I have been taking Turmeric for months to help with chronic pain, and I think it is a very useful addition to my pain management routine.
This brand also does NOT contain black pepper/bioperine, which was what I was looking for. Black pepper may be good sometimes for some people, but there is good evidence showing that it increases blood serum levels of other medications, including beta blockers (taken to control blood pressure and heart rate, and some of the most commonly prescribed medications), which I take. Blood serum levels dictate how much of the dose you are taking actually gets to the site of action-- the thing in your body the medication has some influence upon-- so an unintended increase in blood serum levels of your heart medication isn't good. It may have some independent benefits and increase the turmeric absorption, but it also increases the absorption of other medications which can have dangerous side effects.
Here is a list of medications on which black pepper/bioperine/piperine increases the bioavailability:
barbiturates
beta-carotene
coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)
curcumin (extract from turmeric)
dapsone
ethambutol
isoniazid
nalorphine
phenytoin
propranolol
pyrazinamide
rifampicin
selenium (from selenomethionine)
sulfadiazene
theophylline
vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine)
glucose (absorption increased)
amino acids (absorption increased)
Turmeric is on the list, which is why adding it to turmeric/curcumin supplements makes them more effective. It is a problem when it works the same way on other medications that have more sensitive dosing (your doctor has chosen the dose he or she wants you on for a reason!). Increasing the bioavailability-- which is essentially increasing the dose-- of things like barbiturates, seizure medications, and blood pressure and heart rate lowering drugs can be very, very dangerous. You can find more information in an article here: [...]
Metabolizing enzymes inhibited or induced by piperine, and a few of the substances whose bioavailability is affected by these enzymes
Metabolizing Enzymes: CYP1A1, CYP1B1, CYP1B2, CYP2E1, CYP3A4
Drugs: acetaminophen, alfentanyl, amiodarone, amlodipine, astemizole, atorvastatin, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, buspirone, Cafergot, caffeine, carbamazepine, cerivastatin, chlorpheniramine, chlorzoxazone, cimetidine, ciprofloxacin, cisapride, clarithromycin, cocaine, codeine, cyclosporine, dapsone, dextromethorphan, diethyl-dithiocarbamate, diltiazem, disulfiram, efavirenz, enflurane, eplerenone, erythromycin, estradiol, ethanol, felodipine, fentanyl, finasteride, fluconazole, fluvoxamine, gestodene, Gleevec, glucocorticoids, haloperidol, halothane, hydrocortisone, indinavir, irinotecan, isoflurane, isoniazid, itraconazole, ketoconazole, LAAM, lercanidipine, lidocaine, lovastatin, methadone, methoxyflurane, mibefradil, mifepristone, modafinil, nefazodone, nelfinavir, nevirapine, nifedipine, nisoldipine, nitrendipine, norfloxacin, norfluoxetine, odanestron, phenobarbital, phenytoin, pimozide, pioglitazone, progesterone, propranolol, quinidine, quinine, rifabutin, rifampin, ritonavir, salmeterol, saquinavir, sevoflurane, sildenafil (Viagra), simvastatin, sirolimus, St. John's wort, tamoxifen, taxol, terfenadine, testosterone, theophylline, trazodone, troglitazone, verapamil, vincristine, zaleplon, zolpidem
Turmeric has been used for thousands of years for its medicinal properties, and is one of the few "alternative" remedies that has empirical evidence supporting its efficacy as an anti inflammatory. It can be used in place of or as an adjunct to modern medicine to treat pain. Less well studied for turmeric uses include immune system support and digestive healthcare (sort of like a pro-biotic). I've really found that it helps my joint pain and that's all I can speak to.
Overall I highly recommend that anyone with regular or chronic pain try turmeric as an alternative to NSAIDS (Tylenol, Advil, ibuprofen, etc.) or as a supplement to those and other pain treatments. I find that it makes my pain medication more effective without increasing or causing new side effects, and that is really a hard thing to find. If you take ANY prescription medication or supplements that are dose dependent it is better to stay away from the black pepper/piperine/bioperine (they are all forms of the same thing), and that really includes things like tylenol. Since this is one of the few brands of turmeric that does not contain black pepper, it's a good choice in my opinion
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