Turmeric Improves Recovery In Professional Soccer Players, Study Suggests

Obtained from the rhizomes of the Curcuma longa plant, turmeric powder is used extensively in South Asian cooking and food preservation. Due to its proven medicinal properties, turmeric is also used in Ayurvedic medicine for skin, respiratory and gastrointestinal ailments, liver disorders, muscle sprains, joint pains, and wound healing.

The most abundant natural phenol present in turmeric is curcumin, which gives the spice its yellow color. Over the past few decades, curcumin has been extensively studied to evaluate its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and immune modulation properties.

Curcuminoid compounds help maintain a healthy cardiovascular system by improving the viscosity of blood and reducing plaque formation in the arteries. Recent studies show that curcumin helps maintain cholesterol levels by reducing low-density cholesterol (LDL) and triglyceride levels. It can also reverse insulin resistance in the early stages of diabetes and, in synergy with vitamin D, reduce the amyloid plaques that are characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease.

To learn more about the health protective effects of turmeric and curcumin, see this article on our website.