5 Comments
Feb 7, 2023Liked by Cassandra Quave

I've always been a fan of turmeric and it's so cool to know that it's potentially keeping me heathy too. Thanks for the wonderful, in-depth post!

Expand full comment
author

Thank you! It really is a great herb for food and medicine. Glad you enjoyed the post!

Expand full comment

Another great review, thank you. I’ve recommend turmeric for some patients with OA. But it can slow blood clotting, which can increase the risk of bruising and bleeding, so I would recommend against it if someone is taking blood thinners.

In terms of dosage I found this through Healthline:

“Studies typically use doses of 500–2,000 mg of turmeric per day, often in the form of an extract with a curcumin concentration that is much higher than the amounts naturally occurring in foods.

For instance, the average Indian diet provides around 2,000–2,500 mg of turmeric per day, which only translates to around 60–100 mg of curcumin.

For reference, turmeric spices contain around 3% curcumin, compared to 95% curcumin in extracts.

Nonetheless, turmeric may still have benefits when used as a spice...

While there is no official consensus on effective turmeric or curcumin doses, the following have been used in research with promising results:

For osteoarthritis: 500–1,500 mg of turmeric daily for 3 months.

For itchy skin: 500 mg of turmeric three times daily for 2 months.

For ulcerative colitis: 100–10,000 mg of turmeric extract daily.

High doses of turmeric and curcumin are not recommended long-term since research confirming their safety is lacking.

However, the World Health Organization (WHO) has determined 1.4 mg per pound (0–3 mg per kilogram) of body weight an acceptable daily intake.”

So for a 100 kg person this would equate to 300 mg…. Like most supplements there are still so many unknowns, and a lack of rigorous FDA approval process, manufacturing quality assurance, and medication interaction assessment.

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/turmeric-dosage#dosage

Expand full comment
author

Thanks, Dr. McCormick! And a great point on risk of bruising or bleeding for some patients. Not everything in nature is safe, and some herbs that may be safe for one person aren't necessarily safe for someone else. Really great reminder to us all to consult with a physician when selecting supplements or other herbal ingredients for regular use.

Expand full comment
Mar 9, 2023Liked by Cassandra Quave

aha! Golden Milk...lovely:)

Now I get it to take it with pepper!

Expand full comment