The power of Turmeric
By Henrietta Norton, Founder & Formulator at Wild Nutrition
Turmeric root is the spice that gives Asian food its beautiful, distinctive golden yellow colour and beyond its culinary use, it’s been used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years. Turmeric (especially its key polyphenol, curcumin) is now one of the most studied botanicals, due to its remarkable biochemistry, with potential benefits for many body systems (1).
Anti-inflammatory
The spice is perhaps most famous for its anti-inflammatory properties that help to ‘fan the flames’ of unwanted or prolonged inflammation. This makes it useful to support recovery from injury, reduce discomfort in arthritic joints, balance histamine reactions and calm inflamed skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis (2, 3). There is also evidence to suggest that it may support a reduction of inflammation in women’s health conditions such as Endometriosis (4).
Joints & mobility
Taken in therapeutic doses, Turmeric may ease joint pain and stiffness, reduce tenderness and limit cartilage wear. Benefits have been explored in recent large-scale analyses comparing it with standard pain medicines (5). Not just for senior years, Turmeric can be beneficial for those who are very physically active or sporty, too.
Antioxidant & liver support
Meta-analyses in non-alcoholic fatty-liver disease show modest yet significant drops in liver enzymes when curcumin is added to lifestyle changes (6). Additionally, Turmeric’s high antioxidant capacity (its golden yellow colour denotes this) works to protect the body from the potentially damaging effects of modern, especially urban, living, and can enhance key antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase, while also reducing biomarkers of oxidative stress (7). As a result, Turmeric may contribute to the maintenance of general health, supporting the body’s natural resilience to everyday oxidative challenges.
Digestive ‘fire’
As a warming spice, Turmeric can revive sluggish digestion by supporting blood flow to the gut lining and increasing bile flow. Bile is a fluid that is made and released by the liver and stored in the gallbladder. Healthy bile not only breaks down fat, but also helps you absorb the beneficial fats your hormones and brain depend on (8).
Immunity
Curcumin has demonstrated excellent antiviral and antimicrobial activity in clinical studies, making it a favourite seasonal ally for teachers, health workers and frequent flyers (9).
Chronic low-grade inflammation can leave our immune defences sluggish and has been linked to changes in energy and mood, including depressive symptoms. Studies suggest curcumin may help regulate inflammatory messenger proteins (cytokines), helping the body return to a better state of equilibrium, which may in turn support an improvement in mood and immune function (10,11).
References
Hewlings, S.J. & Kalman, D.S. (2017) ‘Curcumin: A review of its effects on human health’, Foods, 6(10), pp. 92.
Dehzad, M.J. et al. (2023). Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of curcumin/turmeric supplementation in adults: A GRADE-assessed systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials, Cytokine, 164, 156144.
Wu, S. & Xiao, D. (2016). Effect of curcumin on nasal symptoms and airflow in patients with perennial allergic rhinitis, Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, 117(6), pp.697-702.e1.
Zhao, J. et al. (2023) ‘Efficacy and safety of curcumin therapy for knee osteoarthritis: A Bayesian network meta-analysis, Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 321, pp.117493.
Vallée, A., & Lecarpentier, Y. (2020). ‘Curcumin and Endometriosis’. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 21(7), pp.2440.
Ebrahimzadeh, S. et al. (2025). Therapeutic effects of curcumin supplementation on liver enzymes of non-alcoholic fatty-liver disease patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised clinical trials, Food Science & Nutrition 13(1), pp. e4144.
Trujillo, J. et al. (2013). ‘Renoprotective effect of the antioxidant curcumin: Recent findings’. Redox biology, 1(1), pp 448–456.
Rasyid, A. & Lelo, A. (1999) ‘The effect of curcumin and placebo on human gall-bladder function: An ultrasound study’, Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 13(2), pp.245-249.
Sharifi-Rad, J. et al. (2020). Curcumin and viral infections: A review, Phytotherapy Research, 34(8), pp.1271-1283.
Fusar-Poli, L. et al. (2020). Curcumin for depression: A meta-analysis, Journal of Affective Disorders, 267, pp.102-111.
