Last Updated on December 17, 2021 by Neelam Singh
Quick Take
A number of social media posts claim that turmeric prevents atherosclerosis. We fact-checked and found that the claim is half true. Most of the posts miss a very important context.
The Claim
“Turmeric prevents atherosclerosis,” claim multiple social media posts. Such posts can be seen here, and here. A few other posts claim that turmeric can cure atherosclerosis. Such posts can be seen here, and here.
One of the screenshots is given below:
Fact Check
What is atherosclerosis?
Atherosclerosis is a disease in which plaque builds up inside our arteries. Plaque is made up of fat, cholesterol, calcium, and other substances found in the blood. It hardens and narrows the arteries and limits the flow of oxygen-rich blood to our organs. This can lead to serious health problems, and sometimes even death.
Can turmeric prevent or cure atherosclerosis?
Yes. A number of research has shown that curcumin is effective for decreasing the aortic atherosclerotic lesion area as well as for lowering lipid profiles. Curcumin is a polyphenolic compound derived from the dietary spice turmeric.
However, the quality of such researches have been questioned by many other researchers.
Many of these researches are done on mice. The researchers noted, “curcumin can improve the permeability of atherosclerotic coronary artery to inhibit lipid deposition and inflammatory cell infiltration, and delay and stabilize atheromatous plaque formation.” But, the the mouse model of atherosclerosis was still different from atherosclerosis in human beings in some aspects. For instance, the atherosclerotic plaque of humans tended to occur in the coronary artery while it would gather in the aortic root in mice.
Also, the dosage of curcumin required to prevent or cure atherosclerosis has not been established. While researchers observed that the optimal dosage of curcumin is around 207 mg/kg body weight per day, they noted, “it needs further optimal dose-setting study to confirm the result.”
Is it safe to depend on turmeric to prevent or cure atherosclerosis?
No. It is not advisable to depend on turmeric to prevent or cure atherosclerosis. It is important to note that systematic studies to understand the molecular basis of disease preventing or therapeutic properties of curcumin began to appear in the scientific literature only during the last 40 years. Therefore, more scientific evidences are required to support the claim.
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