Looking for something that can help you fight disease and prevent it altogether? It’s right in your pantry: turmeric. Known as the spice used in South Asian curries, turmeric has been used as a medicinal herb in Eastern India, China, and the Middle East for approximately 4000 years. Today, people around the world use turmeric as a natural health supplement because of its anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties. These properties come from curcumin, a compound in turmeric that gives it its yellow colour.

What are the health benefits of taking turmeric curcumin? It helps you fight these 8 diseases:

1. Digestive health

Turmeric curcumin can improve digestive health in a number of ways. Specifically, research shows that curcumin aids digestion and prevents leaky gut syndrome, a condition that can lead to inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, arthritis, muscle pain, and chronic fatigue. Research shows that it can also suppress excess stomach acid production and prevent gastroesophageal reflux.

2. Inflammation and joint pain

Chronic pain is hard to cope with, but turmeric curcumin can help here too. In a research study published in Oncogene, researchers found that curcumin had stronger anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative properties than acetylsalicylic acid (e.g., Aspirin) and ibuprofen (e.g., Advil). That’s why turmeric can reduce chronic pain while producing fewer side effects than over-the-counter medications do.

3. Rheumatoid arthritis

Turmeric curcumin can also help people with achy joints. As a powerful anti-inflammatory agent, turmeric is effective at reducing symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Indeed, in a Japanese study, scientists found that turmeric significantly reduced levels of interleukin (IL)-6, the inflammatory cytokine involved in rheumatoid arthritis. This evidence suggests that consuming turmeric may prevent people from developing rheumatoid arthritis in the first place. 

4. Depression

Turmeric curcumin doesn’t only improve physical symptoms of disease. This powerful spice also has emotional and psychological benefits. In particular, research published in Phytotherapy Research shows that curcumin functions like an antidepressant and, therefore, may be effective for treating people with major depressive disorder. The scientists who conducted the study also found that the main curcuminoids in turmeric were as effective as Prozac at managing depression without causing the side effects many antidepressant drugs do.