foodconsumer.org: Obesity’s newest enemy: Curcumin

Obesity’s newest enemy: Curcumin
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admin on 04/29/2009 23:43:00
 
Wednesday April 29, 2008 (foodconsumer.org) -- The Journal of Nutrition is
reporting that the agent that produces the yellowish pigment of turmeric has the
potential to reduce weight gain. Asma Ejaz, affiliated with the Jean Mayer USDA
Human Nutrition Resource Center on Aging at Tufts University, led a team of
researchers in their study to determine the “mechanics of action” associated
with turmeric and weight gain.
For the study, mice were fed a diet high in fat. After they’d gained a
sufficient amount of weight to begin the study, they were fed large doses of
turmeric over a period of 12 weeks. During the experimentation period, their
food levels were left unchanged. At the end of the study, the mice had not only
reduced their body weight, they had lower cholesterol levels and a reduction in
actual fat mass.
In her comments regarding the study, Ejaz noted that the horizon looks bright
for the weight management industry, as turmeric “may have a potential benefit
in preventing obesity.”
The Many Benefits of Turmeric
Walk into your local natural foods retailer, and you will find a plethora of
supplements that are reputed to help specific ailments, some more “popular”
than others. One supplement that may seem obscure to some is turmeric; the
positive link between curcumin and weight loss isn’t the only “good news”
scientists have uncovered regarding the spice. Following is a synopsis of
several findings over the last several years:
* In 2002, the University of Rochester Medical Center concluded that turmeric
assists in protecting cancer patients from developing the blisters and burns
associated with radiation treatment. The Rochester study also discovered that
turmeric is an anti-inflammatory and appears to suppress tumor growth.
* In 2004, The Science Journal reported that curry, of which turmeric is a
component, has been tied to correcting a cellular malfunction that is
responsible for cystic fibrosis.
* The Journal of Clinical Investigations reported that a study at the National
Hospital in Kyoto, Japan, discovered that turmeric short-circuits heart
enlargement that leads to heart failure.
* Sharon Plank, MD, from Pittsburgh’s Medical School Center for Integrative
Medicine asserts that, in conjunction with more traditional medications,
turmeric functions as an anti-inflammatory and may assist joint pain sufferers.
The bottom line: you might want to check out some curry recipes online - that
humble compound packs a powerful 1-2 punch to obesity and a multitude of
inflammatory ailments.
(By Rachel Stockton, and edited by Heather Kelley)