Q. I have been taking curcumin, the active ingredient in the spice turmeric, for back pain over the last several months. It has helped quite a lot, but my gums started to bleed badly.
I realized that I was also taking fish oil and ginger. All three are anticoagulants. Am I right in assuming that the combination contributed to the excessive bleeding?
A. We often warn people taking the anticoagulant warfarin (Coumadin) not to use curcumin as a dietary supplement. It can interact with warfarin to increase the risk of dangerous bleeding. We could find no studies on the interactions of these supplements, but your conclusion seems plausible.
You could learn more about such supplements and their pros and cons from our book, The People’s Pharmacy Quick & Handy Home Remedies.
