Article Summary
Between turmeric and curcumin, curcumin may offer more benefits for joint pain specifically. You need less curcumin to achieve the same effects as you would with a much higher dosage of turmeric. That said, turmeric contains other compounds besides curcumin, such as turmerones which increase turmeric’s overall effectiveness for health, so you may want to try both and see which works better for your (assuming you have a green light from your doctor).
Regardless if you take turmeric or curcumin, make sure to pair it with black pepper – assuming you take a joint supplement that doesn’t contain the combination – as piperine that is found in black pepper dramatically increases curcumin’s absorption.1
Turmeric vs Curcumin Notes
Turmeric is a golden-yellow spice originating from India that is commonly used for cooking. While turmeric has been a part of traditional medicine in South Asia for thousands of years, its anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving effects have only started getting recognized by scientific research relatively recently.
One of the main reasons for turmeric’s joint health effects, among many other benefits (including for the brain), is actually curcumin, a compound in turmeric.2,3
Curcumin is one of the best-researched compounds found in turmeric, but it’s not the only one. Turmeric also contains:
- emethoxycurcumin: This is similar to curcumin in its effects and molecular structure.
- Bisdemethoxycurcumin: Another compound present in turmeric with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, but it’s less researched than curcumin.
- Turmerones: These are volatile oils that, in addition to having their own antibacterial and neuroprotective effects, enhance the bioavailability (absorption) of curcumin.
- Cyclic Curcuminoids: Again, these molecules in turmeric are similar to curcumin in terms of their bioactivities.
- Nutrients: These include vitamins and trace minerals like iron and zinc.
Generally, turmeric and curcumin share similar benefits, which include reduced inflammatory markers, less joint pain, enhanced brain health and cognitive well-being, improved gut health, and stronger immunity.
The Bottom Line on Their Differences
When it comes to joint health, there aren’t that many significant differences between turmeric and curcumin.
While turmeric contains a wide spectrum of healthful compounds, the most potent and studied one is curcumin. Curcumin, when taken in isolation, seems to have similar effects as taking turmeric.
The key is that curcumin needs to be paired with piperine (a compound found in black pepper) to enhance its absorption in the blood and hence provide the anti-inflammatory and joint health benefits. This shouldn’t be a problem when taking a quality turmeric or curcumin supplement as most of them contain piperine alongside it.
Further Reading: MSM and Turmeric: Can You Combine Them?
References
- Freitas E Silva-Santana, N. C., Rodrigues, H. C. N., Pereira Martins, T. F., Braga, C. C., Silva, M. A. C., Carlos da Cunha, L., de Souza Freitas, A. T. V., Costa, N. A., & Peixoto, M. D. R. G. (2022). Turmeric supplementation with piperine is more effective than turmeric alone in attenuating oxidative stress and inflammation in hemodialysis patients: A randomized, double-blind clinical trial. Free radical biology & medicine, 193(Pt 2), 648–655. ↩︎
- Peng Y, Ao M, Dong B, Jiang Y, Yu L, Chen Z, Hu C, Xu R. Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Curcumin in the Inflammatory Diseases: Status, Limitations and Countermeasures. Drug Des Devel Ther. 2021 Nov 2;15:4503-4525. doi: 10.2147/DDDT.S327378. PMID: 34754179; PMCID: PMC8572027. ↩︎
- Daily JW, Yang M, Park S. Efficacy of Turmeric Extracts and Curcumin for Alleviating the Symptoms of Joint Arthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials. J Med Food. 2016 Aug;19(8):717-29. doi: 10.1089/jmf.2016.3705. PMID: 27533649; PMCID: PMC5003001. ↩︎
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