A PARTICULAR FORM OF CURCUMIN HAS BEEN SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN TO BE EFFECTIVE IN THE TREATMENT OF MAJOR DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY
October 12, 2016 by admin
Filed under Health Blog
Australian researchers have found that a specific form of Curcumin – which is the active ingredient in turmeric – has been found to treat major depression and anxiety in a randomised double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
The researchers found that this particular extract was effective in treating both major depressive disorder and anxiety and the results were comparable to commonly prescribed SSRIs (anti-depressants).
Four clinical trials have now proven the positive effects of curcumin extract in the treatment of depression. In this latest study, 123 participants were randomised to placebo (cellulose), curcumin or a combination of curcumin and saffron.
12 weeks of treatment with any of the curcumin doses significantly improved depressive symptoms over the placebo group.
Researchers from the Murdoch University (who conducted the trial) found the extract was also beneficial for anxiety. The researchers state that “Volunteers on the active drug treatments experienced significantly greater improvements in anxiety compared to placebo over the 12-week intervention.”
Due to the variance in quality and bioavailability of different curcumin compounds, the researchers postulate that further research should be conducted. They state that “We used a patented curcumin extract (BCM-95®), demonstrated to have increased bioavailability compared to standard curcumin, and a curcumin/piperine combination. Whether similar antidepressant efficacy can be achieved with other curcumin extracts requires investigation.”
Sar’s comment: Curcumin extracts also act as potent antioxidants and anti-inflammatories, thereby helping prevent certain diseases. However, simply taking turmeric powder does not provide the same effective results compared to taking the prescription-only curcumin extract (BCM-95®) which was used in the clinical trial. As the researchers point out, other curcumin extracts may also not offer the same positive treatment outcomes as this patented formula.
Please consult me for health advice to see if this treatment would be right for your individual requirements. If suitable, I would be happy to prescribe you the same formula that was clinically-proven in the research described above.
You can read the abstract of the research here:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165032716310217
Yours in Great Health,
Sar Rooney BHSc., ND., DC., DASc., GDSc. (Hons), MATMS, MHATO
Naturopathic Medicine Practitioner, Lecturer, Researcher & Counsellor
Sar has advanced qualifications in the health sciences and naturopathic medicine and is an accomplished lecturer, practitioner & counsellor with 22 years clinical experience.
Specializing in Anxiety & Depression | Women’s Health | Chronic Fatigue | Hormonal Imbalances | Thyroid Disorders | Digestive Health | Autoimmune Disease| Genetic Polymorphisms & Nutrigenomics | Nutritional Medicine | Counselling | Optimal Wellness & Disease Prevention with a Clinical Focus on Identifying & Resolving the Underlying Causes of Symptoms and Disease.
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