By: Adam L.
Turmeric is far and away one of the most widely used spices in the world.
Cultures all across the Far East use it in culinary applications; while those of us in the West use it as a supplement for inflammation.
For maximum effectiveness, don’t take turmeric supplements unless you’re taking this with it also.
Turmeric Really Does Work, But Only If You’re Taking This In Combination With It
Turmeric has enjoyed a long history of culinary and medical use, stretching back millennia.
A popular herb used in Ayurvedic traditions, medical professionals specializing in Ayurveda recommend turmeric for conditions ranging from increased vitality to easements of headaches.
Because of its extended use, researchers have studied turmeric to the nth degree.
Here’s what they’ve discovered about turmeric.
Curcumin is the primary biological agent responsible for turmeric’s health-boosting powers.
Research has shown curcumin can increase brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and an important compound for brain health, help fight inflammation via antioxidant power, enhance circulatory function, improve blood sugar regulation, fight cancer formation and much more.
Most turmeric supplements sold to the public contain turmeric isolated to curcumin.
The reason curcumin is sold as an extract is that if you wished to get the same therapeutic amounts found in turmeric root, you’d have to eat a substantial amount of turmeric to affect your health.
Curcumin isolate delivers the potency in a small package.
The only issue is curcumin is poorly absorbed when taken on its own.
While powerful in its own right, the human body doesn’t have built-in systems that help activate curcumin.
Enter Piperine.
Piperine is a compound commonly found in black pepper. When turmeric extract (curcumin) is taken with Piperine, it enhances the healing power of curcumin by orders of magnitude.
Research shows turmeric extract without Piperine is substantially less effective.
How Piperine Helps to Boost Turmeric Extracts Power
Piperine is a powerful plant-based compound on its own.
It’s an alkaloid similar to capsaicin (found in chili peppers), and research demonstrates when taken on its own it helps for nausea relief, headaches, and poor digestion. There’s also research supporting its anti-inflammatory properties.
When taken in concert with turmeric extract (curcumin) the two have a synergistic effect which allows them to work better than either would on their own.
When curcumin is taken on its own, the liver and intestinal walls rapidly metabolize it quickly, which reduces its therapeutic applications. Taking Piperine along with curcumin helps to keep curcumin active in the body for much longer. It does this by blocking the liver and intestinal wall’s natural metabolic function, which allows curcumin to flow through the body for longer periods.
This extends curcumin’s effectiveness, also known as increasing its bioavailability.
Studies indicate precise ratios of Piperine to curcumin can increase curcumin’s effectiveness by as much as 2000%.
When combined in such a way the full impact of curcumin’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects are made in the body,
Without Piperine, taking turmeric is as effective as taking sugar pills.
A Final Word on Curcumin + Piperine
Sadly, a large number of supplement manufacturers sell curcumin without an adjunct of Piperine.
This is why it’s critical if you have a raw turmeric supplement, you take it with ground pepper.
Also, when selecting a turmeric supplement, make sure the ratio is at least 1-part piperine to 100 parts curcumin. Furthermore, the effects of a curcumin/piperine supplement can be further enhanced when taken with high-fat meals.
Curcumin and Piperine are fat-soluble, so taking supplements with high-fat meals help them absorb even better.
