Curcumin 500

Nutrition
141

[quote]Lapo wrote:
Kearney PM, Baigent C, Godwin J, Halls H, Emberson JR, Patrono C. Do selective cyclo-oxygenase-2 inhibitors and traditional non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs increase the risk of atherothrombosis? Meta-analysis of randomised trials. BMJ 2006;332:1302-8.

CONCLUSIONS: Selective COX 2 inhibitors are associated with a moderate increase in the risk of vascular events, as are high dose regimens of ibuprofen and diclofenac, but high dose naproxen is not associated with such an excess.

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pubmed&pubmedid=16740558

Just for your information.

[/quote]
Lapo,

Thanks for the post. I think it’s important to note this distinction: curcumin has been shown to decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease, probably b/c it has many other mechanisms of action (besides being a COX-2 inhibitor). Here are 3 recent reviews:

  1. Biochem Pharmacol. 2008 Feb 15;75(4):787-809. Epub 2007 Aug 19.

    Curcumin as “Curecumin”: from kitchen to clinic.

    Goel A, Kunnumakkara AB, Aggarwal BB.

    Gastrointestinal Cancer Research Laboratory, Department of Internal Medicine, Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center and Baylor Research Institute, Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States.

    Although turmeric (Curcuma longa; an Indian spice) has been described in Ayurveda, as a treatment for inflammatory diseases and is referred by different names in different cultures, the active principle called curcumin or diferuloylmethane, a yellow pigment present in turmeric (curry powder) has been shown to exhibit numerous activities. Extensive research over the last half century has revealed several important functions of curcumin. It binds to a variety of proteins and inhibits the activity of various kinases. By modulating the activation of various transcription factors, curcumin regulates the expression of inflammatory enzymes, cytokines, adhesion molecules, and cell survival proteins. Curcumin also downregulates cyclin D1, cyclin E and MDM2; and upregulates p21, p27, and p53. Various preclinical cell culture and animal studies suggest that curcumin has potential as an antiproliferative, anti-invasive, and antiangiogenic agent; as a mediator of chemoresistance and radioresistance; as a chemopreventive agent; and as a therapeutic agent in wound healing, diabetes, Alzheimer disease, Parkinson disease, cardiovascular disease, pulmonary disease, and arthritis. Pilot phase I clinical trials have shown curcumin to be safe even when consumed at a daily dose of 12g for 3 months. Other clinical trials suggest a potential therapeutic role for curcumin in diseases such as familial adenomatous polyposis, inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colitis, colon cancer, pancreatic cancer, hypercholesteremia, atherosclerosis, pancreatitis, psoriasis, chronic anterior uveitis and arthritis. Thus, curcumin, a spice once relegated to the kitchen shelf, has moved into the clinic and may prove to be “Curecumin”.

  2. Int J Biochem Cell Biol. 2009 Jan;41(1):40-59. Epub 2008 Jul 9.

    Potential therapeutic effects of curcumin, the anti-inflammatory agent, against neurodegenerative, cardiovascular, pulmonary, metabolic, autoimmune and neoplastic diseases.

Aggarwal BB, Harikumar KB.

Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA. aggarwal@mdanderson.org

Although safe in most cases, ancient treatments are ignored because neither their active component nor their molecular targets are well defined. This is not the case, however, with curcumin, a yellow-pigment substance and component of turmeric (Curcuma longa), which was identified more than a century ago. For centuries it has been known that turmeric exhibits anti-inflammatory activity, but extensive research performed within the past two decades has shown that this activity of turmeric is due to curcumin (diferuloylmethane). This agent has been shown to regulate numerous transcription factors, cytokines, protein kinases, adhesion molecules, redox status and enzymes that have been linked to inflammation. The process of inflammation has been shown to play a major role in most chronic illnesses, including neurodegenerative, cardiovascular, pulmonary, metabolic, autoimmune and neoplastic diseases. In the current review, we provide evidence for the potential role of curcumin in the prevention and treatment of various proinflammatory chronic diseases. These features, combined with the pharmacological safety and negligible cost, render curcumin an attractive agent to explore further.

  1. Trends Pharmacol Sci. 2009 Feb;30(2):85-94. Epub 2008 Dec 26.
    Comment in:
    Trends Pharmacol Sci. 2009 Jul;30(7):331-2.
    Trends Pharmacol Sci. 2009 Jul;30(7):333-4.
    Trends Pharmacol Sci. 2009 Jul;30(7):334-5; author reply 335.

