Curcuminoids from Tumeric For Clogged Arteries

Been reading about Unclogging one's arteries lately and came across a couple of informative articles on CURCUMIN. Is this a supplement you should add to your diet regimen? Let's take a look. Following are a couple of valuable links for more information:

http://www.naturalnews.com/041306_turmeric_curcumin_clogged_arteries.html

EXCERPTS:

(NaturalNews) The humble spice that gives curry powder its characteristic yellow color may hold the key to helping people lower their cholesterol and fight heart disease naturally, research suggests.

The spice in question, turmeric, has a long history of use as a traditional medicine across Asia. In recent years, Western scientists have conducted numerous studies on turmeric and the trio of yellow pigments that it contains known as curcuminoids. The curcuminoids (sometimes simply called "curcumin," after the most famous of the three) are antioxidant polyphenols known to function as potent anti-inflammatories.

According to a study published in the journal Atherosclerosis in 2004, turmeric extract may reduce the susceptibility of LDL ("bad") cholesterol to oxidation, an important step in the development of atherosclerosis and heart disease. Turmeric extract also reduced overall LDL and total cholesterol levels. Notably, the study found the most benefit to turmeric extract at a lower rather than a higher dose.

Another, more comprehensive, study was conducted by French researchers in 2008, presented at the American Heart Association's Basic Cardiovascular Sciences Annual Conference in 2009 and published in the journal Molecular Nutrition & Food Research in 2012. Mice predisposed to develop atherosclerosis were fed either a control diet or the same diet plus curcumin supplements for four months. At the end of this time, researchers found 26 percent fewer fatty artery deposits in the mice fed the curcumin-enhanced diet. Fewer atherosclerotic lesions were seen in these mice. In addition, the researchers found that curcumin seemed to actually change the expression of genes related to plaque buildup in arteries.

Turmeric outperforms cholesterol-lowering drugs?

Another study on mice predisposed to heart disease was conducted by researchers from Kyungpook National University in South Korea and published in the journal Molecular Nutrition & Food Research in 2011. In this study, the mice were fed a high cholesterol diet that was supplemented either with curcumin, the cholesterol-lowering drug lovastatin or a placebo. After 18 weeks, the researchers found that just like lovastatin, curcumin lowered blood levels of cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL cholesterol, while increasing levels of HDL ("good") cholesterol. It also led to changes in gene expression that could be expected to reduce the risk of artery damage and heart disease.

"Long-term curcumin treatment lowers plasma and hepatic cholesterol and suppresses early atherosclerotic lesions comparable to the protective effects of lovastatin," the researchers concluded. "The anti-atherogenic effect of curcumin is mediated via multiple mechanisms including altered lipid, cholesterol and immune gene expression."

Turmeric for your heart and health

Lowering cholesterol and fighting arterial disease are not the only ways that turmeric improves the health of your heart, or of your body as a whole. In a trio of studies published between June and October 2012, researchers from the University of Tsukuba in Japan found that curcumin supplements improved two measures of heart health (vascular endothelial function and arterial compliance) as much as an aerobic exercise program, while a combination of the two lead to even more dramatic benefits. A combination of curcumin and exercise was also found to significantly slow age-related degeneration in the heart.

Studies have also suggested that turmeric and curcumin can help fight infection, arthritis, Alzheimer's disease, and numerous forms of cancer.

The body absorbs curcumin best from turmeric root (which is more commonly consumed in the West ground up, as a spice), rather than from supplements. As seen in the 2004 study, evidence suggests that the greatest health benefit comes from consuming curcumin and other "nutraceuticals" at low doses over a long period of time, rather than from short-term, high dosage schedules.

Here is another LINK:

http://www.sharecare.com/health/heart-disease/article/turmeric-benefits-heart-arteries

EXCERPTS:

Turmeric Benefits: Prevent Blocked Arteries

For healthy, flexible, clog-free arteries, add more ethnic flare to your favorite dishes with this spice: turmeric.

Turmeric is a favorite spice in Indian cooking. And the principal turmeric benefits -- curcumin, to be exact -- have been shown to help prevent arterial plaques from gaining a foothold in blood vessels. Nice!

