Curcumin: The Most Sought-After Supplement of 2014

Each year, there is one supplement that tops the charts. Advances in science help to uncover evidence about a certain, vitamin, mineral, herb or macronutrient that provides great value to your health.

In 2014, curcumin was the number one ranked herbal dietary supplement ingredient, according to a report published in the American Botanical Council’s HerbalGram.

It comes as no surprise to industry leaders, who have been watching curcumin climb to the top. It boasts a number of valuable benefits, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. But in 2014 researchers made a groundbreaking discovery: curcumin viable in treatment for depression.

You may know curcumin as turmeric, the tangy spice that gives mustard its signature yellow hue and is the key ingredient in curry, a dish with origins from Southern and Southeast Asia. Curcumin is the active phenol of turmeric that has been found to offer mood support and influence biological mechanisms associated with major depression.
An estimated 1 in 10 adults report suffering from some form of depression, according to reports from the CDC. Depression primarily affects men and women between the ages of 45 and 64 and impacts multiple aspects of their lives, including work, family and health.^[1]

While many prescription antidepressants are more powerful than ever, the side effects often outweigh the benefits, leaving many adults without hope for relief. A study published in the June 2014 issue of the Journal of Affective Disorders, researchers uncovered strong evidence that curcumin offers effective treatment for mood disorders, like depression.^[2]

The double-blind, placebo controlled study discovered compelling outcomes, finding curcumin significantly more effective than a placebo at treating major depression. The researchers administered subjects 500 milligrams of curcumin or a placebo twice daily for 8 weeks. During the first 4 weeks, researchers observed improvements with both curcumin and placebo in factor scores on tests designed to rate levels of depression and anxiety. In weeks 4 through 8, curcumin was found significantly more effective than the placebo — improving mood-related symptoms, mood scores and anxiety measures.^[2]

Preceding this research, in April of 2014, Phytotherapy Research published another study of curcumin’s effects on major depression.^[3] These findings were heralded in headlines, as the study compared the effect of curcumin to that of one of the leading prescription antidepressants, fluoxetine (brand name, Prozac). The results showed 1000 milligrams daily of curcumin to be only marginally less effective – 2 to 5 percent less – than fluoxetine. And, even better, curcumin supplementation came without side effects.^[3]

The evidence of curcumin’s performance as an alternative for treatment of depression has been recognized for years, however, these studies mark the first time in history that researchers were able to test these theories on humans. The outcomes bring a great deal of promise to the 14.8 million American adults struggling with depression. Ajay Goel, PhD, lead author of the April 2014 study and director of epigenetics and cancer prevention at Baylor University Medical Center, told Prevention magazine, “From a clinical standpoint, a 2% lower efficacy makes no difference. Curcumin has been proven safe, even at high doses.”

Studies will continue as researchers seek to understand exactly how curcumin balances depressive symptoms. It is well understood that curcumin is a natural inhibitor of the enzyme, monoamine oxidase. High levels of monoamine oxidase are associated with depression and a diminished capacity for appropriate stress response. The enzyme blocks the release of cytokines, a substance that controls your body’s stress response system, potentially leaving you struggling to cope.^[2-3]

You won’t find doctors writing prescriptions for curcumin to treat depression, but that doesn’t mean that you have to make mustard a cornerstone of your diet. High-quality curcumin supplements are available direct to the consumer and can help you reap the benefits in a simple daily dose.

References

1.       CDC Features: Depression. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. April 2012. http://www.cdc.gov/features/dsdepression/Accessed August 27, 2014.
 
2.       Lopresti AL, Maes M, Maker GL, Hood SD, Drummond PD. Curcumin for the treatment of major depression: A randomised, double-blind, placebo controlled study. J Affect Disord. 2014 Oct;167:368-75. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25046624
 
3.       Sanmukhani J, Satodia V, Trivedi J, Patel T, Tiwari D, Panchal B, Goel A, Tripathi CB. Efficacy and safety of curcumin in major depressive disorder: a randomized controlled trial. Phytother Res. 2014 Apr;28(4):579-85. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23832433