# Curcumin is a super herb. Good for depression.



## Beggiatoa (Dec 25, 2004)

I took curcumin for years for pain in my joints. Eventually, those pains went away. So I stopped the curcumin. After this, I realized during this time, I didn't experience random episodes of depression. After I stopped supplementing with it, those depressive episodes came back. I little research on pubmed shows that Curcumin is a potent antidepressant. It is also a great anti-inflammatory, immune modulator, is neuro-protective and many other functions.
Curcumin is also used for patients with Alzheimers disease as it reduces the amyloid plaques that develpop in alzheimers patients. We've found in this forum that things that help alzheimers patients, like lecithin and choline are also beneficial to us. Curcumin also acts as an MAO-B inhibitors. This is what breaks down serotonin and other neuro-transmitters in the brain. Curcumin increases glutathione in the brain....Also, curcumin is typically use against cancer...Curcumin can boost the immune system and has anti viral, bacterial and fungal properties.



> Antidepressant effects of curcumin in the forced swim test and olfactory bulbectomy models of depression in rats.
> Xu Y, Ku BS, Yao HY, Lin YH, Ma X, Zhang YH, Li XJ.
> 
> Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Science, Peking University, China.
> ...





> The effects of curcumin on depressive-like behaviors in mice.
> Xu Y, Ku BS, Yao HY, Lin YH, Ma X, Zhang YH, Li XJ.
> 
> Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Science, Peking University, 38 Xueyuan Road, Beijing, 100083, PR China.
> ...


Curcumin even helps to modulate dopamine and serotonin release. Two neurotransmitters linked to depression when deficient.



> Antidepressant activity of curcumin: involvement of serotonin and dopamine system.
> Kulkarni SK, Bhutani MK, Bishnoi M.
> 
> Pharmacology Division, University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Panjab University, Chandigarh, 160014, India, [email protected].
> ...


However, I did not find any relationship between curcumin and GABA.

It's amazing what you can find on Pubmed. Just start typing in keywords and see what you can find. There's been research done on just about anything.


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## Wellington (Dec 29, 2007)

IHerb has curcumin with bioperine (which can enhance the bioavailability up to 2000%). One major issue with taking curcumin by itself is that it's bioavailability basically sucks. I use it also and have noticed no aching joints and a better mood. It also helps kill cancer cells during the G2 phase of growth.

If you are a cancer-phobe you can lower your chances by taking EGCG and Curcumin. Both interrupt cancer cell growth during the G1/G2 phase.


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## Beggiatoa (Dec 25, 2004)

Curcumin dissolves well in fat so I try to take it around meal time. This pretty much circumvents the problem. Also, bioperine help. The a new formulation called BCM-95 which, (duh) uses more of the turmeric root to increase absorption. Life extension has this one.


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## X33 (Feb 13, 2005)

Have you come across any research suggesting that curcumin helps improve memory? I know of 1 article, which says that curcumin reduces risk of Alzheimers' but preventing memory loss is different from memory improvement.

If you have not that is fine, thanks for posting the articles above. I have been taking curcumin for a few weeks now.


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## Beggiatoa (Dec 25, 2004)

Curcumin and memory. A google and pubmed search gave me this:

http://www.accelerating.org/articles/curcumin.html

http://www.shvoong.com/medicine-and-hea ... -function/

http://cmj.org/Periodical/abstractlist. ... 2239002495

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1788 ... d_RVDocSum


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## proximo20 (Nov 25, 2006)

I bought turmeric caps one moth ago. The caps had distinct smell which I liked, but I had diarrhea and stopped taking it. 

Yesterday I tried one more time but this time without any side effect. And the smell of the caps was also gone. Now it smells like ginger. 

So were they too fresh? Should they smell? Do you get also diarrhea from turmeric?


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## Beggiatoa (Dec 25, 2004)

I don't get diarrhea from it. Maybe it was a bad batch? I also use a lot of turmeric with my food, about 1-2 teaspoons and I never get any effects. How much did you take?


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## nunni (Sep 12, 2008)

When I took curcumin I also got some stomache problems...but I am sure it was working in some way I was sooo much happier on it. But my weight started to drop so...

From what I understand Curcumin is rich in sulfa and raises glutathione. It seems when I take things that are rich in sulfa I get even more stomache problems...I suppose that is the mercury connection.


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## proximo20 (Nov 25, 2006)

Beggiatoa said:


> I don't get diarrhea from it. Maybe it was a bad batch? I also use a lot of turmeric with my food, about 1-2 teaspoons and I never get any effects. How much did you take?


I suppose it was a bad batch.


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## nunni (Sep 12, 2008)

Thought I would add that I noticed a extra benefit when I took a teaspoon of cocconut oil and mixed it with turmeric and hot water and a little salt... Now Iguess Iunderstand why. Been taking it for the last 2-3 days to ward off my craziness and I seem to be calmer...but alrready loosing weight! Sigh what's a girl to do!


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