Curcumin, a polyphenol found in turmeric (Curcuma longa), was evaluated in a clinical trial to determine if 70 mg daily could reduce symptoms associated with Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) over 8 weeks.
The dose of 70 mg of curcumin is significant as this is significant lower than many clinical trials with curcumin that often use 2,000-4,000 or more milligrams of curcumin.
NAFLD is the most common chronic liver disease and is associated with obesity, diabetes, dyslipidemia, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular disease.
Turmeric is often found in curry meals. One of the main antioxidants found in Turmeric is curcumin
Worldwide the prevalence of NAFLD has been estimated to range from 6% to 35% in adults worldwide making it an important public health issue.
NAFLD occurs when there is an accumulation of neutral lipids, especially triglycerides (TGs), that eventually can progress to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and liver cancer.
Curcumin is a polpyphenol found in turmeric (Curcuma longa) that has been shown to have many pharmacological properties that could benefit patients experiencing NAFLD.
A recent clinical trial published in the journal Phytotheray Research tested curcumin for the treatment of NAFLD.
Here are the details about the human subjects in the curcumin group:
- 80 Human subjects participated in the study (Placebo = 40; Curcumin = 40)
- Curcumin dose = 70 milligrams of curcumin daily for 8 weeks
- 19 males and 21 females were administered curcumin in the study
- Average age = 46.37 +/- 11.57
Here are the results of the study that reduced risk factors of NAFLD:
- Total Cholesterol, LDL, triglycerides were reduced.
- Reductions in the liver enzymes, ALT and AST were observed.
- The amount of HbA1c was decreased which is a marker of blood sugar control.
| Start of study | 8 weeks of curcumin | p-value | |
| Total cholesterol | 199 | 174 | <0.001 |
| LDL-C | 107 | 96 | 0.007 |
| HDL-C | 44 | 47 | 0.01 |
| Triglycerides | 200 | 173 | 0.055 |
| ALT | 39 | 36 | <0.001 |
| AST | 29 | 24 | <0.001 |
| HbA1c | 6.31 | 5.53 | <0.001 |
(The lower the p-value the more suggestive that the results are considered statistically significant.)
Here are results from evaluating the liver:
- A 78.9% decrease in liver fat content with curcumin after 8 weeks (determined by ultrasound).
- Severity grade of NAFLD was reduced with curcumin.
| NAFLD Severity | Before Curcumin | 8 weeks of Curcumin |
| Grade 0 | 0% | 15.80% |
| Grade 1 | 25.60% | 71.10% |
| Grade 2 | 48.70% | 13.20% |
| Grade 3 | 25.60% | 0% |
Take away message: Curcumin of 70 milligrams per day was found to be safe and tolerable in this study. No severe adverse events were reported. These results suggest that curcumin was able to decrease Triglycerides, LDL, and total cholesterol after 8 weeks in patients with 8 weeks of curcumin given daily. This study suggests a benefit of signs associated with NAFLD. Further research is needed to understand how curcumin may benefit patients who are at risk of NAFLD.
Phytotherapy Research. 2016 September; Volume 30 (Issue 9): Pages 1540-8.
His research on plant medicine has led to more than 45 publications and abstracts.This research has been presented at international meetings in the USA, France, Turkey, Peru, Israel, Austria, and Italy.
Categories: Antioxidant, Cholesterol, Clinical Trials, Liver, Plant Medicine
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