Culinary Clog-Stopper
Squeaky-clear arteries are a very good thing. They mean less risk of atherosclerosis, a disease that ups the risk of stroke and heart attack. And the turmeric benefits of curcumin seem to help clamp down on blocked arteries in three ways: curbing inflammation-induced damage to the lining of your arteries, lowering blood cholesterol, and regulating blood-platelet production (think thinner, less clot-prone blood). Check out other foods that do wonders for your heart and arteries.

Wait, There's More . . .
Curcumin does more than protect your heart and prevent blocked arteries. Research suggests it may also curb the development of Alzheimer's disease, certain types of cancer, and arthritis -- just to name a few more turmeric benefits. So do both your palate and your health a favor by whipping up this turmeric-inspired creamy cruciferous curry recipe.

LINK to Swanson Health Products supplement:

http://www.swansonvitamins.com/health-library/products/turmeric.html

The Health Benefits of Turmeric Supplements & Curcumin

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Lee Swanson, President of Swanson Health Products®

“If I could choose only one herb for total body health and comfort, I would pick turmeric. It's that good.”

Lee Swanson, President of Swanson Health Products

WA Frost, a turn-of-the-century restaurant located in the historic district of St. Paul, MN, serves a to-die-for chicken salad that is brimming with succulent raisins, crunchy cashews, sweet coconut and the savory taste of exotic curry. It's worth the 240-mile trip from Fargo on a weekend just to enjoy this enticing dish while casually seated out on their summer patio. What's hard to imagine is that something so delicious actually contains a number of ingredients that are good for my health, and curry powder is first and foremost among them. Curry powder is a mixture of a dozen or more spices that are all botanical antioxidants including cumin, coriander, cloves, chili pepper and a very special golden, almost iridescent, powdered herb called turmeric.

Why do you say that turmeric is special among herbs?

We now know that much of the aging process is a direct result of free-radical damage and oxidation to the body on a cellular level. The key to slowing down the natural aging process is to introduce something to the body that has the opposite effect of oxidation, and thank goodness there is such a thing! These agents have been appropriately named antioxidants. The herb turmeric has been used for thousands of years to impart a wonderful fragrant flavor to meats, poultry and rice, and at the same time it was used in ancient medicinal systems like Ayurveda for joint concerns and all kinds of intestinal complaints. However, it wasn't until recent times that health experts came to understand why turmeric is so effective for promoting health. They're now discovering that the very pigments that give turmeric its distinct yellow hue are the primary source of its substantial power. These brightly colored polyphenols are called curcuminoids, and they are proving to be more effective than vitamins C and E, beta-carotene and even the OPCs in grapeseed and pine bark extracts for gobbling up free radicals, which are unstable oxygen molecules that may cause sub-obitmal health.


What are the specific health benefits of turmeric?
The herb turmeric has been used for thousands of years

I doubt there is a cell in your body that wouldn't profit from turmeric, but specific areas where considerable benefits have been documented are the joints, the liver and the digestive system.
How do turmeric supplements help the joints?

Turmeric doesn't work like glucosamine to support cartilage, but it works well with it because it really helps to make joints feel comfortable. Studies have shown that it is absorbed by the body especially well when paired with the pineapple enzyme bromelain. So, if you try turmeric supplements for your joints, I suggest using it along with a bromelain supplement. Swanson Health Products also offers both turmeric and bromelain together with glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM and several other joint nutrients in a combination formula called Mobility Essentials.
I'm curious what turmeric supplements do for the liver.
Turmeric stimulates the flow of bile to help digest fats
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Well, your thinking is right on track, and no doubt many of us should give more consideration to our livers because they regularly work overtime, cleansing and detoxifying all the foods and chemicals we eat and breathe in. Turmeric has demonstrated some amazing abilities to help the liver eliminate dangerous toxins, and animal studies have shown that when fed curcuminoids (an active compound in turmeric), the animals have higher than average blood levels of the enzyme glutathione S-transferase, which is the key antioxidant the liver makes to detoxify our bodies. That's a huge benefit right there! Turmeric also stimulates the flow of bile to help digest fats, so it's easy to understand why it was used as a digestive aid in times past.
How much turmeric does a person need to take?

It's advisable to use about one teaspoon at a time, which is the same as 1.5 grams or 1,500 mg of the whole spectrum powder, and you can use it several times per day. If you like a standardized extract, you can get by with less of it. Swanson Health Products offers both forms depending on your preference, and we also pair it with chlorella for especially effective cleansing and detoxification of the whole body.