Novel Form of Curcumin Improves Endothelial Function in Young, Healthy Individuals: A Double-Blind Placebo Controlled Study

Abstract EN

Curcumin, a turmeric extract, may protect against cardiovascular diseases by enhancing endothelial function.

In this randomized controlled double-blind parallel prospective study, fifty-nine healthy adults were assigned to placebo, 50 mg (50 mg), or 200 mg (200 mg) curcumin, for 8 weeks.

The higher curcumin (200 mg) supplementation produced a dose-mediated improvement in endothelial function measured by flow-mediated dilation (FMD).

The outcome was a clinically substantial 3.0% increase (90% CI 0.7 to 5.3%, p = 0.032 ; benefit : harm odds ratio 546 : 1) with the 200 mg dose, relative to placebo.

The 50 mg dose also increased FMD relative to placebo by 1.7% (−0.6 to 4.0%, p = 0.23 ; 25 : 1), but the outcome was not clinically decisive.

In apparently healthy adults, 8 weeks of 200 mg oral curcumin supplementation resulted in a clinically meaningful improvement in endothelial function as measured by FMD.

Oral curcumin supplementation may present a simple lifestyle strategy for decreasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

This trial was registered at ISRCTN registry (ISRCTN90184217).