Curcumin: The powerhouse anti-inflammatory
The main active ingredient in turmeric, curcumin is a very powerful antioxidant and has strong anti-inflammatory effects. While turmeric is excellent when used as a spice, curcumin extract is a better choice for a wide range of health benefits.
Our inflammatory response – our body’s ability to fight foreign invaders and help repair tissues – is fundamentally important to our overall health. Yet when acute, short-term inflammation becomes chronic, protracted and starts attacking your body’s own tissues, it can be a significant problem. Studies suggest that chronic low-grade inflammation can play a role in various conditions, from heart disease to Alzheimers and other degenerative conditions.
That is why natural anti-inflammatories have become so important in recent years. Among them, curcumin has become well-recognized as natural anti-inflammatory that can be used therapeutically to help combat chronic inflammation, whether from acute injury, surgery or exercise.
The long-standing history and track record of curcumin
It is important to note that curcumin is an active compound found in the popular spice turmeric, which is the root of a plant known as Curcuma Longa. The flowering plant and its root – part of the ginger family best known as a spice used in curry – have been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years in Asian countries, including China. Bright in its yellow pigment and first officially identified back in 1815, the polyphenol curcumin belongs to a family of chemicals that are known as curcuminoids.
Given that curcumin is poorly absorbed during digestion, a series of different formulations have been created to improve its bioavailability. In recent years, science has also helped address some of the inconsistencies in regular curcumin – which typically vary in potency from batch to batch – and has led to the production of powerful anti-inflammatories that deliver exacting standards of relief to those dealing with these often painful conditions.
A case in point is the active compound in PURICA Curcumin Extra Strength; the patented curcumin extract Curcumin BioBDM30. This was developed with high levels of one particular curcuminoid: Bisdemethoxycurcumin (BDMC). On the strength of its high BDMC content, PURICA Curcumin with BDM30 is a more potent anti-inflammatory than standard curcumin. Standard curcumin is typically associated with lower levels in the range of 0.5-1% BDMC. PURICA Curcumin, on the other hand, delivers 30% BDMC.
The scientific research behind the patented BioBDM30 in PURICA Curcumin has focused on separating, isolating and mapping the pharmacological effects of these compounds to see how they each impact the subcellular activities that help to neutralize many disease symptoms, including of course the anti-inflammatory properties of the curcuminoids.
It is this powerfully potent concentration of the BDMC curcuminoid that allows PURICA Curcumin to create tangible anti-inflammatory effects for everyone from high performance athletes and active living “weekend warriors” dealing with muscle and joint pain to those with much more serious and degenerative conditions. The 30-to-1 ratio of BioBDM30 (compared to regular curcumin) results in effects that are felt in hours instead of days.
How it works
Curcumin works by inhibiting NF-KB (Nuclear Factor Kappa-B), which is a molecule that travels into the nuclei of our cells and activates genes related to inflammation. PURICA Curcumin not only does this, it also targets MSK1 (mitogen-and stress-activated protein kinase 1). This combats inflammation from two targets areas, whereas regular curcumin only inhibits NF-KB.
The BDMC contained in PURICA Curcumin also offers an ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) value of 565,000 units, compared to regular curcumin, which has just 9,500 units. This high ORAC value helps to reduce oxidative damage to the cells. The other benefit with the patented BioBDM30 in PURICA Curcumin is that it improves its stability, bioavailability and prolonged survival in the blood. This gives it the capacity to last longer, which in turn provides potent anti-inflammatory and rapid results.
For those of you suffering from the kind of joint pain and inflammation that prevents you from doing the things you love, or those interested in some of the other health benefits associated with powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatories such as Curcumin BioBDM30, PURICA Curcumin Extra Strengthwith 30% BDMC can become an important part of your natural health regime.
REFERENCES
Presenting a New Standard Drug Model for Turmeric and Its Prized Extract, Curcumin
International Journal of Inflammation
Published: 15 Jan 2018
Curcumin: A Review of Its’ Effects on Human Health
Foods — Open Access Journal
Published: 22 October 2017
Author: Tawnya Ritco, R.H.N., is Director of Education for PURICA and promotes natural health education and finds inspiration in the connection between nutrition, lifestyle, and vitality.