Curcumin and Cancer: The Evidence

Curcumin is a dietary compound from the Indian spice turmeric. Studies are increasingly concluding that regular consumption of curcumin can provide major health benefits. It has even been suggested that curcumin can cut the risk of certain cancers. But is there evidence to support this?

Breast cancer

Research has shown that curcumin may reduce the risk of breast cancer. Breast cancer rates in India, where turmeric consumption is the highest in the world, are three times lower than in the UK.  An in vitro (laboratory-based) study found that curcumin prevented breast cells turning cancerous when triclocarban (a household cleaning agent) was added to the cells.

Colorectal (bowel) cancer

Curcumin has been shown to benefit several areas of bowel health, even those without cancer:

  • It can reduce pre-cancerous tumours in people with family links to polyposis.
  • It has been found to reduce tumour development in inflamed colons.

Colon english

Liver cancer

Curcumin has been used to prevent and treat a range of liver conditions, including hepatitis. Hepatitis B and C are viruses that infect the liver. If left untreated they will eventually cause hardening of the liver through processes called fibrosis and cirrhosis. These conditions make cancer of the liver more likely and curcumin has been successful in several trials by helping to prevent these steps taking place.

Supplements Complementary to Diet

More and more doctors are recommending that patients take supplements containing curcumin alongside a cancer prevention diet. Turmeric has been used as an anti-inflammatory for thousands of years, but modern scientific research is discovering new health benefits. Most evidence suggests that the risk of certain cancers can be significantly reduced by regular consumption of turmeric or a curcumin supplement.

 

 

Article Submitted By Community Writer.

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