They say that if you unravel a list of all the benefits curcumin can offer, it would be the length of ten football fields! Okay, fine, that’s not true. But curcumin does have a ton of benefits!
One you may have heard about is how it can enhance your mood and alleviate symptoms of depression.
In today’s blog, we’re going to look at whether or not there’s any truth to this health benefit claim. We’ll look at how curcumin affects the brain and the body, then we’ll look at the studies that have been done on curcumin and depression.
What is depression?
Simply put, depression is a medical illness that affects the way you feel, think, and act. Depression can range from a serious case that’s clinically diagnosed and greatly affects your daily life, to mild occasional symptoms.
Have you ever woken up and felt a bit blue, but didn’t know why? Even though everything is okay and you should by all accounts be content, you feel bleak or even hopeless? That’s depression.
Whether you – or someone you love – feels like this regularly, or even just sometimes, you understand that you’ll turn to anything that can help you get on with your day.
Can curcumin help?
Curcumin is the main active ingredient within turmeric root. It also gives this spice its deep yellow color. The root has been used medicinally for thousands of years. Unlike health fads that come and go, turmeric has been around for an extremely long time.
Why?
Because it works.
Health benefits of turmeric – in large part thanks to curcumin – range from reducing inflammation, protecting the health of the heart, boosting skin health, and supporting cognition. Another major benefit many people get from this compound is reduced symptoms of depression.
Ever since studies ramped up on curcumin over 50 years ago, the findings on how it supports human health keeps adding up. And as we mentioned, this research includes how curcumin helps those with depressive symptoms.
Can this work for you?
Let’s take a look at how curcumin affects the brain and the body.
How it works
When it comes to curcumin and the brain, one major aspect has to do with Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF). This is an essential molecule within the brain responsible for the growth and survival of neurons – you know, the cells that allow your brain to function properly.
Curcumin has been shown to boost levels of BDNF. This has been shown to have great ripple effects in memory and learning – even in those experiencing cognitive decline. The introduction of a daily dose of curcumin has lowered key factors that cause all types of dementia in several studies. [1]
The increase in BDNF also increased mood and lowered symptoms of depression. In fact, several studies have linked low levels of BDNF with depression. [2]
But that’s not the only way that curcumin may help with depression. Plenty of research has found a clear connection between inflammation and depression. [3, 4, 5]
And as it turns out, curcumin is one of the best anti-inflammatories out there!
When your body has a poor inflammatory response, it can cause pain, discomfort, and even disease. Over time, this can rob you of the things you used to enjoy in life. This could no doubt lead to spiraling into a bout of depression.
So, all of this sounds great.
But what do the studies say?
The studies
In 2017, researchers reviewed the scientific literature surrounding curcumin and depression. The conclusion of this meta-analysis was that curcumin is an effective method to naturally treat depression. [6]
A separate 2017 study also found that curcumin reduced depression symptoms. [7]
The same was found in a 2014 study. [8]
And as well as a second 2014 study. [9]
What’s more is that a study done in 2015 found that taking curcumin can help increase the effects of antidepressants. [10]
And when it comes to inflammation, promoting a healthy inflammatory response is what curcumin is known for. A 2021 review of the literature concluded that curcumin can help control inflammation, reduce it, and in turn alleviate certain conditions – including depression. [11]
Supplement or food?
With all of this, you may be wondering why you’re not taking curcumin already. Why not boost your mood – plus your memory – every single day?
If you’re curious about giving curcumin a try – well, you know where to find it.
Turmeric root.
You can add turmeric root itself or turmeric powder into your recipes. But unfortunately, turmeric is hardly absorbed by the body. In fact, studies show absorption rates can be as low as 1%! [12]
So if you’re looking for the benefits of curcumin, you may not find it through diet alone. But you can find isolated curcumin in a supplement form. This gives you a much more robust dose of this powerful compound.
Or does it?
Unfortunately, even isolated, curcumin is extremely difficult for the body to absorb. However, many supplement companies try to solve this by adding black pepper, or one of its compounds piperine, to increase absorption.
While this does significantly increase absorption, it creates new problems…
See, sometimes the body has difficulty telling the difference between good compounds and bad compounds. Unfortunately, when it encounters curcumin, your body filters it out through your liver. But when piperine is added into the mix, it allows curcumin to get absorbed by your body because it inhibits the liver from blocking out.
But the piperine also inhibits your liver from blocking out other compounds.
This may include dangerous compounds that can cause you harm. These can come from air pollution, the tens of thousands of synthetic chemicals included in our household materials, or even your own medications. When your doctor prescribes you a drug, they expect your liver to filter out a certain amount. However, the piperine may allow FAR more of the medication to make it through than intended.
If you want to get the amazing benefits of curcumin and have it actually be absorbed and used by your body without any interference with your liver, we’ve got you covered…
Purality Health’s Curcumin Gold
Here at Purality Health, we infuse our curcumin with a micelle liposomal formula. These are lipid molecules that are natural to your body. The liposomes allow the curcumin compounds to be safely delivered to your gut – bypassing the liver – and the micelles assist with the final step of absorption into your bloodstream.
Not only that, but our curcumin comes from organic turmeric!
Our formula is in an easy-to-take liquid form that tastes great. It includes ginger oil for those extra anti-inflammatory properties, along with a vegan-friendly omega-3 for increased brain health.
If you want to get the most out of curcumin, Purality Health’s Curcumin Gold is the way to go.
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