Curcumin

Turmeric · Curcuma longa

Snapshot

Indications	Contraindications
Arthritis symptoms¹ Type 2 diabetes glycemia² Depressive symptoms³ Fatty liver disease⁴ Inflammatory markers⁵ Exercise-induced soreness⁶ Ulcerative colitis⁷	Pregnancy⁸ Warfarin or blood thinners⁹ Tacrolimus therapy⁹ Liver injury symptoms⁸

Curcumin is the main curcuminoid of the turmeric rhizome (Curcuma longa) and gives the spice its yellow color⁸. Supplementation follows from that effect: arthritis symptoms, glycemic control in type 2 diabetes, adjunctive use for depressive symptoms, fatty liver disease⁸, and soreness after eccentric exercise.

A large meta-analysis of randomized trials found changes in fasting glucose, inflammatory markers, and lipid parameters, though methodological quality limits confidence¹⁰. Arthritis trials are few and of low quality¹. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) states that evidence is insufficient to conclude benefit for any health purpose⁸. A 2024 retrospective cohort in children with active ulcerative colitis, not a randomized trial, found lower disease activity scores with a curcumin and Qing Dai combination¹¹. Products come as capsules, softgels, and liquids, often with absorption enhancers such as piperine or phospholipid; see Form comparison.

The most consequential caution is liver injury, reported mainly with bioavailability-enhanced formulations^{8, 12}. Per Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), chemotherapy and tacrolimus use is discussed with healthcare providers⁹.

Last updated October 16, 2026. Read how we make monographs.

In the full monograph

87 sources, 69 studies

When to useThe situations practitioners use it for, each with the reason and the study behind it.
SafetyWho should avoid it, who needs extra care, and the side effects reported in studies.
InteractionsThe medicines and supplements it interacts with, the effect of each, and what labeling says to watch.
Protocol notesThe doses used in studies, how and when they were taken, and how the forms on the market compare.
How it worksWhat it is and how it works in the body, in plain terms.
Published studiesThe studies behind each use, popular claims checked against them, and trials still under way.
Word of mouthWhat patients and practitioners report online, kept separate from the clinical evidence.
Clinical perspectiveA closing read of where the evidence is solid, where it is thin, and what has not been studied.

Snapshot

In the full monograph

Sources