    Pharmacological basis for the role of curcumin in chronic diseases: an age-old spice with modern targets.

    Aggarwal BB, Sung B.

    Cytokine Research Laboratory, Department of Experimental Therapeutics, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA. aggarwal@mdanderson.org

    Curcumin (diferuloylmethane), a yellow pigment in the spice turmeric (also called curry powder), has been used for centuries as a treatment for inflammatory diseases. Extensive research within the past two decades has shown that curcumin mediates its anti-inflammatory effects through the downregulation of inflammatory transcription factors (such as nuclear factor kappaB), enzymes (such as cyclooxygenase 2 and 5 lipoxygenase) and cytokines (such as tumor necrosis factor, interleukin 1 and interleukin 6). Because of the crucial role of inflammation in most chronic diseases, the potential of curcumin has been examined in neoplastic, neurological, cardiovascular, pulmonary and metabolic diseases. The pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of curcumin have been examined in animals and in humans. Various pharmacological aspects of curcumin in vitro and in vivo are discussed in detail here.

TZ

142

[quote]Tim Ziegenfuss wrote:
mch60360 wrote:
My wife is going to have a planned c section next spring and I was wondering if this was safe to use while breastfeeding. It’s this or serious painkillers and I figured this would be better for the baby and promote healing post surgery.

MCH60360,

Curcumin has been used for hundreds of years as a cooking spice by pregnant/lactating women, and there are no reports that it poses a problem. However, b/c use of the extract has not been specifically studied, tread cautiously. Some meds are safe for use by pregnant/lactating women…check with your wife’s gyno. We have 5 kids, so we’ve been through this a number of times. For what it’s worth, we ended up using 1 capsule per day of turmeric.

Hope that helps.

TZ[/quote]

Before someone corrects me, turmeric is the spice. Curcumin is one of the principal actives…

:slight_smile:

143

I’ ve read of its muscle relaxing qualities back alittle while. Aside from the T-Nation and Johnny Bowden advice. I hear it will be the center of Alzheimerâ??s Disease research and has info saying it slows the brain damage rate.

144

Thank you Tim Z. Just looking to help her with a speedy recovery.

145

[quote]mch60360 wrote:
Thank you Tim Z. Just looking to help her with a speedy recovery. [/quote]

You betcha. Good luck!

TZ

146

Vitamin D, Curcumin May Help Clear Amyloid Plaques Found In Alzheimer’s Disease

ScienceDaily (July 16, 2009) â?? UCLA scientists and colleagues from UC Riverside and the Human BioMolecular Research Institute have found that a form of vitamin D, together with a chemical found in turmeric spice called curcumin, may help stimulate the immune system to clear the brain of amyloid beta, which forms the plaques considered the hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease.

The early research findings, which appear in the July issue of the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, may lead to new approaches in preventing and treating Alzheimer’s by utilizing the property of vitamin D3 â?? a form of vitamin D â?? both alone and together with natural or synthetic curcumin to boost the immune system in protecting the brain against amyloid beta.

Vitamin D3 is an essential nutrient for bone and immune system health; its main source is sunshine, and it is synthesized through the skin. Deficiencies may occur during winter months or in those who spend a lot of time indoors, such as Alzheimer’s patients.

“We hope that vitamin D3 and curcumin, both naturally occurring nutrients, may offer new preventive and treatment possibilities for Alzheimer’s disease,” said Dr. Milan Fiala, study author and a researcher at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and the Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System.

Using blood samples from nine Alzheimer’s patients, one patient with mild cognitive impairment and three healthy control subjects, scientists isolated monocyte cells, which transform into macrophages that act as the immune system’s clean-up crew, traveling through the brain and body and gobbling up waste products, including amyloid beta. Researchers incubated the macrophages with amyloid beta, vitamin D3 and natural or synthetic curcumin.

The synthetic curcuminoid compounds were developed in the laboratory of John Cashman at the Human BioMolecular Research Institute, a nonprofit institute dedicated to research on diseases of the human brain.Researchers found that naturally occurring curcumin was not readily absorbed, that it tended to break down quickly before it could be utilized and that its potency level was low, making it less effective than the new synthetic curcuminoids.

“We think some of the novel synthetic compounds will get around the shortcomings of curcumin and improve the therapeutic efficacy,” Cashman said.

