Study Finds Turmeric Increases Memory And Happiness

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Long Story Short

New research suggests turmeric (and its key component, curcumin) can increase memory and happiness.

Long Story

Turmeric is on a tear right now. In recent years it’s been connected to everything from healthier skin to helping control pain and inflammation. But new research suggests it can also aid with memory and happiness.

The paper, published last week in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, examined the effects of an easily absorbed supplement of curcumin — the substance that gives turmeric its bright orange colour — on the performance of memory in people without dementia. The study also looked at curcumin’s potential impact on the microscopic plaques and tangles that occur in the brains of those with Alzheimer’s disease.

The heavy use of turmeric in cooking has already been raised as a possible reason for the lower rates of Alzheimer’s disease and better cognitive performances among senior citizens in India compared to the rest of the world. Why? Most likely because of its capacity to reduce brain inflammation, “which has been linked to both Alzheimer’s disease and major depression,” said the study’s author, Doctor Gary Small of UCLA, in a news release.

The study involved a double-blind, placebo-controlled group of 40 adults between ages 50 and 90. They were Alzheimer’s and dementia free, but all reported mild memory complaints. The participants were randomly assigned to receive either a placebo or 90 milligrams of curcumin twice daily for 18 months.

They were then monitored at six month intervals throughout the test using a standardized cognitive assessment. After 18 months, those who had been taking curcumin were reporting significant improvements in memory and attention abilities. On average, their memory tests improved by a whopping 28%. The curcumin takers also reported a slight improvement in mood when compared to those on the placebo.

It’s important to note this is a relatively small sample size, but Small and his collaborators are so encouraged by the results they want to follow-up the study with a larger number of people. That will allow them to investigate a whole bunch of additional factors, including whether the effects are age dependent.

“These results suggest that taking this relatively safe form of curcumin could provide meaningful cognitive benefits over the years,” Small said.

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So will these memory and mood results apply to younger people also?

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Turmeric is reckoned to have originated in Southern India and has been used across Asia for thousands of years as a major component of various medicines throughout the region.