Prescription 2019: Optimized Curcumin Dosage
July 9, 2019 Written by JP [Font too small?]
As a consumer, it’s not always clear how to best utilize a supplement for a specific objective. The challenges are many. For starters, you have to determine whether there’s reliable research available to guide you. If that exists, you’ll next need to determine whether the published evidence applies to your circumstance. Is it applicable to your age, gender, health-related status and weight? Then, there’s the question of determining the appropriate dosage. In many instances, even the manufacturers don’t know whether a higher or lower dose is more or less effective and safe than the doses used in the clinical studies. This leaves both the consumer and health care providers in a difficult spot that often requires educated guessing. However, in some instances there’s enough data in the scientific literature to provide a more accurate picture.
Longvida is a non-gmo, “optimized” form of curcumin that has been shown in peer-reviewed medical journals to provide functional and health benefits for the brain and body. It differs from most other turmeric-derived extracts in that it can cross the blood-brain barrier. Practically speaking, this means that Longvida has potential applications for a broad range of health concerns such as arthritis, diabetes, integrative cancer support and various forms of age-related cognitive decline.
One of the reasons why I often recommend Longvida is that it has a rather robust track record of yielding health benefits when tested in placebo-controlled trials. And, generally speaking, this applies to positive results relating to both the body and brain. Two recent examples from earlier this month report that Longvida supplementation effectively reduces knee osteoarthritis symptoms and improves mood and working memory in adults aged 50-80 years old. But, there is a bit of a confounding issue. The successful osteoarthritis study safely utilized 800 mg/day of this specialized supplement. The mood and neurocognitive function trial used half that dose or 400 mg/day. What’s more, prior research examining the effects of 2,000 mg/day Longvida on endothelial function and motor-cognitive function revealed mixed results – it enhanced artery function, but failed to improve brain performance.
In fact, the majority of positive results in the catalog of Longvida research involves once-daily supplementation of a 400 mg capsule – preferably taken without food. This same dosage has been therapeutically proven for other applications, such as reducing exercise-related muscle damage, which is another example of the aforementioned body benefits. Knowing all of this allows for interested parties to increase the likelihood of better results at a lower cost. Also, it is a valuable reminder that more isn’t always better.
Note: Please check out the “Comments & Updates” section of this blog – at the bottom of the page. You can find the latest research about this topic there!
To learn more about the studies referenced in today’s column, please click on the following links:
Study 1 – Longvida: Science and Selected References (link)
Study 2 – A Highly Bioavailable Curcumin Extract Improves Neurocognitive … (link)
Study 3 – Evaluation of the Efficacy and Safety of Longvida® Optimized Curcumin … (link)
Study 4 – Curcumin Supplementation and Motor-Cognitive Function in Healthy … (link)
Study 5 – Curcumin Supplementation Improves Vascular Endothelial Function … (link)
Study 6 – Investigation of the Effects of Solid Lipid Curcumin on Cognition & Mood … (link)
Study 7 – Reduced Inflammatory & Muscle Damage Biomarkers Following Oral … (link)
Study 8 – Diverse Effects of a Low Dose Supplement of Lipidated Curcumin in … (link)
Study 9 – Bioavailable Curcumin Formulations: A Review of Pharmacokinetic … (link)
Study 10 – Acute Human Pharmacokinetics of a Lipid-Dissolved Turmeric … (link)
Longvida Supplementation May Improve Mood & Vigor
Tags: Curcumin, Dementia, Inflammation
Posted in Alternative Therapies, Mental Health, Nutritional Supplements
July 9th, 2019 at 7:51 pm
Updated 07/09/19:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31279955
Nutr Res. 2019 May 9;69:1-8.
