Turmeric’s Powerful Life-Promoting Properties Put Pharmaceuticals to Shame

Curcumin, the key chemical in turmeric, has been shown to possess very powerful health-promoting properties. Recent research has even found that curcumin can even prolong lives of fruit flies by 75 percent. While the research was done on insects, it highlights the life-promoting aspects of this powerful substance — along with mountains of other scientific research. The findings also shed light on how curcumin can slow the development of Alzheimer’s and dementia. This research provides a potential explanation of why rates of dementia are less common among the elderly in India, where turmeric is widely used in the production of spices.

Curcumin Shown to Cause Fruit Flies to Live 75 Percent Longer

A protein known as amyloid plaques has previously been shown to lead to Alzheimer’s. While curcumin has not been found to dissolve the damaging plaque, it does accelerate nerve fiber formation by reducing the amount of oligomers, which are thought to be harmful to the nerve cells.

Prof Per Hammarstrom, of Linkoping University in Sweden, said: “The results confirm our belief that it is the oligomers that are most harmful to the nerve cells…We now see small molecules in an animal model can influence the amyloid form. To our knowledge the encapsulation of oligomers is a new and exciting treatment strategy.”

This certainly isn’t the first time turmeric has been shown to prolong life. Researchers experimenting with curcumin in the treatment of a fatal brain cancer known as glioblastoma (GBMs) published groundbreaking findings, where curcumin was shown to decrease brain tumor size in animals by 81 percent in more than 9 studies. To add to the fantastic news, there was no evidence of toxicity, which is what one could expect from chemotherapy and other cancer treatments which often result in extreme side effects. In fact, cancer drugs have been found to kill patients more quickly and spawn mega tumors!

On a similar note, researchers at the UCLA also found that curcumin exhibits cancer-blocking properties. Using 21 participants suffering from head and neck cancers, the lab found that the enzymes in the patients’ mouths responsible for promoting cancer spread and growth were inhibited by curcumin supplementation. The ingestion of curcumin intake blocked the spread of the malignant cells.

The health benefits of both turmeric and curcumin as an herbal medicine is currently catching major attention. Turmeric possesses antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, acting simultaneously as an antiseptic used for treating wounds and as a solution for inflammatory complications.

Turmeric supplements are quickly becoming a ‘must-have’ for every household. It is common, inexpensive, and provides potent health-promoting with simplicity – so much so that it has been found to positively affect over 530 diseases. Even with the smallest amount of turmeric you will undoubtedly see incredible improvements in your health.