The team discovered that curcuminoids enhanced the surface binding of amyloid beta to macrophages and that vitamin D strongly stimulated the uptake and absorption of amyloid beta in macrophages in a majority of patients.

Previous research by the team demonstrated that the immune genes MGAT III and TLR-3 are associated with the immune system’s ability to better ingest amyloid beta. In this earlier work, Fiala noted, it was shown that there are two types of Alzheimer’s patients: Type 1 patients, who respond positively to curcuminoids, and Type II patients, who do not.

“Since vitamin D and curcumin work differently with the immune system, we may find that a combination of the two or each used alone may be more effective â?? depending on the individual patient,” he said.

Fiala noted that this is early laboratory research and that no dosage of vitamin D or curcumin can be recommended at this point. Larger vitamin D and curcumin studies with more patients are planned.

The study was funded by the Human BioMolecular Research Institute, the Alzheimer’s Association and MP Biomedicals LLC, a global life sciences and diagnostics company dedicated to Alzheimer’s disease research. Fiala is a consultant for MP Biomedicals and also served in the company’s speakers bureau.

Additional study authors include Ava Masoumi, Ben Goldenson, Hripsime Avagyan, Justin Zaghi, Michelle Mahanian, Martin Hewison, Araceli Espinosa-Jeffrey and Phillip T. Liu, of the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA; Senait Ghirami, Ken Abel, Xuying Zheng and John Cashman, of the Human BioMolecular Research Institute; and Mathew Mizwicki, of the department of biochemistry at UC Riverside.

147

How would you recommend dosing strategies based on the knowledge from the following study that inhibiting COX-2 may reduce skeletal muscle hypertrophy? For instance, how close to a training bout would you or would you not take curcumin or would you even take it on a day of intense resistance training?

COX-2 inhibitor reduces skeletal muscle hypertrophy in mice.
Novak ML, Billich W, Smith SM, Sukhija KB, McLoughlin TJ, Hornberger TA, Koh TJ.
Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2009 Apr;296(4):R1132-9. Epub 2009 Jan 28.

Anti-inflammatory strategies are often used to reduce muscle pain and soreness that can result from high-intensity muscular activity. However, studies indicate that components of the acute inflammatory response may be required for muscle repair and growth. The hypothesis of this study was that cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 activity is required for compensatory hypertrophy of skeletal muscle. We used the synergist ablation model of skeletal muscle hypertrophy, along with the specific COX-2 inhibitor NS-398, to investigate the role of COX-2 in overload-induced muscle growth in mice. COX-2 was expressed in plantaris muscles during compensatory hypertrophy and was localized mainly in or near muscle cell nuclei. Treatment with NS-398 blunted the increases in mass and protein content in overloaded muscles compared with vehicle-treated controls. Additionally, the COX-2 inhibitor decreased activity of the urokinase type plasminogen activator, macrophage accumulation, and cell proliferation, all of which are required for hypertrophy after synergist ablation. Expression of insulin-like growth factor-1 and phosphorylation of Akt, mammalian target of rapamycin, and p70S6K were increased following synergist ablation, but were not affected by NS-398. Additionally, expression of atrogin-1 was reduced during hypertrophy, but was also not affected by NS-398. These results demonstrate that COX-2 activity is required for skeletal muscle hypertrophy, possibly through facilitation of extracellular protease activity, macrophage accumulation, and cell proliferation.

148

Could someone from Biotest please respond to my above post? I already purchased 2 bottles of this product and would like some advice on how to best incorporate the product into my regimen based on the research that I am finding. I would think it be important from a customer service point of view to try and respond to product questions quickly.

Thanks.

149

[quote]wushufanatic wrote:
How would you recommend dosing strategies based on the knowledge from the following study that inhibiting COX-2 may reduce skeletal muscle hypertrophy? For instance, how close to a training bout would you or would you not take curcumin or would you even take it on a day of intense resistance training?

[/quote]

Just my .02,

I would highly doubt that circumin could inhibit COX-2 enough all day every day to the point that it would inhibit the hypertrophy to the point that it retarded growth.

Both testosterone and growth hormone also do the same thing.

They obviously do not impair muscle growth.

150

alright well i busted up my shoulder yesterday, so i orded a bottle of this, and two bottles of Flameout (yeah i had been out for sometime…its only now i can afford it anyways) So i will be giving this a thorough test.

