There’s no doubt that many of your patients visit your practice because they are in pain. And there’s certainly no doubt that curcumin from turmeric (Curcuma longa) can be incredibly effective in stopping that pain, whether due to chronic conditions like arthritis or acute pain from intensive workouts. But your patients may also benefit from curcumin for other reasons.
In addition to relieving pain, curcumin can protect the cardiovascular system, reduce gastrointestinal inflammation, alleviate symptoms of depression, and defend against tumor formation – to name just a few of its applications.1-2
Promotes High HDL, Reduces Inflammation That Leads to Heart Disease
Because of its anti-inflammatory actions, curcumin could easily be in a patient’s cardiovascular protocol. In an experimental model of heart disease, curcumin protected against the effects of a high-cholesterol diet, preventing the inflammatory changes that lead to plaque buildup, reducing triglycerides, and increasing protective HDL cholesterol levels.3 In a clinical study with volunteers receiving 500 mg of curcumin daily, HDL levels increased by a remarkable 29%.4
Inhibits GI Inflammation and Associated Symptoms
If your patients complain of bloating, frequent diarrhea or constipation, gas, abdominal pain, or acid reflux, curcumin may help. One clinical study of over 200 participants with IBS found the use of a standardized extract of curcumin was associated with up to a 25% reduction in abdominal pain, and two-thirds of participants reported an improvement in overall symptoms.5
Additionally, in a small pilot study of patients with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative proctitis (a type of IBD) who received curcumin along with the standard anti-inflammatory drugs (including steroids), many of the patients were able to actually reduce or stop their medications altogether, thanks to the addition of curcumin.6
Along with reducing inflammatory compounds in the intestines, curcumin can strengthen the intestinal wall to prevent harmful bacteria from leaching out of the intestines and damaging the liver and kidneys.7
Alleviates Symptoms of Depression
Patients in physical pain can be more prone to depression, and curcumin can address that as well.8 A clinical study published in the journal Phytotherapy Research focused on individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD). It compared the efficacy and safety of high-absorption curcumin blended with turmeric essential oil, the prescription anti-depressive fluoxetine, and a combination of both.9
The curcumin dosage was 1,000 mg daily and the fluoxetine dose was 20 mg – whether combined or taken individually. The best response, measured by the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17), was in the combination group, at 77.8%.9 Interestingly, the single-therapy groups scored almost exactly the same, with fluoxetine at 64.7% and curcumin at 62.5%.9
So, curcumin worked as well as the prescription drug fluoxetine in terms of the measurable changes in HAMD-17 score from baseline to six weeks of treatment, indicating that it can be used as an effective and safe treatment for patients with MDD.9
Other research has found that curcumin promotes the generation of brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF), a key protein for brain plasticity and overall mental well-being.10
Promotes Wound Healing and Improves Skin Conditions
You may have patients with damaged skin or abrasions from physical work, or patients who deal with issues that make wounds and skin conditions more likely. Curcumin not only protects skin with its ability to quench damaging free radicals and reduce inflammation, but it has also been shown to improve collagen deposition and vascular density in a wound to ensure adequate blood flow and carry in the nutrients needed for repair of damaged tissue.11
Many people who experience problems with slow healing of wounds also have type 2 diabetes, which interferes with wound healing by reducing blood flow, and by extension, the nutrients needed for tissue repair. High blood sugar also interferes with the ability of the body to clear away damaged cells and build new skin cells. In an experimental model of diabetes, both oral and topical curcumin were able to speed wound repair and healing.12
Reduces Tumors and Enhances Cancer Treatment
While not necessarily a focus of your practice, it’s encouraging to know that curcumin works along many pathways to inhibit cancer. It reawakens the sleeping genes in our bodies that naturally inhibit cancer cells, increases the activity of cancer drugs, and decreases drug resistance in cancer cells to help drugs kill tumors more efficiently.13-14
Additionally, curcumin protects normal cells from the toxic effects of chemotherapy drugs and radiation treatments.15 One clinical trial showed that curcumin decreased the severity of adverse effects of radiation therapy on the urinary tract in men with prostate cancer.16
In another study, 61 patients undergoing radiation therapy for head and neck cancer and experiencing mucositis symptoms (swelling, redness, and ulcers in the mouth) as a result of the treatment received either 500 mg of curcumin three times daily or a placebo.17 By the end of the study, a majority of those in the curcumin group (73.3%) experienced the least severe symptoms for the entire four-week study.17
Effective and Consistent Curcumin Absorption Delivers the Best Results
As impressive as curcumin can be, it needs to be absorbed in order to be effective. The curcumin my colleagues and I have used in cancer-related and other research, and the one used in many of the examples cited in this article, is a clinically studied curcumin that is blended with turmeric essential oil. This crucial difference helps it absorb more efficiently – at up to seven times that of standard curcumin – and remain in the bloodstream at meaningful levels longer than standard extracts.
In fact, this form of curcumin is the most clinically studied enhanced absorption curcumin available. It simply works that well.18-19 Ultimately, this intensification of curcumin’s delivery and benefits makes for smaller, more convenient dosages in patient protocols and a truly viable treatment option for many conditions far beyond pain relief.
References
When sports chiropractors first appeared at the Olympic Games in the 1980s, it was alongside individual athletes who had experienced the benefits of chiropractic care in their training and recovery processes at home. Fast forward to Paris 2024, where chiropractic care was available in the polyclinic for all athletes, and the attitude has now evolved to recognize that “every athlete deserves access to sports chiropractic."
It is estimated that 61% of patients with CTS avoid taking surgical options due to postoperative complications and costly surgical procedures. Chiropractic care offers a comprehensive and effective treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome, addressing the condition from multiple angles. Recent studies also have unveiled a game-changing adjunct to chiropractic treatments for CTS: nerve flossing.
Some doctors thrive in a personality-based clinic and have a loyal following no matter what services or equipment they offer, but for most chiropractic offices who are trying to grow and expand, new equipment purchases help us stay relevant and continue to service our client base in the best, most up-to-date manner possible. So, regarding equipment purchasing: should you lease, get a bank loan, or pay cash?
