More recently, the spice has been associated with the treatment of irritable bowel diseases (IBD), including ulcerative colitis. Turmeric’s potential healing powers come from curcumin, a phytochemical that is the active substance in turmeric, says the American Gastroenterological Association. Both turmeric and curcumin (on its own) are now sold widely as supplements. While curcumin has been shown to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunosuppressive properties, much of the research conducted to date has been in test tubes or animals. A number of small human trials, however, have found that, when used with medication, curcumin may benefit people with mild to moderate ulcerative colitis. “There isn’t enough evidence to show that curcumin can be helpful to every patient with IBD, but if we look at the data thus far and target specific patients, there may be some promise as a complementary therapy,” says Stacy Cavagnaro, RD, a dietitian at the Cleveland Clinic’s Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patient-Centered Medical Home. Another study, published in December 2019 in the journal Phytotherapy Research, which included 70 patients, found that 1,500 mg of curcumin per day, along with drug therapy, was associated with improvement of symptoms and overall quality of life in patients with mild to moderate ulcerative colitis. In a comprehensive review published in January 2020 in the journal Annals of Gastroenterology, researchers gathered and analyzed all the human trials done on curcumin and ulcerative colitis to date. They found that patients using curcumin along with mesalamine were, on average, three times more likely to experience an improvement in symptoms than those who took mesalamine alone. While these and other studies have shown promising results for the treatment of ulcerative colitis when used with drug therapy, trials with a larger number of people are needed to establish a clear role for curcumin, says the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation. Still, experts like Linda Antinoro, RD, a dietitian at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston who works with patients with IBD, thinks it’s a tool that can help people with mild to moderate symptoms. “More and more doctors are putting turmeric in their repertoire to help treat ulcerative colitis,” she says. RELATED: 12 Scientific Health Benefits of Turmeric and Curcumin And while there is no data to show curcumin is beneficial to patients with severe ulcerative colitis, she wouldn’t dissuade one of her patients from trying it. “I can’t point to data that it certainly works, but I also can’t point to data that it doesn’t work,” Cavagnaro says. “While there isn’t enough evidence for this type of patient, if they are interested in trying curcumin, we won’t discourage them.” RELATED: 8 Foods to Eat During an Ulcerative Colitis Flare
How Much Turmeric Do You Need to Consume?
There is only a small amount of curcumin in turmeric. And studies show that the plant chemical is not well absorbed by the body, according to a review published in October 2017 in the journal Foods. You’d have to consume a lot of turmeric to reach levels that have been used in studies. On the other hand, since it’s not yet clear what the optimal dose of curcumin is, consuming turmeric through diet may still offer some benefit. Combining turmeric with black pepper seems to significantly enhance absorption. Piperine, black pepper’s signature compound, can boost absorption of turmeric by 2,000 percent, according to the Foods research review. To get more turmeric in your diet, you can generously sprinkle the spice on:
Scrambled eggs and frittatasRoasted vegetablesRiceCurriesSoupsOatmeal or cream of wheatSmoothiesTomato sauce
People with ulcerative colitis can also add the spice to hot water to make turmeric tea or to hot milk for turmeric lattes if they are not lactose intolerant. If you want to go the supplement route, Cavagnoro advises not going above 3,000 mg of curcumin per day. “As with any supplement, if you take too much you may have side effects,” she explains. High doses or long-term use of turmeric may cause gastrointestinal upset for some people, says the Mayo Clinic. Large doses of curcumin also act as a blood thinner, according to the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation. And they point out that the safety of taking curcumin during pregnancy is unknown. Curcumin can also interact with certain medications, according to a report published July 2017 in the journal American Family Physician. So if you’re taking any prescription or over-the-counter medications, check in with your doctor or pharmacist before starting on a turmeric or curcumin supplement. Both turmeric and curcumin are widely available in capsule, fluid extract, or tincture form, with a range of recommended dosages. While you can’t believe all the claims you see on the bottles, there’s enough evidence to suggest that the excitement over turmeric isn’t just hype. “This is the only supplement thus far that has good randomized control trial data to show some benefit to patients with UC,” Cavagnaro says. “While we study things like probiotics, fish oil, aloe vera juice, and antioxidants, curcumin remains at this time the only supplement with actual data on efficacy and implications for clinical practice.”