151

[quote]Wise Guy wrote:
wushufanatic wrote:
How would you recommend dosing strategies based on the knowledge from the following study that inhibiting COX-2 may reduce skeletal muscle hypertrophy? For instance, how close to a training bout would you or would you not take curcumin or would you even take it on a day of intense resistance training?

Just my .02,

I would highly doubt that circumin could inhibit COX-2 enough all day every day to the point that it would inhibit the hypertrophy to the point that it retarded growth.

Both testosterone and growth hormone also do the same thing.

They obviously do not impair muscle growth. [/quote]

I agree. There is quite a difference b/t pharmacologic inhibition of COX-2 in mice undergoing muscle ablation vs. moderate use (i.e. according to label directions) of C-500 in a weight training human. Similar concerns for retarding lean mass gains were voiced for the use of ibuprofen (see previous posts), but these were eventually shown to be unfounded in humans undergoing prolonged resistance training.

To be clear though, I do think that some muscle damage and subsequent activation of inflammatory pathways is a necessary stimulus for muscle growth. But it’s also clear that too much damage impedes progress over the long run and can be detrimental. And lets not forget the other mechanisms by which C-500 is beneficial for health (again, see previous posts or do a simple GOOGLE search).

The bottom line is that unless you are a competitive bodybuilder co-administering massive doses of C-500 along with other more potent COX-2 inhibitors, you have nothing to worry about. In fact, I’d venture to say that screwing up your pre/post workout nutrition would have far greater ramifications on gains in lean mass than proper use of C-500.

Hope that helps.

TZ

152

[quote]Tim Ziegenfuss wrote:
I agree. There is quite a difference b/t pharmacologic inhibition of COX-2 in mice undergoing muscle ablation vs. moderate use (i.e. according to label directions) of C-500 in a weight training human. Similar concerns for retarding lean mass gains were voiced for the use of ibuprofen (see previous posts), but these were eventually shown to be unfounded in humans undergoing prolonged resistance training.

To be clear though, I do think that some muscle damage and subsequent activation of inflammatory pathways is a necessary stimulus for muscle growth. But it’s also clear that too much damage impedes progress over the long run and can be detrimental. And lets not forget the other mechanisms by which C-500 is beneficial for health (again, see previous posts or do a simple GOOGLE search).

The bottom line is that unless you are a competitive bodybuilder co-administering massive doses of C-500 along with other more potent COX-2 inhibitors, you have nothing to worry about. In fact, I’d venture to say that screwing up your pre/post workout nutrition would have far greater ramifications on gains in lean mass than proper use of C-500.

Hope that helps.

TZ[/quote]

Thanks for the reply!

153

on my second bottle and I love the product. However, one of the capsules fell open and everything was covered in the powder as was previously mentioned. If this hasn’t been addressed it should be as this seems to be a fairly common problem

154

just received my 2 bottles today. will be taking 2/day for the first week or two to see how it works. i will post back with my results!

155

Does the dose timing matter? On my third day of taking it and I love it. Currently taking it in the morning when I wake and again before bed.

156

[quote]Testy1 wrote:
Does the dose timing matter? On my third day of taking it and I love it. Currently taking it in the morning when I wake and again before bed.[/quote]

T,

Best taken with a meal (with a little fat in it).

TZ

157

[quote]Beej1989 wrote:

Exactly! I’ve been so disappointed with the recent product lineup: Rhodilia Rosea, Alpha-GPC and now this. These are all basic supplements that can already be found from many other companies so why not try and go above and behond and make something great. This place is Testosterone Nation so there should be more products geared at building muscle, I feel like this is Men’s Health or something[/quote]

  • I haven’t tried Alpha-GPC but I can say the supps from Biotest, (Rodiola Rosea, Flameout), are of the highest quality that I’ve used. And that would be the main reason I try the Curcumin 500
158

I have been taking Curcumin for about a week now, I love this stuff. I have had the best workouts, pushing more weight more intensity and feel better (you can do that with no joint pain). I am over 40 and sometimes the knees, back and shoulders want to act up a little, but this stuff is awsome I have had no pain or discomfort in the joints, muscles still get sore as hell and making great gains. I going to buy this stuff by the case. Just started my wife on it she is now a believer.

159

I think this has def helped my wrist and elbow injuries…

160

I’ve used this twice (2 pills twice/day) and this stuff has really helped my knee pain from the volleyball I play.