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Curry spice turmeric boosts memory by nearly 30%, eases depression, study finds

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Re: Curry spice turmeric boosts memory by nearly 30%, eases depression, study finds

#131

Post by Florin_Andrei »

Karupan wrote: post #72
Florin_Andrei wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just curious: what's the amount of each ingredient that goes in one drink?

200ml of hot (not boiling) milk 1 tsp of ground turmeric powder A pinch or two ground black pepper If you’re not used to turmeric, I’d suggest starting with half tsp as it’s got quite a strong flavour (especially when not cooked with other spices)

Speaking as an European not used to very spicy food, it's not the turmeric I'm worried about, it's the black pepper. But a pinch or two seems fine.

I'll give it a try. If my mouth catches on fire, I know who to blame. :)

Re: Curry spice turmeric boosts memory by nearly 30%, eases depression, study finds

#132

Post by noir_lord »

IntronExon wrote: post #8
mrguyorama wrote: post #4

>Because curcumin's anti-inflammatory properties may protect the brain from neurodegeneration My very first question was: Please provide a possible physiological pathway for this. I'm so glad it was answered in the very first sentence. So many of these "Superfood does X" studies are just trials with 10 people over a month, with no explanation as to __how__ it could possibly happen. It significantly increases the skep…

Given what we’re learning about the impact of gut microbiome on CNS, immune system, and other systems I wonder if the GI effect is it , but with secondary effects related to activity of bacterial colonies.

Gut biome is insanely important, I've had digestive issues for over a year and it's been depressing that they couldn't find the cause.

I finally gave up waiting and decided to experiment myself, started drinking a yakult every morning and last thing at night, within two weeks things started... Moving and now 6 weeks in its like it used to be, bloatings gone, regular as clockwork, energy levels are up and I generally feel better.

I still have other issues that are more serious but the medication handles those ok.

I started taking vitamin D a few weeks before that as well and that seemed to help as well.

Re: Curry spice turmeric boosts memory by nearly 30%, eases depression, study finds

#134

Post by noir_lord »

quacker wrote: post #59
mkempe wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Actually the age range was 51-84, so middle plus old age, not all "elderly". Normal people flourish and are in their prime around 50. Volunteers had "objective cognitive performance scores and clinical histories consistent with normal aging or MCI (i.e., mild neurocognitive disorder) and inconsistent with dementia (i.e., major neurocognitive disorder)." [emphasis added]

> Normal people flourish and are in their prime around 50 How do you mean? I don't think most people in their 50s would describe themselves as being "in their prime". For example, ELO ratings of Chess players tend to decline in their 30s[1]. For NBA players, their "prime" is typically the late 20s, with performance declining in their 30s. 1. https://www.chess.com/blog/LionChessLtd/age-vs-elo---your-ba...

I wonder about the ELO thing how much is age and how much is priorities changing (kids, families, the realisation that outside the top15 there isn't much of a living in playing vs teaching/writing which takes you away from teaching etc).

Anand just won the rapid chess world championship at 48, Korchnoi was top-100 into his 70's.

Not saying there isn't some decline just that it may not be as pronounced as the raw ELO figures would indicate.

Re: Curry spice turmeric boosts memory by nearly 30%, eases depression, study finds

#135

Post by dumbneurologist »

mrguyorama wrote: post #4

>Because curcumin's anti-inflammatory properties may protect the brain from neurodegeneration My very first question was: Please provide a possible physiological pathway for this. I'm so glad it was answered in the very first sentence. So many of these "Superfood does X" studies are just trials with 10 people over a month, with no explanation as to __how__ it could possibly happen. It significantly increases the skep…

I am a neurologist. this is actually the exact opposite of what you should care about, which is "does it work to treat ___"

In this trial, and 99% of other trials, there is no mechanism provided by the study, only a measurement of causality (which is the same thing as effectiveness).

The authors may think they know based on other, prior, basic science research (as they are postulating here), but it does not affect the conclusions of the trial ( whether they do or don't (or even if they are wrong).

Obviously it's intellectually satisfying to understand WHY, but it's not as important as "is it true?"

Re: Curry spice turmeric boosts memory by nearly 30%, eases depression, study finds

#136

Post by noir_lord »

ng12 wrote: post #83
2muchcoffeeman wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You see a lot of turmeric and a ton of other spices and herbs in SE Asian cooking too. But I really wouldn’t say that these populations are particularly healthier. The idea that modern medicine is ‘playing catch-up’ is laughable. For every home remedy they get right, they probably get many others wrong. I agree drug companies are still fairly evil.

> But I really wouldn’t say that these populations are particularly healthier How would you be able to tell?

By sampling them against other cultures, the same way we know Japanese people have lower rates of heart disease than western European/Americans.

Re: Curry spice turmeric boosts memory by nearly 30%, eases depression, study finds

#138

Post by icantdrive55 »

They started out with 259 volunteers, and based their conclusions on 40 individuals.

The Theracurmin would change the color of the urine, but the researchers don't believe that affected Placebo.

Volunteers came in every three months for supply. They were given eith Placebo, or Theracurmin. I'm wondering if any of the volunteers cut open the capsules at home? "Let's just see what I'm taking?" I don't know.

My point is I'm getting tired of percentages. The average person looks at a percentage and assumes it must work. All previous studies on this spice showed no benefit. But that might be due to bioavailability--of course.

Actually my point is I don't trust most studies, especially the studies that study the brain, and how it functions.

I'm still in shock over the copious amounts of tricyclics/heterocyclic antidepressants I was prescribed.

I'm still in shock the expense. The mandatory office visits. Being told "you just don't want to be on antidepressants!". Yes, the side affects are real.

And completely dissalusioned when I read the actual studies on the wonder drugs.

This study on Theracurmin seems like it could be easily done in most rest homes. If I knew for sure the patients didn't know what they were taking by breaking open, I imagine a gel capsule; I would give the study more credence.

Re: Curry spice turmeric boosts memory by nearly 30%, eases depression, study finds

#139

Post by mkempe »

losteric wrote: post #128
jimhefferon wrote: post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I don't think most people in their 50s would describe themselves as being "in their prime". I are not going to be part of a professional sports franchise. But at my age (59) I know more than I ever did, and I have no serious physical problems.

"no serious physical problems" is far from "in your prime"... and you might know more things, but your ability to learn has significantly declined. That's just the nature of aging.

The measure of flourishing is not how fast one can dig holes, nor is it how quickly one can study new APIs.

Knowing useful and effective ways to act, and acting accordingly; understanding and undertaking long-term, purposeful courses of action; and fully integrating new knowledge with vast, existing knowledge -- are key to flourishing. This doesn't end at or decline with the start of middle age.

Re: Curry spice turmeric boosts memory by nearly 30%, eases depression, study finds

#140

Post by bart42_0 »

adamc wrote: post #27
blacksmith_tb wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For all the claims of bioavailability, I was surprised to see that Theracumin(R) doesn't seem to contain piperine[1] or any perines (which are usually in curry powder courtesy of black pepper). The 90mg dosage also seemed low, I have been taking 500mg of 95% extract daily for a couple of years. 1: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9619120

How do you take it?

Every morning I make 1,5L tea, 1 root of cut/chopped turmeric and and a bit of cut/chopped ginger (for the taste), I also add a bit of ground pepper.
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