Rumor has it that the more curcumin you take, the more effective it is for weight loss? The nutritionist answered and understood immediately~

Those who love beauty and want to lose weight may have heard that "turmeric is a magic drug for weight loss" and "curcumin weight loss method" because the golden compound "curcumin" in turmeric has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, and has the benefits of assisting in weight loss and lowering blood lipids. There is even a saying that "the higher the curcumin content in turmeric, the better the weight loss effect will be." Is this true? Is it fake? Let’s listen to the nutritionist’s detailed analysis.

The proportion of curcumin in turmeric powder is low and it is more soluble in oil

Turmeric belongs to the ginger family and is often used as a natural yellow pigment (such as turmeric buns, steamed bread, etc.) or as a spice to add flavor to food when cooking. Curcuminoids only account for 2-6% of turmeric powder, and curcumin, the main active ingredient, only accounts for about 80% of the 2-6%. In daily life, turmeric is only used in curry, but the turmeric content is not high.

What is Curcumin? Nutritionist Gao Minmin said that the main source of curcumin is turmeric. The curcumin in turmeric is a polyphenol compound that is insoluble in water and is more soluble in oils. Therefore, turmeric has poor water solubility, which will result in poor absorption rate by the human body. In addition, it is metabolized very quickly in the human intestine and liver, so even if you successfully absorb it, it will not stay in the body.

Curcumin-related cell experiments may show results of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and blood sugar-lowering effects, but when applied to human experiments, the same effects may not be achieved, mainly because of its low bioavailability.

Does turmeric have an inhibitory effect on obesity? Nutritionist: More human trials are needed

Turmeric is associated with the inhibition or activation of enzymes known to be associated with obesity, and theoretically may have an inhibitory effect on obesity. But these studies are still a long way from human trials. In addition, obesity is affected by multiple factors. It is still unwise to rely solely on turmeric to lose weight without examining your lifestyle and eating habits.

On the Internet: "The higher the content of curcumin, the more it can help lose weight and reduce body fat." Is this true? Nutritionist Gao Minmin said that curcumin can inhibit mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK, ERK, JNK, and p38), which are related to the differentiation of 3T3-L1 cell lines into adipocytes. The Wnt/β-catenin pathway is also activated in differentiated adipocytes, which is closely related to obesity.

In white adipose tissue, curcumin can reduce macrophage infiltration and leptin; in terms of inflammation-related obesity, curcumin can increase the expression of "adiponectin" and inhibit the activity of NF-kB. Therefore, it is speculated that it has an inhibitory effect on obesity, but human trials are still needed to confirm. Adiponectin is a hormone that is produced by fat cells and released into the blood. The concentration of adiponectin in the blood is lower in obese people. It is speculated that the increase of "adiponectin" may have an auxiliary effect in suppressing obesity. However, curcumin has the characteristic of being difficult to be absorbed and utilized. Therefore, it can be said to be an "irrational" idea and practice to rely solely on taking curcumin to achieve weight loss effects!

So, does curcumin help with weight loss? At present, many studies are still a long way from human trials. In addition, obesity is not caused in one or two days. It is related to many factors and must be managed and controlled from the source. Therefore, it is not recommended to rely solely on curcumin to lose weight.

When eating turmeric, you should use oil to cook it so that it is easier to absorb.

There are still some things to note when consuming turmeric! In everyday food, turmeric is usually only found in curry, and curry dishes are usually cooked with oil, making it a relatively easy-to-absorb form. If you buy a whole piece of turmeric to eat, or buy a bag of turmeric powder to soak in water and drink it, you basically cannot absorb any curcumin.

Curcumin is considered a relatively safe ingredient by the Food and Drug Administration. According to the definition of the European Food Safety Authority: the adequate daily intake (Adequate daily intake, ADI) of curcumin is 0-3 mg per kilogram, and the recommended daily intake is approximately within 200 mg to avoid excessive intake and adverse effects. Before you think about taking turmeric to lose weight, you should think twice. In particular, please note that the following 6 types of people are not suitable for eating turmeric:

[6 types of people should not eat turmeric]:

1. People with gastroesophageal reflux or other stomach diseases: Because turmeric can cause gastrointestinal symptoms in some people, it is not recommended for people with stomach diseases to take turmeric.

2. Postoperative patients: Since turmeric has anticoagulant activity, it is not recommended to be consumed after surgery.

3. Patients with calcium oxalate stones: Human experiments have found that after healthy subjects took 3.2g of turmeric every day for 4 weeks, the concentration of oxalic acid in their urine was significantly higher. Therefore, it is recommended that patients with calcium oxalate stones should avoid taking high doses of turmeric.

5. People with gallstones or abnormal bile duct function: Turmeric promotes bile secretion, so patients with gallstones or abnormal bile duct function may not be suitable for supplementation.

6. People with impaired liver and kidney function: As the safety is still unknown, it is recommended that people with poor liver and kidney function do not take it privately.