Turmeric

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Alzheimer’s Disease

In 2012 Ayu published a study of 3 Alzheimer’s patients which found that 12 weeks of treatment with turmeric powder capsules improved symptoms of Alzheimer’s including irritability, agitation and anxiety. [Source]
In 2013 The American Journal of Chinese Medicine published an animal study which found that curcumin – the active component of turmeric – improved spatial memory in rats induced with Alzheimer’s disease. [Source]

In 2014 the Journal of Affective Disorders published an 8-week, double-blind placebo-controlled trial testing the effect of curcumin – the principal curcuminoid in turmeric – on 56 individuals with major depressive disorder. The results showed that curcumin was more effective than a placebo in improving mood-related symptoms. [Source]
In 2014 Phytotherapy Research published a study comparing the effectiveness of curcumin with fluoxetine (brand name Prozac) on 60 patients with major depressive disorder. After 6 weeks of treatment 1000 mg/day curcumin was as effective as fluoxetine in treating depression. [Source]
In 2015 European Neuropsychopharmacology published a paper based on a double-blind, placebo-controlled study which tested the effect of 1000 mg/day curcumin per day on individuals with major depressive disorder. After 8 weeks curcumin lead to improvements in depression-related biomarkers when compared to a placebo. Additionally, individuals in the curcumin group scored themselves higher on a survey rating depressive symptoms than those in the control group. [Source]

In 2014 Behavioral Brain Research published an animal study which showed that chronic curcumin intake resulted in a dose-dependent increase in hippocampal brain-derived nootropic factor (BDNF) – a protein that supports the survival of existing neurons in the brain as well as the growth and of new neurons and synapses. [Source]
In 2006 Brain Research published an animal study which subjected rats to chronic stress for 20 days which lead to increases in stress hormones and decreased brain derived nootropic factor (BDNF). Curcumin supplementation reversed stress hormone levels and blocked decreases in BDNF.
In 2012 the Public Library of Science published a study which found that aged rats showed improved cognitive function after 6-12 weeks of curcumin supplementation. [Source]

In 2014 The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry published a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial which showed that 6 months of curcumin supplementation in type 2 diabetics, lowered the risks of atherosclerosis. [Source]
In 2015 the Indian Journal of Clinical Biochemistry published a 4-week study which compared 2 grams/day turmeric combined with standard metformin treatment with metformin alone on 60 diabetic patients. The researchers found that turmeric as an adjunct treatment significantly reduced fasting glucose levels, improved cholesterol and reduced inflammation and damaging free radicals. [Source]

In 2009 Carcinogenesis published an animal study which found that curcumin in the diet of mice reduced lung tumors by 85 percent, which according to the authors of the study suggests that curcumin could be used to protect high-risk COPD patients from lung cancer progression. [Source]

In 2013 the Journal of Biological Regulators and Homeostatic Agents published a study which found that curcumin slowed tumor growth in both early and advances stages of mammary cancer when administered to mice bred to have mammary cancer. [Source]
In 2005 Anticancer Research published an in vitro study which found that curcumin induces breast cancer cell death and thus may have potential in the treatment of cancer. [Source]