Curcumin has limited solubility and absorption from the gut, and leading suppliers have focused a lot of attention on optimizing the delivering of curcumin and its metabolites for supplement and functional foods.
Data published in Advances in Therapy indicated that Curcuwin Ultra+ at a dose of 250 mg was 144 times more bioavailable compared to 1800 mg of a 95% turmeric extract. The study will also be presented during the upcoming Experimental Biology (EB) meeting, April 2-5 in Philadelphia, PA.
“Curcumin enhances the antioxidant activities, inhibits oxidative stress, modulates immune functions, protects against cartilage damage, blocks inflammation pathways, and inhibits chondrocyte apoptosis,” wrote researchers from ClinSync Clinical Research Pvt. Ltd in India. “Therefore, curcumin with improved bioavailability may have a significant effect on the clinical course of osteoarthritis including alleviating pain, joint stiffness, and improve functionalities of the joints.”
$135+ million in sales
According to the 2020 Herb Market Report published by the American Botanical Council (HerbalGram 131), turmeric is the number three selling herb in the natural channel, with $41.5 million in sales. It is number four in the mass channel (MULO) with $97 million in sales in 2020.
The potential health benefits of turmeric and the curcuminoids it contains (curcumin, demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxy curcumin) include support for brain, cardiovascular, joint, and muscle health.
Consumer awareness and understanding of the botanical’s potential benefits are now very high, with data from the ITC Insights 2020 Consumer Survey showing that 86% of supplement consumers are familiar with curcumin/turmeric.
Study details
The new acute-dose, randomized, double-blind, three treatment, crossover oral bioavailability study included 24 healthy men and women aged between 18 and 55. Participants received a single dose of Curcuwin Ultra+ 250 mg, Curcuwin Ultra+ 500 mg, or 1800 mg of a 95% turmeric extract, and blood samples were taken at regular intervals from four hours before dosing until 24 hours after.
The data indicated that 250 mg Curcuwin Ultra+ was 144 times more bioavailable compared to standard curcumin.
In other words, this translates to one capsule containing 250 mg of Curcuwin Ultra+ being equal to 30 capsules containing the standard 95% curcumin extract. Curcuwin Ultra+ (CU+) was also shown to absorb 40% faster than standard curcumin.
A dose-response was also observed between the 250 and 500 mg doses, said the researchers.
“As bioavailability is the key factor in determining the biological activity of curcumin, efficacy studies of CU+ at low doses are required to demonstrate the beneficial effect of CU+ in subjects with knee osteoarthritis and other inflammatory conditions,” concluded the researchers.
Commenting on the study’s findings, Deshanie Rai, PhD, FACN, VP, Global Scientific and Regulatory Affairs at OmniActive, said: “Having our data selected to be presented at the prestigious EB meeting and accepted for publication in the well-respected peer-reviewed journal Advances in Therapy speaks to the strength and relevance of this new science.”
Source: Advances in Therapy
Published online, doi: 10.1007/s12325-022-02081-w
“Superior Bioavailability of a Novel Curcumin Formulation in Healthy Humans Under Fasting Conditions”
Authors: S. Kothaplly, et al.