Is it safe to take curcumin supplements?

Curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, has been touted as a cure-all for everything from joint pain to cancer. And with all of these health benefits associated with curcumin, many people are turning to supplements in hopes of finding relief from various ailments. But is it actually safe to be taking these supplements? Let’s dig into the science and find out!

What is Curcumin?

Before we can determine whether or not taking curcumin supplements is safe, let’s first talk about what exactly curcumin is. Curcumin comes from turmeric root and is responsible for its bright yellow color. It has anti-inflammatory properties that have been shown to help reduce symptoms of arthritis and other conditions.

The Benefits of Taking Curcumin Supplements

Many studies suggest that taking a daily supplement containing high levels of curcumin may provide a variety of health benefits:

  1. Reduces inflammation
  2. Decreases risk factors associated with heart disease
  3. May lower your risk for certain types of cancer
  4. Improves brain function
  5. May help alleviate symptoms relating to depression

With all these potential advantages at hand, who wouldn’t want to try some miraculous healing properties mixed up inside tiny capsules?

Are There Any Side Effects or Risks Associated With Taking Curcumim Supplements?

You’ve likely heard the saying “Too much good things can be bad”, well… it applies here too! While there are no substantial side effects linked directly with ingesting large amounts (toxicologists couldn’t even find lethal-cancer-causing-doses on animals), you still might have minor issues such as dull headache(none over-the-counter meds cannot fix), nausea(might treat yourself ginger tea?),diarrhea(bring along extra tissue!), skin rash(change fabric wash detergent) and yellowish stool(don’t freak out!).

Some people might have a little more digestive sensitivity, which could lead to mild gastritis or even gastric erosion (sounds unpleasant? It is). Furthermore, turmeric-circumin supplements combining with some medications may interact poorly.^(1) Some similarily effective medication includes Cholestyramine and ibuprofen.

Can You Overdose On Curcumin?

While it’s unlikely that you’ll experience any significant side effects from consuming even high doses of curcumin, taking too much can still be harmful. Since this particular substance isn’t water soluble, additional intake does not equal out more impact(Some physics for the trivias!). The natural liver pathways involve multiple enzymes to break down Curcumim’s active ingredients hence an overdosage simply translates into results skipping assimilation through the primary metabolic process(Below optimum benefits!)

How Much Should You Take?

Generally speaking 1000mg daily dosages along with piperine for maximum absorption tends to be safe (but please not every person’s body will react the same way so listen attentively when your body reacts peculiarly after ingestion.) A tablespoon of Turmeric powder roughly contains about 200-300 milligrams of Curcumim compounds. However trading one food source wholly for supplements because you feel they’re insufficient nutrition-wise would do better by first consulting a registered dietician(nutrient density is crucial!). Unintentionally exceeding these figures because “more must equal better” ideology does not only defeat genuine purpose but also raises excess load on organ systems keeping you in tip top health condition(physiology becomes stressed).

There truly exist no clear set limits on how much curcurmin/lifestyle changes are appropriate as it depends solely upon various aspects like:

  1. Age
  2. Body Weight
    3.Gender
    4.Dietary Routine

For example—althoughnot scientifically proven, weighing around 60 kg(Oops! non-USA system isn’t so bad after all!) taking 500 milligrams of Curcumim supplements thrice daily for one month has been known not to warrant adverse effects.

Should You Take Curcumin Supplements?

Again, consumer beware when choosing sources. Traceable authenticity is fundamental as the supplement market is fiercely competitive(this even involves supermarkets who often offer naturally-sourced organic types). Trust me, working harder on a research before making important health decisions will definitely ward off any cynicism towards administration’s “tainted intentions.”

As per whether you should be swiping your credit card for that curcurmin bottle to add to your routine? That’s entirely up to personal preference and comfort levels(under advisement with healthcare provider).

Overall curcumin supplements appear well-tolerated with limited side-effects only at high doses. Aim moderate(good approach in everything!).

Remember-we’re all different but find grounding in truth ,the human-body still functions optimally from wholesome nutrition like fruits, vegetables whole-grains,dairy product along with head-to-toe frequent physical activity coupled together-thats one heck of an insurance policy!

P.S: The Author does recognize how impressive it appears typing out radical-looking words(all hail spell check),but mainly intended it as a piece formal enough without missing readers’ chuckles here or there(that depends too on their sense of humor) by inducing Fun/Informative combined learning experience!


  1. https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/turmeric/safety/hrb-20059946