Turmeric Curcumin for Prediabetes

Michael Greger M.D. FACLM · January 15, 2016 · Volume 28

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A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial on the use of the turmeric pigment curcumin to prevent diabetes in prediabetics is published with extraordinary results.

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Transcript

An extraordinary study was published in the Journal of the American Diabetes Association. Curcumin extract for prevention of type 2 diabetes. A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial of folks diagnosed with prediabetes. Half got supplements of curcumin, the yellow pigment in the spice turmeric and curry powder, and the other half got identical looking placebos, and they just followed them for nine months to see who ended up with diabetes.

After nine months of treatment, 16% of subjects in the placebo group went on to get full-blown diabetes. How many in the curcumin group? None. The curcumin group saw a significant improvement in fasting blood sugars, glucose tolerance, hemoglobin A1C, insulin sensitivity, pancreatic insulin-producing beta cell function (measured two different ways), and insulin sensitivity.

What if you already have diabetes? Same beneficial effects, and at a fraction of the dose. The prediabetes study used the equivalent of like a quarter cup of turmeric a day, whereas this used only about a teaspoon’s worth, which is doable through diet rather than supplements. And what’s interesting here is the purported mechanism. Fat in the bloodstream plays an important role in the development of insulin resistance and ultimately, type 2 diabetes. Fat builds up inside your muscle cells and gums up the works, interfering with insulin signaling. And look what the curcumin was able to do to fat levels in the blood, the first study to show that these turmeric spice compounds may have an anti-diabetic effect by decreasing fats in the blood.

So, if you are pre-diabetic, it might be a good idea to add turmeric to your diet, but it’s important to recognize that prediabetes is a disease in itself, increasing the risk of death, cancer, heart disease, and vision loss. So, it’s not enough to just prevent progression to full-blown diabetes; prediabetes may be cured completely, with a healthy plant-based diet.

Remember the smoker pee study? Yes, those who abuse their bodies with unhealthy diets can lower their risk by eating powerful plants, but better to cut the crap out altogether.

To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by Katie Schloer.

Please consider volunteering to help out on the site.

Sources

Acknowledgements

Images thanks to Hans via Pixabay.

Topics

An extraordinary study was published in the Journal of the American Diabetes Association. Curcumin extract for prevention of type 2 diabetes. A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial of folks diagnosed with prediabetes. Half got supplements of curcumin, the yellow pigment in the spice turmeric and curry powder, and the other half got identical looking placebos, and they just followed them for nine months to see who ended up with diabetes.

After nine months of treatment, 16% of subjects in the placebo group went on to get full-blown diabetes. How many in the curcumin group? None. The curcumin group saw a significant improvement in fasting blood sugars, glucose tolerance, hemoglobin A1C, insulin sensitivity, pancreatic insulin-producing beta cell function (measured two different ways), and insulin sensitivity.

What if you already have diabetes? Same beneficial effects, and at a fraction of the dose. The prediabetes study used the equivalent of like a quarter cup of turmeric a day, whereas this used only about a teaspoon’s worth, which is doable through diet rather than supplements. And what’s interesting here is the purported mechanism. Fat in the bloodstream plays an important role in the development of insulin resistance and ultimately, type 2 diabetes. Fat builds up inside your muscle cells and gums up the works, interfering with insulin signaling. And look what the curcumin was able to do to fat levels in the blood, the first study to show that these turmeric spice compounds may have an anti-diabetic effect by decreasing fats in the blood.

So, if you are pre-diabetic, it might be a good idea to add turmeric to your diet, but it’s important to recognize that prediabetes is a disease in itself, increasing the risk of death, cancer, heart disease, and vision loss. So, it’s not enough to just prevent progression to full-blown diabetes; prediabetes may be cured completely, with a healthy plant-based diet.

Remember the smoker pee study? Yes, those who abuse their bodies with unhealthy diets can lower their risk by eating powerful plants, but better to cut the crap out altogether.

To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by Katie Schloer.

Please consider volunteering to help out on the site.

Images thanks to Hans via Pixabay.

Doctor's Note

Here’s the smoker pee study I mentioned: Carcinogenic Blocking Effects of Turmeric.

What’s that about fat being involved in the development of diabetes? See:

More on treating prediabetes and preventing it in the first place:

If just one plant can have that effect, what about a whole diet composed of plants? See Plant-Based Diets and Diabetes, and for some of the mechanisms, How May Plants Protect Against Diabetes?

Diabetes is not the only reason I encourage everyone to consume a quarter teaspoon of turmeric every day in my new book:

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