Skip to content
ZenBodyLove

Turmeric and curcumin

Turmeric root has a long history in Ayurvedic, Chinese and other traditional medicine systems, and European herbal regulators register it as a traditional remedy for mild digestive discomfort on the basis of long-standing use. In trials of adults with knee osteoarthritis, turmeric extracts and curcumin reduced pain and stiffness scores compared with placebo and were tolerated about as well as placebo over weeks to months. No claim reaches moderate certainty because a 2026 critical review rated the systematic reviews behind the joint findings as of extremely low methodological quality, with most outcomes graded low or very low. Rare but potentially severe liver injury has been reported with concentrated turmeric and curcumin supplements, especially high-bioavailability or black-pepper-enhanced products.

  • Recovery
  • Vegan

Evidence retrieved up to

What the research shows

Concentrated turmeric and curcumin supplements, particularly high-bioavailability or black-pepper-enhanced products, are linked to rare but potentially severe liver injury.

Low certaintyFurther research is likely to change this.
Take care: see the safety noteRisk

Who this is about

adults taking turmeric or curcumin supplements

Practical note

Evidence comes from case series and pharmacovigilance reports, so the true frequency is unknown. Several implicated products contained piperine from black pepper, which is added to raise curcumin absorption, and a strong genetic association with HLA-B*35:01 was found.

Safety note

Reported liver injury was usually hepatocellular, appeared after about 1 to 4 months of use, and in some cases needed hospital care; one death was reported in the US case series. Signs reported include fatigue, nausea, poor appetite, dark urine and jaundice.

Sources

As part of a healthy lifestyle, turmeric extract or curcumin supplements may help people living well with knee osteoarthritis by modestly reducing joint pain and stiffness scores compared with placebo.

Low certaintyFurther research is likely to change this.
Take care: see the safety noteBenefit

Who this is about

adults living with knee osteoarthritis

Practical note

Pooled trials mostly lasted weeks to a few months; Zeng and colleagues suggested benefits were clearer beyond 12 weeks. Products differed widely in curcumin content and formulation. Certainty is low: the trials are short, many are small, and a 2026 critical review rated the systematic reviews as of extremely low methodological quality with heavy overlap.

Vegan note

Turmeric is a plant root; capsule shells may be gelatin.

Safety note

Concentrated turmeric and curcumin supplements have been linked to rare but potentially severe liver injury, especially high-bioavailability and piperine-containing products; see the liver-injury claim. EMA does not recommend turmeric preparations in liver or biliary disease or during pregnancy and lactation.

Sources

In trials lasting weeks to a few months, conventionally formulated turmeric extracts and curcumin caused adverse events at rates similar to placebo.

Low certaintyFurther research is likely to change this.
Take care: see the safety noteNo clear effect

Who this is about

adults in clinical trials, mainly adults living with knee osteoarthritis

Practical note

NCCIH describes conventionally formulated oral turmeric or curcumin as likely safe for up to 2 or 3 months; the EMA monograph lists mild dry mouth, flatulence and gastric irritation as possible side effects. Longer-term safety is less studied.

Safety note

Short trials cannot detect rare harms such as the liver injury reported with concentrated and high-bioavailability products. NCCIH states turmeric supplements during pregnancy may be unsafe.

Sources

What the tradition holds

Turmeric root preparations may help relieve mild digestive discomfort such as feelings of fullness, slow digestion and flatulence in adults.

Take care: see the safety noteBenefit

Who this is about

adults with mild, occasional digestive discomfort

The tradition's frame

Ayurveda

Ayurvedic, Chinese, Islamic and Thai traditional medicine have long used turmeric root for indigestion and abdominal pain, and European herbal tradition registers it for digestive disturbances on the strength of long-standing use rather than trial evidence.

Practical note

The EMA monograph covers powdered root, herbal tea, tinctures and dry extracts taken by mouth, and advises seeing a health professional if symptoms last more than two weeks. This claim rests on traditional use, not on clinical trials.

Vegan note

Turmeric root, teas and tinctures are plant-based.

Safety note

EMA does not recommend turmeric preparations for people with bile duct obstruction, liver disease, gallstones or other biliary disease, because turmeric may stimulate bile secretion, nor during pregnancy and lactation. Mild dry mouth, flatulence and gastric irritation are listed side effects.

Sources