Group items tagged

Assuming that roughly 70% of our body's immune cells are found in the gut, dietary ingredients that stimulate healthy gut bacteria may, in turn, help support the immune system. Prebiotics are non-digestible foodstuff that is consumed by health-promoting bacteria. Simply put, the beneficial bacteria in our gut can "ingest" various plant elements that can improve their growth. A recent study examined the effects of curcumin and turmeric supplementation on gut bacteria. Volunteers in the study received curcumin, turmeric, or placebo supplements for constantly eight weeks and then had their gut bacteria investigated. This study showed that while the placebo group had declines in gut flora species, curcumin and turmeric-supplemented groups experienced increases in many gut bacterial species. If more research proves curcumin's prebiotic-like impacts, curcumin can become a compound used to sustain both gut and immune health.

The leading cause of hypothyroidism is an autoimmune condition called Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Symptoms include fatigue, feeling cold all the time, constipation, weight gain, and more. Curcumin is a compound found in spice turmeric that has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Some studies have shown that curcumin may help lower TSH levels (a marker for hypothyroidism). Taking curcumin over the long term may help lower TSH levels as well as cholesterol levels.