Curcumin is the active ingredient in the yellow spice turmeric that is used in curry and mustard. Researchers have found that this compound has powerful anti-inflammatory activity that may make it helpful against conditions such as arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease and even cancer.
A new study suggests that curcumin may also provide potential benefit against diabetes. Researchers in Thailand recruited 240 subjects with prediabetes. They were randomly assigned to take either a placebo pill or curcumin capsules. At end of the nine-month study, 19 of the patients on placebo had developed diabetes compared to none of those taking curcumin. The investigators speculate that curcumin fights inflammation in the pancreas, permitting beta cells to function more efficiently.
