The Impressive Brain Benefits of Curcumin Supplements

Last updated October 10, 2023.
Edited and medically reviewed by Patrick Alban, DC. Written by Deane Alban.

Studies show that curcumin, a bioactive compound in turmeric, can help depression, anxiety, brain aging, and neurodegenerative diseases.

Here are the notable mental health benefits of curcumin that have been discovered so far:

1. Curcumin Is a Natural Antidepressant

Curcumin shows great potential as a natural antidepressant.

In fact, it’s been found to be as effective for depression as the popular selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor Prozac (fluoxetine). 

" Unlike many other drugs and supplements, curcumin can safely be combined with antidepressant medications and actually enhances their effectiveness.

Another way curcumin impacts depression is by reducing brain inflammation. 

There is now compelling evidence that depression may be one of many diseases caused by chronic inflammation.

If you experience depression, even major depressive disorder, there is no downside to taking curcumin supplements. 

Curcumin is safe for most people to take indefinitely.

And unlike many other drugs and supplements, curcumin can safely be combined with antidepressant medications and actually enhances their effectiveness. 

Curcumin can also be safely combined with other natural remedies for depression, such as St. John’s wort and SAM-e.

2. Curcumin Protects Against Brain Aging

Curcumin nourishes and protects the brain in a variety of ways.

It’s a potent antioxidant that readily crosses the blood-brain barrier to protect brain cells against free radical damage.

Curcumin can improve memory and concentration by increasing blood flow to the brain. 

Impressively, one study found that taking curcumin supplements improved blood flow as well as physical exercise. 

New research shows that curcumin increases the bioavailability of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), an omega-3 essential fatty acid that’s a fundamental building block of the brain.

DHA deficiency is implicated in mental health and neurological disorders such as depression and anxiety. 

Curcumin enhances DHA synthesis and elevates its level in the brain. 

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, curcumin is powerfully anti-inflammatory.

Chronic inflammation has been called a silent killer that contributes to eight of the top ten leading causes of death. 

Chronic inflammation of the brain shuts down energy production in brain cells, causing mental fatigue and slowing down the firing of neurons.

This, in turn, can lead to anxiety, depression, brain fog, ADHD, and memory loss, as well as serious neurological conditions such as stroke and Alzheimer’s. 

3. Curcumin Shows Potential for Treating Alzheimer’s

One of the most potentially exciting uses for curcumin is in helping to prevent Alzheimer’s.

Populations that consume turmeric as a regular part of their diet have low rates of this dreaded disease.

A senior in the US, for example, has a 4 times greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s than a senior in India, due to the latter’s use of turmeric in cooking. 

4. Curcumin Supplements Relieve Stress and Anxiety

There hasn’t been a lot of research done on curcumin for stress and anxiety, but here’s what a few studies show.

Curcumin, when taken alone or with the herbal antidepressant saffron (Crocus sativus), effectively minimizes both anxiety and depression symptoms in people with major depressive disorder.

When curcumin is taken with the herb fenugreek, it reduces stress, anxiety, and fatigue, while increasing the quality of life in people suffering from extreme occupational stress. 

Curcumin can alleviate the anxiety experienced by women with premenstrual syndrome (PMS).

The severity of PMS-related emotional, behavioral, and physical symptoms has been shown to be significantly reduced with curcumin supplementation. 

There are also a few relevant animal studies to consider.

When curcumin is given to rats under stress, it helps to normalize cortisol balance, adrenal gland function, BDNF levels, and behavior. 

Dietary deficiency of DHA is linked to several mental health disorders, including anxiety.

Curcumin boosts DHA levels in the brain and reduces symptoms of anxiety. 

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a common anxiety disorder characterized by compulsive behavior.

Curcumin supplementation has resulted in significant improvement in the compulsiveness and associated memory loss of OCD. 

Curcumin vs Turmeric: What’s the Difference? Which Is Better?

Understanding the difference between curcumin and turmeric supplements can be confusing and a lot of the information found online doesn’t help. 

However, it’s becoming more common to find fresh turmeric root at some health food stores or grocery stores. 

Turmeric is also sold as a supplement in the form of capsules, gummies, or liquid extracts.

What Is Curcumin?

Curcumin, on the other hand, is the main bioactive ingredient in turmeric.

It is extracted from turmeric and sold as a supplement.

Curcumin is not unique to turmeric; it is also found in ginger, another spice with a long history of medicinal use.

Proven Benefits of Curcumin vs Turmeric

Many websites make unrealistic claims about turmeric supplements.

A few natural health websites boldly state that turmeric has been proven beneficial for over 600 ailments.

However, the vast majority of research studies have been done using isolated curcumin, not turmeric.

At the very least, it’s not known whether turmeric offers the same health benefits as curcumin since research has yet to be done.

There are two practical reasons why more studies have been done on curcumin than turmeric.

It’s much easier to study a compound like curcumin which can be isolated and standardized.

And, of course, there is little monetary incentive to research a spice that’s already found in millions of kitchens worldwide and cannot be patented and turned into a profitable supplement.

Potential Benefits of Turmeric vs Curcumin

Not everyone is convinced that curcumin is superior to turmeric.

Johns Hopkins University professor of oncology Saraswati Sukumar, PhD, contends that cooking with turmeric provides more benefits than taking curcumin supplements which are less bioavailable and generally less effective. 

Many experts believe that whole plant supplements are usually more beneficial than supplements created from only part of the plant.

By way of analogy, think of curcumin as a single musical note and turmeric as a symphony.

