Turmeric has enjoyed widespread success in the functional medicine world due to the variety of health benefits it offers. It is also used for many reasons across the globe such as in medicine and food. Tumeric adds a warm spice to any dish, but the curcuminoids in Turmeric provide the spice! Curcumin is a fantastic free radical fighter, and it also supports your immune system and encourages a healthy inflammatory response. When we see our clients in Tulsa, OK, we use functional medicine and nutrition to address diet and lifestyle, and one of the aspects of health we focus on is supplements.
There has been a lot of research about curcumin, and it has revealed another health benefit: it can promote weight loss as well! Although research on this is still in its infancy, it looks promising. Let’s start with the basics and learn about curcumin’s many health benefits.
Introducing Curcumin and Its Many Benefits
Curcumin is one of three main active compounds that provide turmeric with its bright yellow color. The other two compounds that give it its radiant color are bisdemethoxycurcumin and demethoxycurcumin. Turmeric is made up of 5% curcuminoids, but curcumin accounts for 90% of the curcuminoid content in turmeric.
In Eastern medicine, turmeric has been regularly used topically on the skin for all kinds of conditions such as wounds, parasite infections, and even acne. It was also taken orally for medical issues such as UTIs, colds, and nose issues due to hay fever, and it was inhaled for chronic rhinitis. Around the world, turmeric is used to add color to mustard and to cheese and butter in the US. It is added to curries in India, used as an antiseptic in Malaysia, served in drinks in Korea, and used as a component of cosmetics in Europe!
Liposomal Curcumin Supplements for Functional Medicine
To realistically get any benefits from the curcumin in Turmeric, you would have to consume it constantly; even then, you would not get enough to have any of its benefits. That is why taking supplements containing the extract is a much easier way of getting curcumin into your body.
If you have started a fitness or weight loss journey and aren’t seeing the results you would expect, there may be something you haven’t considered hindering your weight loss – inflammation. A recent study showed that obesity is associated with the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines. This means that there will be constant inflammation in your gut, which then has a very negative effect on your metabolism and health.
Functional Medicine, Weight Loss and Hormones
Your body fat secretes two hormones, leptin, and adiponectin. Leptin helps with fat storage and the regulation of your appetite. The second hormone, adiponectin, has anti-inflammatory effects and helps regulate your metabolism. It also protects against insulin resistance, so both hormones are essential. If you have excess body fat, this can mess with the way these two hormones work. Increased fat increases leptin levels and decreases adiponectin levels. This can cause inflammation, and since inflammation and obesity are linked, it can make weight loss more challenging.
Food and Inflammation
The type of foods you eat can also cause inflammation in the body. Gluten and dairy are the most inflammatory foods you can put into your body. The other issue is that many people are sensitive to these foods and have no idea what they are.
Can Liposomal Curcumin Aid Weight Loss?
The good news is that research has shown that liposomal curcumin may improve inflammation linked to obesity. A new study has shown that curcumin can reduce weight loss, BMI, and waist circumference drastically. The exciting factor is that all subjects (over 1000) had issues with their metabolism and disorders related to metabolism, which would hinder weight loss.
There is no easy way to lose weight other than having a healthy diet and regular exercise. But, it could be down to inflammation if you struggle to see any positive results.
Liposomal Curcumin Supplements
Getting the right amount of curcumin in turmeric supplements can be challenging as there is so little in there in the first place. The other issue is curcumin has poor absorption, metabolism, biodistribution, and bioavailability. The liver typically metabolizes the small amount that can be absorbed before it can work its magic within the body.
This is why the best form of curcumin supplement is liposomal curcumin. It enhances bioavailability and survives metabolism, so your body can gain goodness from the supplement. This way, the curcumin is wrapped in liposomes made up of healthy fats. This helps to increase the rate of curcumin absorption in the body, and it resists breaking down in the liver so that it can be absorbed by the body and gain all of its benefits.
Functional Medicine Experts in Tulsa
If you would like to reduce inflammation and start your healthy lifestyle overhaul, contact our functional medicine experts in Tulsa, OK, and we can look at decreasing inflammation through diet, supplements, and lifestyle changes as part of your personalized journey back to health.