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Curcumin & turmeric extract supplementation (arthritis symptom trials)

Randomised trials and meta-analyses report that curcumin or Curcuma longa extracts improve pain and inflammation markers across several arthritis diagnoses in pooled narratives, but trial quality and commercial formulation differences limit certainty.

Scope

Curcumin / turmeric extract capsules or functional doses (≈120–1500 mg/day in pooled arthritis RCTs) studied for pain and inflammatory symptom scales—not culinary turmeric spice intake without standardisation.

Evidence anchors (PubMed)

  • Multi-diagnosis MA: Zeng et al. 2022 (Front Immunol; PMID 35935936; zeng-2022-curcumin-arthritis-meta-front-immunol) — 29 RCTs (n = 2,396) spanning OA, RA, AS, JIA, gout/hyperuricemia; authors report consistent safety and directional improvements in pain / inflammation severity with low trial-quality caveats.

Distinct protocols

  • Marine omega-3 (marine-omega-3-supplementation) — EPA/DHA lipid RCTs.
  • Acupuncture (acupuncture-chronic-pain) — needle somatosensory trials; do not merge mechanistic narratives.

Evidence hygiene

Bioavailability / piperine co-administration and banked plasma curcumin assays differ across products—brand-generic pooling is weak.

Evidence