Turmeric and Curcumin: The Bioavailability Problem

What curcumin is

Turmeric root contains curcuminoids, of which curcumin is the most studied. Research has examined it chiefly around inflammatory markers, with a very large published literature.

The absorption problem

Unformulated curcumin is poorly absorbed from the gut, rapidly metabolised and quickly eliminated. Plain turmeric powder delivers very little curcumin into circulation.

This is not a minor technicality. It is the reason two products both listing turmeric can behave completely differently in practice.

The formulation approaches

• Piperine co-administration — black pepper extract, which slows curcumin metabolism
• Phytosome complexes — curcumin bound to phospholipids
• Micellar or nanoparticle preparations — improved dispersion
• Standardised high-curcuminoid extracts — higher active fraction per gram

What this means when you read a label

1. Does it say turmeric or curcumin extract? They are not equivalent.
2. Is a standardisation percentage given (commonly 95% curcuminoids)?
3. Is a bioavailability enhancer named?
4. If none of the three is stated, you cannot assess the ingredient at all.

The reasonable position

Curcumin is a genuine research subject whose supplement translation depends almost entirely on formulation. A label that specifies neither standardisation nor enhancement is telling you very little.

See our label-reading guide for the wider method.

Keep reading

• Zinc, Magnesium and Testosterone: What the Claims Really Say
• Ashwagandha for Men: What the Research Shows
• Bacopa Monnieri: The Memory Evidence Examined
• Ginkgo Biloba: What the Evidence Actually Says
• Rhodiola Rosea and Mental Fatigue

Found this useful? The rest of the series is on the Horsewood blog.