New study demonstrates curcumin improves dyslipidemia and inflammatory markers in patients with diabetes

According to a new study published last Tuesday, researchers demonstrated the effect of curcumin supplementation on inflammatory markers and lipid profiles of patients with diabetes.

There are only a few natural products that have demonstrated the wide range of protective properties as curcumin. Turmeric has three main bioactive components which are curcumin, desmethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin. These curcuminoids have many biological effects including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antitumor, antibacterial, and antiviral properties.

This double-blind randomized clinical trial included forty-four patients with Type 2 diabetes. Each patient was randomly assigned to take 1500 mg of curcumin or a placebo per day for a ten-week period. Anthropometric measurements were measured at baseline and at the end of the study. Laboratory assessment including a lipid panel, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-crp), and adiponectin were measured at baseline and at the end of study.

As a result, there was a significant reduction in serum triglycerides in the patients who consumed the curcumin compared to the beginning of the study. In addition, hs-crp levels decreased as expected and there was an increase in adiponectin, a fat burning hormone, compared to the placebo. These results indicate the benefits of curcumin supplementation in patients with diabetes.

Previous studies have demonstrated that curcumin promotes changes in the expression of genes involved in cholesterol synthesis such as the LDL receptor mRNA, HMG CoA reductase, SREBP, cholesterol 7 alpha hydrolyze, PPAR, and LXR1._1,2 One human study demonstrated that 500 mg of curcumin per day increased HDL cholesterol by 29% and reduced total cholesterol by 12%.₂

In addition, I shared a study from Complementary Therapies in Medicine from 2017 on curcumin and dyspildemia in diabetic patients. In this study, researchers demonstrated that curcuminoid supplementation of 1000 mg daily for 12 weeks can reduce lipoprotein(a) and increase HDL-C.

Health care providers have many tools today to assess cardiovascular health and support the body’s physiology. It is essential to perform a thorough assessment for these patients. This may include looking at advanced lipid profiles, inflammatory markers (ferritin, hs-CRP, fibrinogen), nutrient markers (magnesium, potassium, selenium, copper, folate, B12, B6, and zinc), fat soluble vitamins (CoQ10, vitamin D, vitamin K, Vitamin A, and tocotrienols), oxidative stress factors (homocysteine, insulin, and lipid peroxidases), heavy metals, and fatty acid profiles. A successful treatment approach should include investigation into these factors.

By Michael Jurgelewicz, DC, DACBN, DCBCN, CNS

Source: Adibian M, Hodaei H, et al. The effects of curcumin supplementation on high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, serum adiponectin, and lipid profile in patients with type 2 diabetes: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Phytother Res. 2019 March 12.

 Ferguson J, Stojanovski E et al. Curcumin potentiates cholesterol-lowering effects of phytosterols in hypercholesterolaemic individuals. A randomised controlled trial. Metabolism 2017 Dec 29.

1. Houston MC, Fazio S, Chilton FH, Wise DE, Jones KB, Barringer TA, and Bramlet DA. Non pharmacologic treatment of dyslipidemia. Prog Cardiovasc Dis 2009; 52: 61–94.
2. Soni KB and Kuttan R. Effect of oral curcumin administration on serum peroxides and cholesterol levels in human volunteers. Indian J Physiol Pharmacol 1992; 36(4): 273–75.

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