Curry spice 'help for arthritis'

[RedEarth]

Turmeric has been used for centuries in Asian medicine to treat inflammatory disorders and its extract can be found in western dietary supplements.

Now lab work by University of Arizona researchers, in Arthritis & Rheumatism, shows just how the spice's curcuminoid extracts have a therapeutic effect.

Experts say new drugs may be found, but eating more spices is unlikely to work. The researchers said clinical trials were needed before turmeric supplements could be recommended for medicinal use.

Turmeric extract

Earlier work by the University of Arizona team showed turmeric could prevent joint inflammation in rats. In their latest study, they set out to find exactly what ingredient in turmeric was having the anti-inflammatory effect.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6090460.stm

[glitch]

1. Interesting. It's supposed to help in preventing Alzheimers too.

Thanks for posting, glad I love curry!

[kurth]

2. Anyone know the incidence for arthritis/Alzheimer's among Indians?

Just curious.

[MADem]

3. Does it turn ya bright yellow if you take it in quantity? NT

[NRaleighLiberal]

7. Nope....but those morning burps are kind of herbal!

[NRaleighLiberal]

4. Proof here (me) - for several years, I've taken turmeric, boswellia

and glucosamine tablets each morning. This was prompted by a few items on a People's Pharmacy show and their book. I have two torn ACLs (matching - each knee) and cartilege damage = about 5 years ago I had such knee pain that I couldn't bowl, play tennis, etc. The Orthopod I went to took an X Ray and said the pain was due to bone on bone impact (due to the cartilege loss), and put me on Vioxx to see how it helped. Fortunately, I only took a few, and found that Ibuprofin was just as good - but it was discouraging (he said a near term knee replacement would be the only way to improve things).

So, after I heard the people's Pharm program, I decided to try the boswellia/turmeric/glucosamine regimen. I have to say I am a very skeptical person (PhD chemist, don't believe in any of the snake oil remedies pushed on AM radio or late night TV) - but went into this with no expectations. The improvement is incredible - I can bowl, play tennis, take long walks - essentially no knee pain....and I was also getting a bit of arthritic stiffness in my fingers - no more. I highly recommend trying it just to see how it works for you. I take one boswellia, one turmeric, and one glucosamine HCl pill each morning - they are about 350-500 mg each....my suspicion is that the two herbs are working on the inflammation (both are Ayurvedic herbs used for such for a few thousand years), and the Glucosamine is helping to rebuild cartilege.

[RedEarth]

5. I take turmeric,glucosamine HCI and ginger, but haven't tried

boswellia. I'll have to give it a try. What I currently take seems to help some, but from time to time I still use naproxen. Maybe the boswellia will knock out even more of the inflammation so I won't need the naproxen. Thanks for the information.

[Richard D]

6. Boswellia is a fantastic

anti-inflammatory, as are the other herbs. Boswellia, btw is frankincense.

[OffWithTheirHeads]

8. I'm on the verge of a knee replacement now.

Where do you get this stuff and how long before you see results?

[NRaleighLiberal]

9. GNC or over the Internets (just do a Google search).