Curcuma longa, better known in English as turmeric, has an orange-yellow rhizome that is famed above all for its use as a spice in cooking. But did you know that turmeric can also offer a number of health benefits? It contributes towards supple and healthy joints, as well as being good for the liver, keeping skin healthy and supporting the nervous system. In addition, it gives a boost to the body's natural resistance.
Longvida® ensures the effective absorption of the curcumin its contains, thanks to the use of an optimised curcuminoid complex! This is important, because in general curcumin is not easily absorbed by the body. Longvida® is also the best choice from the different forms of turmeric for the support of cognitive functions, since Longvida® is able to pass the free curcumin through the blood-brain barrier.
Therapeutic effects of turmeric
In traditional Indian medicine, the Ayurveda, the medicinal properties of turmeric have been recognised and valued for generations. Today, it is one of the most studied of all natural substances, with more than 4,000 scientific publications to its name, which have repeatedly confirmed the many and varied benefits of turmeric.
1. Liver-protective effect
Turmeric protects the liver primarily against oxidative liver diseases (for example, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease or NAFLD). It does this by activating the so-called phase two enzymes, including glutathione-S-transferase, which makes it possible for toxic substances and medicines (like paracetamol) – which can often put added strain on the liver – to be eliminated from the body more quickly.
In addition, turmeric stimulates bile secretion and bile flow, which results in better fat digestion. Turmeric also has a further positive effect on the cholesterol profile in serum and tissues. In this way, turmeric helps to ensure a reduction in the level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and total cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations, as well as increasing the level of high-density lipoprotein (HDL). At the same time, it also improves insulin resistance.
2. Anti-inflammatory effect
Inflammation is the cause of many chronic conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, asthma and psoriasis. Although inflammation is often seen as something negative, it nonetheless plays an important role in the healing process. If you have a wound or if your body comes into contact with viruses or bacteria, your immune system is automatically activated. The first response of this system is to release inflammatory cells and to increase the production of cytokines (which are substances that can stimulate the production of even more inflammatory cells). In this way, wounds are able to be healed and viruses and bacteria can be held in check. This beneficial process is referred to as acute inflammation. However, in cases of chronic inflammation the immune system is activated without an obvious reason in the shape of an external threat. This, for example, can lead to the chronic inflammation of joints, as is the case with rheumatoid arthritis.
An important element within the inflammation process is NF-ĸB. This transcription factor regulates the expression of many of the genes that are associated with inflammation. For this reason, the activation of NF-ĸB plays a central role in various disease processes, such as rheumatoid arthritis.
It has been shown that curcumin can inhibit the activation of NF-ĸB, allowing it to interrupt the so-called inflammatory cascade. Moreover, turmeric can also directly suppress a number of pro-inflammatory substances (interleukins, prostaglandins and cytokines), as well as inhibiting cyclo-oxygenase 2 (COX-2) activity.
Clinical studies have demonstrated improved disease activity scores (DAS), such as easier walking, less evening stiffness and reduced swelling of the affected joints in patients with rheumatoid arthritis who have been given a course of curcumin. One study even concluded that it was an effective alternative to diclofenac. An animal study observed an inhibition of both the acute inflammation reaction and the chronic degenerative process. Specific studies involving Longvida® demonstrated an effective improvement in the symptoms of osteoarthritis in the knee, with the added benefit that – because of its optimized form – a lower dose of Longvida® is required in comparison with ordinary curcumin. Studies examining physical effort concluded that there were fewer markers for inflammation and a reduced level of muscle damage following the oral ingestion of Longvida®. This improves muscle recovery in sportsmen and women.
3. Neuro-protective effect
Longvida® is a revolutionary substance that helps the human brain to age more healthily. It has been proven that Longvida® can be used to effectively treat cognitive disorders, because of its ability to penetrate the blood-brain barrier, allowing it to protect nerve tissue within the brain. It does this by inhibiting fat peroxidation and by bonding with amyloid β-plaques and tau proteins (proteins that play a role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease). This further leads to a reduction of neuronal inflammation.
In addition, clinical studies have observed improved cognitive functionsnot only in healthy adults, but also in people affected by Alzheimer's disease and Down syndrome. Healthy adults also benefited from improved memory, improved concentration, improved alertness, greater energy and a reduction in tiredness and stress.
4. Immuno-supportive effect
Curcumin is a powerful immuno-modulating substance that regulates the activation of numerous different cells that are closely involved with the operation of the body's immune system, such as T and B cells, macrophages, neutrophiles, 'natural killer' cells and dendritic cells. At the same time, curcumin can also improve the anti-body response through the stimulation of polymorphonuclear leukocytes and by increasing IgG levels.
For these reasons, turmeric is a useful natural aid for the support of the immune system in cases where the level of natural resistance is low. For example, this characteristic has a beneficial effect on diabetes, asthma and some allergies.
