twice daily) in 142 patients with early hypertensive heart disease. While left ventricular diastolic function (E/E') remained unchanged, curcumin significantly blunted plasma B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) elevation—a marker of ventricular strain—compared to placebo (p < 0.05).

• Subgroup analysis revealed pronounced BNP reduction in patients <65 years (p = 0.011), suggesting age-dependent efficacy.

Lipid-Lowering and Anti-Inflammatory Effects

• A meta-analysis of 20 RCTs demonstrated that curcuminoids reduce triglycerides by 21.36 mg/dL and LDL-C by 23.45 mg/dL, particularly in diabetic and obese cohorts79.

• In acute coronary syndrome patients, curcumin supplementation lowered total cholesterol and LDL-C, correlating with improved endothelial function.

• Anti-inflammatory effects are further evidenced by reduced CRP (−1.55 mg/L) and IL-6 (−1.69 pg/mL) in meta-analyses across diverse populations.

And if you are not already a believer, Curcumin’s effectiveness against diabetes and its complications rivals many blockbuster drugs such as Pregabalin - albeit with far fewer side effects, and at a small fraction of its cost. Better not tell Big Pharma.

III. Diabetes

Overall Curcumin reduces the chances of prediabetes progression to diabetes by some 80 to 90%. Curcumin lowers HbA1c by some 0.5-1.2%. And there is substantial reduction in the rate of diabetic nerve and eye complications.

Halting Prediabetes Progression

The landmark 2012 RCT by Chuengsamarn et al. followed 240 prediabetic adults for 9 months using 250 mg/day curcuminoids. None in the treatment group developed diabetes versus 16.4% progression in placebo (p<0.001).

Reduction of Blood Sugar

• A 2023 meta-analysis of 5 RCTs (n=349) found curcumin supplementation lowered fasting glucose by 1.84 mg/dL (95% CI: -4.92 to 1.24) and HbA1c by 0.24% (95% CI: -0.55 to 0.07).

• An 8-week trial using 80 mg/day nano-curcumin reduced HbA1c by 0.61% (p<0.001) and fasting glucose by 28.4 mg/dL. Bioavailability-enhanced preparations (e.g., curcumin-phospholipid complexes) achieved 45% greater HbA1c reductions than standard extracts.

Diabetic Lipid Lowering

• Curcumin lowers triglycerides by 14.1 mg/dL (95% CI: -23.4 to -4.8) and total cholesterol by 8.9 mg/dL in T2DM.

• A 2024 trial combining 1 g EPA with 80 mg nano-curcumin reduced atherogenic dyslipidemia 37% more than monotherapy (p=0.01).

Fewer Diabetic Neuropathy Complications

• Nano-curcumin (80 mg/day for 8 weeks) reduced Toronto Clinical Scoring System neuropathy scores by 3.4 points versus placebo (p<0.001), reversing small fiber dysfunction as measured by QST thermal thresholds.

• Nerve conduction velocities improved 18-22% in sural and peroneal nerves, comparable to pregabalin but with fewer side effects.

Kidney Protective

• In 120 T2DM patients with microalbuminuria, 1.5 g/day curcumin for 6 months reduced urinary albumin excretion by 38% (p=0.002) and podocyte loss by 29% on biopsy.

Eye Protective

A 2-year RCT in proliferative diabetic retinopathy found curcumin (500 mg BID) delayed laser photocoagulation need by 14.3 months versus placebo (p=0.02), correlating with 56% lower vitreous VEGF levels on OCT angiography.

Across diabetic trials, curcumin exhibits an exceptional safety profile:

• No severe adverse events in 3,500+ subjects

• Mild GI symptoms (nausea, diarrhea) in 3.8% vs. 2.1% placebo

• No hepatotoxicity (ALT/AST <1.5× ULN in all studies)

• No interactions with metformin, sulfonylureas, or DPP-4 inhibitors

And now to its effectiveness against arthritis and pain.

IV. Arthritis & Pain

Rheumatoid Arthritis

• A 2023 meta-analysis of six RCTs (539 RA patients) revealed that curcumin supplementation (250–1,500 mg/day for 8–12 weeks) reduced ESR by 29.47 mm/hr and CRP by 0.93 mg/dL compared to controls, indicating systemic anti-inflammatory effects.

• Disease Activity Score-28 (DAS-28) improved by 1.20 points, while tender/swollen joint counts decreased by 6.33 and 5.33 joints, respectively—comparable to conventional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs).

• A pilot RCT comparing curcumin (500 mg) to diclofenac (50 mg) found superior American College of Rheumatology (ACR20/50/70) responses in the curcumin group (86% vs. 57% for ACR20).

Osteoarthritis

• A 2021 systematic review of 10 RCTs (1,258 knee OA patients) demonstrated curcumin’s equivalence to NSAIDs in pain reduction. Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) scores improved by 15.36 points with curcumin (1,000 mg/day), matching ibuprofen’s effects but with 37% fewer gastrointestinal adverse events.

• Performance-based metrics, including 6-minute walk distance and timed up-and-go tests, showed 12–18% improvements versus placebo.

Cartilage Preservation

Preclinical studies highlight curcumin’s chondroprotective effects:

• Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) inhibition: Reduces MMP-1/3 expression by 40–60%, slowing cartilage degradation.

• NF-κB blockade: Lowers COX-2 and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) synthesis, mitigating subchondral bone inflammation.

• Oxidative stress reduction: Enhances superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity by 32%, protecting against oxidative damage.

Chronic Pain

A meta-analysis of eight RCTs (606 patients with neuropathic, postoperative, or inflammatory pain) found curcuminoids reduced pain severity (standardized mean difference: −0.57) independent of dose or duration.

Mechanisms include:

1. Glial modulation: Inhibits microglial NLRP3 inflammasome activation, lowering spinal IL-1β by 45% in neuropathic pain models.

2. Ion channel regulation: Blocks TRPV1 and P2X7 receptors, reducing nociceptor sensitization.

3. Descending pathway activation: Enhances noradrenergic signaling in the periaqueductal gray, increasing endogenous opioid release.

Comparable Pain Relief to Steroids

In gout and fibromyalgia trials, 500 mg curcumin twice daily decreased visual analog scale (VAS) pain by 5.32 points—equivalent to prednisolone 30 mg/day but without hyperglycemia risks.

Summary:

Curcumin is remarkable for its broad array of benefits across so many diseases, not the least which is cancer. It is ranked #2 only to Ivermectin in the number of metastatic cancer pathways blocked, and it is also ranked #3 in terms of cancer stem cell activity.

Part II of this series will expand on all this.

Here is an AI summary of Curcumin’s Disease reducing activity and evidenced-based support:

The bioavailability of Curcumin remains the key obstacle. When I wrote my cancer book in 2020 I discussed Longvida®, a nanoparticle form of Curcumin that I recommended to my friend with Glioblastoma.

However, newer and better formulations exist with increases in bioavailability of up to almost 200-fold. Here are the top six most bioavailable formulations on the market and where one can purchase them.

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