5,000+ Studies: Turmeric More Effective Than Leading Drugs For Diabetes, Arthritis And Cancer

by DailyHealthPost Editorial

turmeric healing

6. Arthritis Medication (Diclofenac Sodium)

A study published in the Journal of Phytotherapy Research examined the effects of turmeric (500 mg) on arthritic patients in comparison to diclofenac sodium (50mg), a popular arthritis drug. The effects of both solutions in combination were also examined.

Research not only found the turmeric-only group had similar to the group and combination groups, they also had better results and experienced no side effects compared to well-known and well-documented risks of diclofenac (10).
Turmeric actually contains 3 major curcuminoids (curcumin, desmethoxycurcumin, and bisdemethoxycurcumin) that have anti-arthritic effects by interrupting the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (11).

7. Chemotherapy Drug (Oxaliplatin)

Oxaliplatin is a powerful chemotherapy drug typically used to fight aggressive cancers like colorectal cancer. It’s typically combined with other cancer drugs to improve its efficacy and given to patients intravenously. Common side effects include peripheral neuropathy (numbness triggered by cold), nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, mouth sores, fatigue, loss of appetite, and low blood count (12).

According to a 2007 study published in the International Journal of Cancer, curcumin may be as effective as this drug in treating cancer. It acts as an antiproliferative agent in colorectal cell lines and induces apoptosis in cancerous cells. However, unlike chemotherapy, turmeric has the ability to distinguish between healthy and unhealthy cells so the spice has no harmful side-effects (13).

8. Diabetes Drug (Metformin)

Turmeric doesn’t just modulate inflammatory response, it can also help control blood sugar.

A study published in the scientific journal Biochemistry and Biophysical Research Community found that turmeric has the ability to lower blood glucose levels by improving glucose intake by the liver and suppressing glucose production, therefore preventing the long-term complications of diabetes. Although the results are poorly understood, the researchers who conducted the study believe that these results may be due to the spice’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects (14).

Another study examined its ability to prevent diabetes in prediabetics. The 9-months study involved two groups: one receiving a placebo and another receiving daily turmeric supplementation. They found that that the spice prevented the progression of the disease in all patients in the turmeric group while 16.4% of subjects in the placebo group were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes by the end of the study (15).

9. Pain Killers

Painkillers are one of the worst offenders when it comes to liver damage caused by pharmaceutical drugs.

That’s why it’s promising that researchers have discovered that the active compound in turmeric, curcumin, has analgesic properties, meaning that it can diminish the sensation of pain by triggering a response in the opioid receptors in the brain (16,17).

Advertisement

Unlike pharmaceuticals, turmeric has no potential for addiction, making it an attractive alternative to prescription and over-the-counter pain medication.

10. Burn Ointment

Like honey, turmeric has the ability to heal burns and other surface wounds.

A 2013 study discovered that turmeric paste can improve healing time of burns and reduce pain. Since burns are prone to infection, turmeric’s ability to destroy the cellular membrane of harmful bacteria is also well appreciated in its first aid use (18,19).

Additionally, turmeric has the ability to heal multiple skin conditions, including acne, alopecia, atopic dermatitis, facial photoaging, oral lichen planus, pruritus, psoriasis, radiodermatitis, and vitiligo (20).

Advertisement