04/11/2019 / By Ralph Flores
Curcumin, the main active ingredient in turmeric (Curcuma longa), is the closest thing that people have to a silver bullet. Studies have shown that it can be used to treat a laundry list of diseases, including cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s, and even cancer. Now, a meta-analysis published in the journal Phytotherapy Research suggests adding depression to the list. In the review, Iraqi and Australian researchers looked at the efficacy and safety of curcumin in treating symptoms of this debilitating disease.
Depression, clinically known as major depressive disorder, is a condition that affects 16 million adults in the U.S. each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While treatments for the disorder are available, at least half of the patients discontinue their treatment because of adverse events. In particular, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), one of the most common prescriptions for depression, can greatly increase the risk of intestinal bleeding. A study which appeared in The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association revealed that patients taking SSRIs are 40 percent more likely to suffer from severe gastrointestinal bleeding. Taking over-the-counter medications with SSRIs can particularly intensify this risk.
Multiple studies have already identified the link between curcumin and improved symptoms of depression. In a separate review published in The Journal of Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine, researchers from the National University of Singapore identified that curcumin was well-tolerated by patients and reported to have no long-term side effects. The study also found that curcumin exhibited significant anti-anxiety properties, based on data from 377 patients. Curcumin was also found to be effective in treating depression either on its own or with other herbal medicines.
In the meta-analysis, the researchers looked at two decades’ worth of data using multiple databases, including PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, JAMAevidence, and the Cochrane Library, among others. Researchers used keywords such as curcumin, depression, MDD, efficacy, and effect to collate pertinent studies. The studies included in the review had a total of 342 patients who had received either curcumin or placebo together with their antidepressant therapy. The results indicated a significant reduction in symptoms of depression after curcumin therapy. In particular, curcumin was especially effective in middle-aged patients and to those who have been treated for over six weeks.
“We conclude that there is supporting evidence that curcumin administration reduces depressive symptoms in patients with major depression,” the researchers concluded in their report. (Related: Happier and healthier: Curcumin-rich turmeric can help ease depression and anxiety, researchers find.)
Multiple studies are available on the effects of curcumin in terms of alleviating depression. However, it’s also worth noting that curcumin does more than regulate mood and depression, given its wide array of brain-boosting benefits. Here are just some of the ways that curcumin improves a person’s brain health.
Learn more about the other health benefits of curcumin by following Turmeric.news.
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Tagged Under: alternative medicine, Antidepressants, brain health, curcumin, depression, food cures, food is medicine, major depressive disorder, mental health, natural antidepressant, natural cures, natural medicine, prevention, remedies, SSRIs, turmeric
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