Andrew Weil, MD, a world-renowned pioneer in the field of integrative medicine, differentiates between curcumin and turmeric in this way:

“… until proven otherwise in head to head studies, whole plants are usually a better choice than isolates. On the other hand, curcumin appears to have a more rapid and dramatic effect, and may be the better choice as a therapeutic (rather than a preventative) preparation.” 

The takeaway here is that it may be helpful to use a curcumin supplement for its short-term therapeutic effects and to add turmeric to your diet as a long-term prevention strategy.

Turmeric vs Curcumin Safety

Another consideration is the safety of curcumin compared to turmeric.

Turmeric consumed in food is extremely safe, but like most supplements, curcumin has potential side effects and should not be mixed with some medications, which we’ll discuss shortly.

This means that not everyone can safely take a curcumin supplement.

A surprising way that turmeric powder can be hazardous is as a source of lead. 

This is true whether you buy turmeric as a spice or as a supplement.

Brands that have been found to be adulterated come from India or Bangladesh.

Disturbingly, some experts suspect that turmeric is being intentionally adulterated with lead to enhance its weight and/or color. 

The Curcumin vs Turmeric Dilemma Solved

“Curcumin vs turmeric” does not have to be an “either/or” situation.

There’s no reason you can’t take a curcumin supplement and make turmeric a regular part of your diet.

In fact, there’s evidence that turmeric and a curcumin supplement work together, enhancing each other’s effects. 

But it turns out that one way to get greater curcumin benefits was discovered thousands of years ago.

In traditional Southwest Asian cooking, turmeric is used with black pepper.

Both are key ingredients in curry powder, a staple of the cuisines of India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.

The use of black pepper greatly increases the bioavailability of curcumin.

It’s now known that the compound piperine that is found in black pepper is responsible — it increases curcumin absorption 20-fold. 

If your curcumin supplement is not enhanced, you can greatly increase its enhancement by simply taking it with a meal. 

One study on curcumin bioavailability found that it readily enters the brain even when the only “enhancement” is to take it with food. 

This makes sense considering that the presence of oil greatly enhances the absorption of fat-soluble curcumin as well. 

When shopping for a curcumin supplement, you’ll almost certainly come across those that contain patented and/or trademarked ingredients such as BioPerine®, Longvida®, Theracurmin®, Meriva®, or BCM-95®.

Curcumin Supplement Dosage

Getting an authoritative answer about the amount of curcumin to take is hard.

There is no Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for curcumin, nor is there universal agreement on how much curcumin constitutes a therapeutic dose. 

And frustratingly, many websites confuse turmeric dosages with curcumin dosages.

Suggested dosages for curcumin range from 500 mg to 1,000 mg, provided the supplement manufacturer has taken steps to enhance bioavailability. 

Most curcumin supplements are sold in 500 mg capsules.

You rarely have to worry about taking too much curcumin.

(A few exceptions follow shortly.)

Researchers have found curcumin to be safe at doses as high as 12 grams per day. 

Curcumin Supplement Side Effects and Interactions

Since curcumin is a naturally occurring compound, you might assume it’s completely safe.

But curcumin supplements have a surprising number of possible side effects, interactions, and warnings.

While clearly turmeric and curcumin are not the same thing, their side effects and interactions are confusingly treated the same on sites like Drugs.com and RxList.com.

According to these sources, you should not take either turmeric or curcumin supplements if you have these conditions or issues.

However, there is no mention that you should stop consuming turmeric as part of a healthy diet. 

Pregnancy

Curcumin stimulates the uterus and increases the risk of a miscarriage.

You should also avoid it if you are trying to conceive.

Note that its safety while breastfeeding has not been established.

Hormone Sensitivity

Curcumin acts like a phytoestrogen. 

So it should be avoided if you have reproductive cancer, endometriosis, or uterine fibroids.

Gallstones

If you currently have gallstones or gallbladder disease, it’s best to avoid curcumin. 

It can stimulate bile flow and gallbladder contractions. 

Scheduled Surgery

If you are scheduled for surgery, it’s recommended that you stop taking curcumin or turmeric supplements 2 weeks prior.

Since these supplements have blood-thinning properties, taking them could slow blood clotting or cause extra bleeding during and after surgery.

Blood Thinners

If you take a prescription blood thinner, be aware that curcumin increases the risk of bruising and bleeding.

Digestive Conditions

Turmeric and curcumin are a mixed bag for the gastrointestinal tract.

By stimulating the gall bladder to produce bile, turmeric can reduce the gas and bloating of indigestion.

It may help keep ulcerative colitis in remission.

However, by increasing stomach acid it can lead to gastritis and make stomach ulcers worse. 

Taking curcumin with food minimizes these negative effects. 

Note that turmeric and curcumin can interfere with the actions of medications that reduce stomach acid, such as Zantac, Tagamet, and Nexium. 

Diabetes

If you have diabetes, talk to your doctor before taking curcumin.

It can lower blood sugar and when used in conjunction with anti-diabetic drugs can increase the risk of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) or change the need for medication. 

Iron Deficiency

If you have low iron levels, skip curcumin and turmeric supplements.

Curcumin binds with iron, inhibiting its absorption. 

Drug Interactions

According to Drugs.com, more than 130 drugs interact adversely with turmeric and curcumin supplements, including seemingly innocuous over-the-counter remedies like aspirin and acetaminophen.

You can find a complete list of interactions here.

Lastly, the piperine added to some curcumin supplements can also amplify the effects of a number of drugs.

If you take any medication for high blood pressure, asthma, allergies, or seizures, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before mixing it with a curcumin supplement that contains piperine or BioPerine. 

A safer choice would be to take a curcumin supplement enhanced with either Theracurmin (which uses nanoparticles) or Meriva (which uses phospholipids) instead.