Author: Joe Fowler
Time for reading: ~1
minutes
Last Updated:
August 08, 2022
Curcumin improves the function of beta cells, which regulate the production of the hormone insulin.
Supplements containing compounds found in the spice curry can help prevent diabetes in at-risk patients.
A new Thai study involved 240 people with prediabetes . The volunteers are divided into two groups. The first was treated with supplements in the form of curcumin capsules, and the second with placebo.
The first group should take six capsules daily, each containing 250 mg of curcuminoid.
Nine months after the start of the study, 19 of 116 placebo volunteers developed type 2 diabetes, compared with none of the 119 volunteers taking the supplements.
The researchers found that curcumin improved the function of beta cells, which regulate the production of the hormone insulin.
The anti-inflammatory effect of curcumin helps protect beta cells from damage, Thai scientists explain.
The study is in its infancy, but researchers hope for positive results with the use of curcumin supplements to prevent the development of the disease in prediabetes.
Prediabetes is characterized by elevated levels above normal blood sugar. The condition is a global problem that correlates with the incidence of obesity, which has increased significantly in recent decades.
The results of the study were published in the journal Diabetes Care .
Curcumin is the active ingredient in the eastern spice turmeric. In recent years, a number of health benefits of the ingredient have been proven. It has antitumor, antioxidant, antiamyloid and anti-inflammatory action.