Curcumin – the active ingredient in turmeric spice – is sometimes touted as having ‘miracle’ medicinal qualities for those who consume it.
But the largest study done to date on human patients shows curcumin is “no better than nothing” in preventing inflammation and complications in patients undergoing elective surgery for aortic aneurysm repair, according to a large randomized controlled trial with results published Monday in the CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
“Turmeric has been used for thousands of years in Indian and Chinese medicine, and curcumin continues to gain popularity today as a natural health supplement,” said lead author Dr. Amit Garg, Professor of Medicine at Western’s Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry and a researcher at Lawson Health Research Institute.
“In this randomized trial, the largest to date, perioperative oral curcumin did not ameliorate the complications of elective abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.”
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