Short-term curcumin supplementation enhances serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor in adult men and women: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
The reduction of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) affects cognitive function, learning, and memory and also causes behavioral disorders. Several randomized controlled trials have examined the neuroprotective effects of curcumin and its ability to increase BDNF levels, with inconclusive results. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the impact of curcumin supplementation on serum BDNF levels. A systematic review of the literature was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, ISI Web of Science, Cochrane library, and Google scholar to identify eligible studies up to January 2019. The studies included were randomized control trials of curcumin supplementation that reported the serum BDNF level as a primary outcome. A dose-response meta-analysis of eligible studies was performed using the random-effects model to estimate pooled effect size. Four randomized control trials with 139 participants were included. Curcumin supplementation dose and duration ranged from 200 to 1820 mg/d and 8 to 12 weeks, respectively. Curcumin supplementation significantly increased serum BDNF levels (weighted mean difference: 1789.38 pg/mL, 95% confidence interval: 722.04-2856.71, P < .01) with significant heterogeneity among the studies (I2 = 83.5%, P < .001). Subgroup analysis showed that sex, mean age of participants, curcumin dosage, and trial duration were potential sources of heterogeneity. The significant positive impact of curcumin supplementation on BDNF levels indicates its potential use for neurological disorders that are associated with low BDNF levels. Be well! JP
July 9th, 2019 at 7:54 pm
Updated 07/09/19:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0009279719308610?via%3Dihub
Chem Biol Interact. 2019 Jun 27;310:108729.
Therapeutic effects of turmeric in several diseases: An overview.
A nutraceutical product can be defined as a substance that has a physiological benefit or provides protection against chronic diseases. The term nutraceutical is a hybrid term derived from the union of “nutrition” and “pharmaceutical”. The list of studied nutraceuticals is constantly changing and reflects ongoing market developments, research and consumer interest. Spices, in addition to giving color and taste to foods, are also important nutraceutical. Spices have been an integral part of human diets and commerce for millennia but recently, the recognition of the link between health and nutrition has strengthened their importance in the food sector and sparked the interest of researchers who increasingly engage in trying to determine the mechanisms of action of spices and the countless beneficial properties attributed to them. Among the many existing spices, turmeric is one of the most studied for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and anticancer properties. The purpose of this review is to briefly summarize the fundamental characteristics of turmeric and give an overview of the use of this spice in several diseases.
Be well!
JP
July 9th, 2019 at 7:56 pm
Updated 07/09/19:
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2019.00649/full
Front Pharmacol. 2019 Jun 12;10:649.
The Effects of Curcumin on Weight Loss Among Patients With Metabolic Syndrome and Related Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.
Background and objective: The current systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was carried out to assess the influence of curcumin intake on weight among patients with metabolic syndrome and related disorders. Methods: We searched the following databases up until January 2018: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. The relevant data were extracted and evaluated for quality of the studies in accordance with the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Data were pooled using the inverse variance method and expressed as standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Results: Eighteen articles (21 studies) that comprised a total of 1,604 individuals were finally included in the meta-analysis. Curcumin intake significantly reduced body mass index (BMI) (SMD -0.37; 95% CI, -0.61, -0.13; P < 0.01), weight (SMD -0.23; 95% CI, -0.39, -0.06; P < 0.01), waist-circumference (WC) (SMD -0.25; 95% CI, -0.44, -0.05; P = 0.01), leptin levels (SMD -0.97; 95% CI, -1.18, -0.75; P < 0.001) and increased adiponectin levels (SMD 1.05; 95% CI, 0.23, 1.87; P = 0.01). We found no significant effect of curcumin intake on hip ratio (HR) (SMD -0.17; 95% CI, -0.42, 0.08; P = 0.18). Conclusions: Overall, we have found that curcumin intake among patients with metabolic syndrome and related disorders was correlated with a significant reduction in BMI, weight, WC, and leptin, and a significant increase in adiponectin levels, but did not affect HR. Be well! JP
July 11th, 2019 at 5:33 am
What about Meriva? That’s the one my doctor always prescribed for me.
July 21st, 2019 at 6:29 pm
Hi Peter,
I like Meriva as a general, non-brain specific form of curcumin. There’s good science to support it’s efficacy and safety. Also, it’s more affordable than Longvida. However, I have yet to find studies that support Meriva’s ability to cross the blood brain barrier.
https://www.healthyfellow.com/1406/best-curcumin-supplement/
Be well!
JP