5. Anti-oxidative effect
Curcumin is a powerful anti-oxidant and protects the body against the damage caused to cells and tissues by reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this way, it contributes toward healthy skin and inhibits the oxidation of fats (which is important for the prevention of atherosclerosis and neuro-degenerative diseases).
Indirectly, curcumin also helps to improve the cellular response to oxidative stress by increasing the expression of (amongst other things) superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase and glutathion (GSH). These are important endogenous anti-oxidants that have a built-in protective mechanism to combat damage caused by ROS. Glutathion is regarded as being the most important (non-enzymatic) intracellular anti-oxidant.
Active substances - curcuminoids
Longvida® is a patented substance containing a fat-soluble extract of turmeric. The active component in this extract consists of curcuminoids, the most important of which is curcumin. There are many other curcumin preparations on the market, but in many cases the bio-availability of the curcumin is less good. When it is ingested, the curcumin is quickly converted into a glucuronide form that to a large extent is eliminated by the 'first pass' metabolism in the liver. In addition, its hydrophobic nature provides only limited solubility in water. In contrast, Longvida® has a superior bio-availability, thanks to the use of solid lipid curcumin particle (SLCP™) technology. This technology makes it possible for a lipophilic matrix to be formed around the curcumin, which ensures its good absorption by the body. It has been proven to be a safe technology that increases bio-availability in a natural way. The micro-particles of curcumin are absorbed in the intestines, from where they are transported through the body by the lymph, allowing the liver and its 'first pass' metabolism to be bypassed. Studies have shown that the absorption rate for Longvida® is 95 times better than the absorption rate for ordinary curcumin and can already be observed in the blood just one hour after ingestion. Moreover, an effective dose remains present in the body for up to 24 hours. This explains why we opt without hesitation for Longvida® as a source of free curcumin.
Related products
Keypharm nv declares that all the information in this non-commercial blog is intended exclusively for professional users. Consequently, the information provided in this document is not subject to the provisions of regulation (EU) no. 1924/2006 relating to nutrition and health claims made for foods.
References
Medicinal properties of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.): A review. Verma RK, Kumari P, Maurya RK, Kumar V, Verma RB, Singh RK (2018). Journal of Chemical Studies; 6 (4): 1354-1357.
Curcumin in Liver Diseases: A Systematic Review of the Cellular Mechanisms of Oxidative Stress and Clinical Perspective. Farzaei MH, Zobeir M, Parvizi F, El-Senduny FF, Marmouzi I, Coy-Barrera E, Naseri R, Nabavi SM, Rahimi R, Abdollahi M (2018). Nutrients; 10: 855.
Beneficial effects of curcumin on hyperlipidemia and insulin resistance in high-fat–fed hamsters. Jang E-M, Choi M-S, Jung UJ, Kim M-J, Kim H-J, Jeon S-M, Shin S-K, Seong C-M, Lee, M-K (2008). Metabolism; 578 (11): 1576-1583.
Activation of Transcription Factor NF-kB Is Suppressed by Curcumin (Diferulolylmethane). Singh S, Aggarwal BB (1995). The journal of biological chemistry; 270 (42): 24995-25000.
Curcumin in Inflammatory Diseases. Shehzad A, Rehman G, Lee YS (2012). International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; 39 (1): 69-77.
A randomized, pilot study to assess the efficacy and safety of curcumin in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis. Chandran B, Goel A (2012). Phytotherapy research; 26 (11): 1719-1725.
Curcumin and rheumatoid arthritis: A systematic review of literature. Pourhabibi-Zarandi F, Shojaei-Zarghani S, Rafraf M (2021). The International Journal of Clinical Practice; 75 (10).
Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of Capsule Longvida® Optimized Curcumin (solid lipid curcumin particles) in knee osteoarthritis: a pilot clinical study. Gupte PA, Giramkar SA, Harke SM, Kulkarni SK, Deshmukh AP, Hingorani LL, Mahajan MP, Bhalerao SS (2019). Journal of Inflammation Research; 12: 145-152.
Reduced inflammatory and muscle damage biomarkers following oral supplementation with bioavailable curcumin. McFarlin, Venable AS, Henning AL, Sampson JNB, Pennel K, Vingren JL, Hill DW (2016). BBA clinical; 5: 72-78.
Effects of Nutrition on Cognitive Function in Adults with or without Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Clinical Trials. Gutierrez L , Folch A, Rojas M, Cantero JL, Atienza M, Folch J, Camins A , Ruiz A, Papandreou C, Bulló M (2021). Nutrients; 13: 3728.
“Spicing up” of the immune system by Curcumin. Jagetia GC, Aggarwal BB (2007). Journal of Clinical Immunlogy; 27 (1): 19-35.
Dietary Curcumin enhances antibody response in rats. South EH, Exon JH, Hendrix K (1997). Immunopharmacology and immunotoxicology; 19 (1): 105-119.
Skin regenerative potentials of curcumin. Thangapazham RL, Sharad S, Maheshwari RK (2013) Biofactors - Special issue: curcumin; 39 (1); 141-149.