Curcumin has long been celebrated for its free-radical fighting and healthy inflammatory response properties.* Now, a growing body of research demonstrates that curcumin may also support cardiovascular health.*
It’s well known that heart health is one of the leading challenges in the U.S. and around the world. But, supplementing with curcumin may actually address many of the contributors to poor heart health.* Curcumin has been shown to help support a healthy inflammatory response, stabilize blood lipid profiles, and maintain endothelial function.* Not coincidentally, all of these factors play a key role in maintaining a healthy heart.
In my most recent blog post, “How to Identify Quality Curcumin Supplements,” we laid out the basic properties and science behind curcumin:
“Turmeric, curcumin, and curcuminoids are related but not interchangeable terms. Turmeric is a yellow spice from the ginger family whose rhizome contains curcumin, the ingredient responsible for its healthy qualities. Curcuminoids are the active compounds within turmeric or curcumin. They are polyphenolic pigments and include curcumin, demethoxycurcumin, and bisdemethoxycurcumin, with curcumin being the most abundant of the three.”
When delivered in a bioavailable form, curcumin can support a wide range of health benefits, including cardiovascular function as detailed below.*
Immune Response
Curcumin supplementation can benefit your patients that suffer from immune system challenges.
An immune response can trigger a reduction of blood flow to vital organs, which can pose a health risk. Curcumin has been shown to possess strong immune properties and has been shown to have a significant impact on immune response, according to a study published in the Scientific Journal, Nature.*
Curcumin promotes a healthy inflammatory response by suppressing the NF-kB molecule, which is responsible for “turning on” genes that modulate the inflammatory response mechanism.* NF-kB is a molecule that has been strongly linked to poor heart health. By blocking NF-kB, curcumin works on the molecular level to promote a healthy inflammatory response.*
Maintaining a Healthy Lipid Profile
Maintaining a healthy lipid profile is another reason to recommend a curcumin supplement to your patients.*
Elevated levels of LDL cholesterol or triglycerides and a reduction in HDL cholesterol are associated with poor heart health. However, researchers have found that supplementing with curcumin can be beneficial for individuals with poor lipid profiles.*
Curcumin works within cellular pathways to help prevent the deposition of cholesterol into the bloodstream, which can lead to damaged blood vessels.* Curcumin also supports the removal of cholesterol from the liver, cells and tissues.*
Furthermore, a 2014 study among patients with metabolic syndrome demonstrated that curcumin supplementation led to a sharp reduction in LDL cholesterol and triglycerides as well as an increase in HDL cholesterol.*
Endothelial Function
Proper functioning of the endothelium, which is the lining of blood vessels, is critical to healthy vascular and cardiovascular systems. It’s responsible for regulating blood pressure, blood clotting, cell growth and other critical functions. So, it’s no surprise that endothelial function has been strongly linked to heart health.
Numerous studies show that curcumin’s mechanisms may have strong benefits for the endothelium.* Curcumin has also been shown to help maintain healthy blood pressure and heart rate, and support endothelial function in healthy individuals.*
Optimal Curcumin Absorption
Research continues to show that curcumin is a powerful nutritional supplement that can support cardiovascular health.* Unfortunately, curcumin does have one drawback as the natural form is poorly absorbed by the body.
Curcumin’s poor bioavailability means that only a small portion of the dose actually reaches the bloodstream. That’s why it’s important to recommend a curcumin supplement with superior bioavailability.
CircuWIN is specifically designed to enhance absorption in order to activate this potent extract’s health benefits. According to its website, CurcuWIN “increases relative absorption of total curcuminoids 46-times over standard curcumin.” Another example is BioPerine®, which provides enhanced absorption and 2000% improved bioavailability for their curcumin supplement.
Given this evidence, scientists have concluded that curcumin will support your patients’ cardiovascular health.*
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.