Curcumin (the key active ingredient in turmeric) is fat-soluble, so if you take regular curcumin with just water, you will absorb very little. It is best to take curcumin with a fatty meal.
If you are taking a turmeric supplement it is best to take them with meals or choose a supplement which contains a bioavailability enhancer. The beneficial effects of turmeric are traditionally achieved through dietary consumption, even at low levels, over long periods of time.
Turmeric should be taken with meals to help with absorption. It's also a good idea to divide it into two doses taken 8 to 12 hours apart. This will help increase absorption and keep levels steady in the body. Dividing the dose may also help reduce possible side effects.
According to experts, turmeric water is best consumed in the morning. “Though used both in the morning or before bed at night, turmeric water serves to be the most beneficial when had empty stomach as it helps the body burn excess flab,” Chawla said.
Eat With Good Fats
So, by eating the turmeric with good fats, like avocado, olive oil or coconut oil, you're more likely to absorb more of it into your bloodstream. This is also why turmeric is commonly mixed with warm milk—any kind of milk including coconut, cow, almond.
It is best to take curcumin with a fatty meal. This also means that you'll absorb little curcumin if adding turmeric or curcumin to tea or to a fruit or vegetable smoothy containing little fat. Adding whole or reduced-fat milk or yogurt, or vegetable/seed oils, will provide fats that can enhance curcumin absorption.
Another way to increase the bioavailability of turmeric is to consume this spice with a source of fat (such as avocado, nut butters and nuts, fish, etc.), and therefore curcumin will directly be absorbed into the blood stream and bypass the liver.
Avoid using turmeric together with other herbal/health supplements that can also affect blood-clotting. This includes angelica (dong quai), capsicum, clove, dandelion, danshen, evening primrose, garlic, ginger, ginkgo, horse chestnut, Panax ginseng, poplar, red clover, saw palmetto, and willow.
Drinking turmeric milk before bedtime may help give your mood a boost. In fact, turmeric may even help alleviate symptoms of depression. In 2014, researchers launched a study to determine the effects – if any – of curcumin on significant depression.
High doses of turmeric could have a blood-thinning effect; if taken on top of prescribed anticoagulants, this could increase the risk of dangerous bleeding. People with liver or bile duct problems should not take turmeric supplements, as they can increase bile production.
When can you expect to see results? In one study, participants reported improvements in joint discomfort after supplementing with 2 grams of turmeric daily for 6 weeks. Another study reported results after 8-12 weeks of supplementation with 1 gram of turmeric daily.
When it comes to taking turmeric, it takes a little while for the curcumin to build up in your system. However, once you've gone through a loading period, that's when you will start to notice some of the proposed benefits.
There is no official consensus on whether it's best to take curcumin or turmeric supplements. Most studies use extracted turmeric with a high concentration of curcumin or curcumin alone. Both turmeric and curcumin can reduce joint inflammation, cholesterol, blood sugar, as well as tumor, fungal and bacterial growth.
Turmeric — and especially its most active compound, curcumin — have many scientifically proven health benefits, such as the potential to improve heart health and prevent against Alzheimer's and cancer. It's a potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. It may also help improve symptoms of depression and arthritis.
The exact dose depends on the medical condition. The Arthritis Foundation suggests taking turmeric capsules (400 to 600 mg) 3 times per day. Another option is to take a half to three grams of the root powder every day. Further studies revealed one gram of curcumin per day helped arthritis patients.
Turmeric products that provide up to 8 grams of curcumin daily seem to be safe when used for up to 2 months, Also, taking up to 3 grams of turmeric daily seems to be safe when used for up to 3 months. Turmeric usually doesn't cause serious side effects.
Although known mostly for its anti-inflammatory effects, curcumin clearly has value for positively impacting stress/anxiety and sleep due at least in part to its ability to increase serotonin levels.
Turmeric is hailed as a common medicinal spice, part of the ginger family, and can be used to aid the quality of sleep whilst also lowering anxiety levels, improving mood, and promoting relaxation.
Seema Singh, chief clinical nutritionist & HOD, Fortis Hospital, Vasant Kunj, told indianexpress.com, “Besides reducing inflammation associated with obesity, consumption of turmeric increases the metabolic rate which helps burn calories faster in the body. Turmeric water or turmeric tea can help you reduce belly fat.
"Since vitamin D and curcumin work differently with the immune system, we may find that a combination of the two or each used alone may be more effective — depending on the individual patient," he said.
Magnesium is ideal when you're stressed or anxious or have trouble sleeping or when your muscles are tight and tense. Turmeric can help to support joint health, comfort and mobility so you can keep doing the things you enjoy. Together these two powerful ingredients help support both muscles and joints.
People who are on blood-thinning medication, such as warfarin (Coumadin), clopidogrel (Plavix), and aspirin are typically advised against taking a curcumin or turmeric supplement, because the supplements can enhance the drugs' blood-thinning effects, perhaps to dangerous levels.
The natural acids in coffee can make it difficult for the spice to dissolve, affecting the solubility of a compound in turmeric. That compound is curcumin, found in spices like ginger and turmeric.
Black pepper is not necessary for turmeric to be effective, but it can be helpful. Black pepper contains a compound, piperine, which inhibits the metabolic breakdown of turmeric compounds in the gut and the liver.
How much curcumin should I take? Studies suggest that an effective dose of curcumin is typically between 500-2,000 mg per day. This is generally consumed as a curcumin extract which contains a much higher concentration than is generally found in turmeric root powder, or that naturally occurs in foods.