The study: In an Australian study, a panel of 101 adults with knee osteoarthritis, was chosen on a randomized double-blind basis. An 8-week study compared a standardized curcumin extract (Curcugen®) to a placebo. This study measured the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), knee pain ratings, Japanese Orthopaedic Association Score for Osteoarthritic Knees (JOA), PROMIS-29, and performance-based testing including a 40-m fast-paced walk, a 6-min walk, timed up-and-go test, and a 30-second chair stand.

The results: KOOS knee pain rating scores and numeric knee pain ratings were significantly reduced by turmeric (p 0.009). Also, curcumin improved timed up-and-go, 6-min walk, and JOA total scores better than placebo (p 0.05) Compared to the pain medication’s 37% improvement, curcumin managed to reduce pains by 13%.

Consumers also reported experiencing less stiffness in their knees and joints with normal dosing.

In Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) study, an extract group that took two capsules by mouth three times daily after meals experienced significantly fewer abdominal pain/distention adverse effects.

The study: Conducted by Isfahan University of Medical Sciences of Iran, 6 studies were carried out with 259 patients with RA of 6–12 weeks duration. DAS-28, ACR-20, visual analog scale (VAS), and were used to assess disease activity.

The results: In four out of five studies, curcumin significantly reduced DAS-28 scores and VAS pain scores, and greatly increased ACR-20 scores. C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) have been measured in six and five studies, respectively, and four showed significant reductions with curcumin treatment. In all three relevant studies, curcumin significantly reduced rheumatoid factor (RF).

There were no serious side effects in any of these studies which support the use of curcumin in treating RA.

The study: The study was double-blind, placebo-controlled and randomized, and the observation period was from 'the start of study sample administration' through 'the end of 6 months. The study data were centrally assessed. Random numbers were used to assign patients to receive either Theracurmin® or placebo, a high-absorption curcumin agent.

The result: In all placebo groups, blood pressure was noticed to be higher in comparison to groups with the Curcumin administration. In patients over the age of 65, curcumin improves vascular endothelial function, reducing the stress of hypertension which decreases the chances of cardiovascular damage, and proves its preventive potential in treating vascular distress in older adults with heart problems.

Curcumin reduces oxidative stress in cells and improves glucose tolerance in muscles and the liver.

The study: National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute of Iran conducted a study with 44 participants with type-2 diabetes who were administered 1.5 g of curcumin or placebo daily for 10 weeks.

The results: Curcumin has shown to decrease hs-CRP significantly by (p>0.05). According to the current study, curcumin consumption can reduce diabetes complications by decreasing TG levels and inflammation indicators.

Additionally, curcumin inhibits many pathways that contribute to its anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic properties.

Shown to improve synovial joints and reduce pains and discomfort in limbs.

Other studies have shown that several diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease, pancreatitis, arthritis, chronic anterior uveitis, and certain types of cancer, are potentially treatable with curcumin. Curcumin's rapid plasma clearance and conjugation limit its therapeutic utility. As a result, researchers began investigating the benefits of complexing curcumin with other substances to increase its systemic bioavailability.

The study: In studies conducted by PubMed, Ovid, and the Cochrane Collaboration Depression, Anxiety and Neurosis Group (CCDANTR), 6 clinical trials with a total of 377 patients were examined, comparing curcumin to placebo. The treatment duration ranged from 5 to 12 weeks, with daily dosages ranging from 500 to 1500 mg. Three trials used curcumin alone, while four used it in conjunction with pharmaceutical antidepressants.

The results: In six of the seven trials, curcumin was used as an adjunct to pharmaceutical antidepressants and was administered for the shortest treatment period of 5 weeks. In four trials, curcumin administration was also associated with positive anxiolytic effects.

Another recent study conducted by an Australian research team over 8 weeks with 56 adults with depression with a mean age of 46 discovered that curcumin was significantly better than placebo at treating depression (p = 0.045) and trait anxiety (p = 0.027) symptoms. People with atypical depression showed greater antidepressant effects.

So far the trials hypothesize that curcumin inhibits the monoamine oxidase enzyme and modulates the release of serotonin and dopamine in the brain which helps reduce depression and elevates the mood.