Also known as Curcuma longa, Curcuminoids
Curcuminoid compounds from turmeric root that inhibit NF-κB and COX-2 inflammatory pathways; poorly absorbed alone, so formulations often add piperine or fats to improve bioavailability for joint pain.
Reported side effects:Adverse events - vs NSAIDs (osteoarthritis trials; systematic review and meta-analysis)Adverse events - vs placebo (osteoarthritis trials; systematic review and meta-analysis)
Be careful if: certain health conditions, certain ages, pregnant, breastfeeding
Ask first if you take: blood thinners (anticoagulants or antiplatelets), diabetes medicines, including insulin, chemotherapy, immunosuppressants
Suspect a side effect? Report it to the MHRA Yellow Card scheme ↗
We link to relevant studies and leave interpretation to you and your healthcare professional.
The large figures are what the studies reported for each thing they measured. Open a card for every result.
Colour keyReported a benefitNo clear benefitUnclearPossible harmAmber is for highlights, such as where the most research is. It never means a result was good.
No figure given: Pain, function and stiffness (mixed results).
Also measured alongside: Joint fluid volume (MRI) (no clear benefit); Cartilage quality (MRI) (no clear benefit).
Every resultWhat sources report about side effects, who should be careful, and medicines to ask about first.
| Reported effect | How often | Basis | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adverse events - vs NSAIDs (osteoarthritis trials; systematic review and meta-analysis) | unknown | Listed by PubMed corpus rows (PubMed 34017975) | Zeng L et al., Biosci Rep 2021;41(6) - Curcuma longa extract and curcumin supplements in osteoarthritis, systematic review and meta-analysis (PMID 34017975) |
| Adverse events - vs placebo (osteoarthritis trials; systematic review and meta-analysis) | unknown | Listed by PubMed corpus rows (PubMed 34017975) | Zeng L et al., Biosci Rep 2021;41(6) - Curcuma longa extract and curcumin supplements in osteoarthritis, systematic review and meta-analysis (PMID 34017975) |
| Reported effect | How often | Basis | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liver injury via idiosyncratic response - COT 2024 identified that turmeric at the levels found in supplements, even at exposures below the ADI (0-3 mg/kg bw), may pose a risk of adverse effects to the liver | unknown | Listed by EFSA / SACN / COT upper levels | COT 2024 statement on the potential risk to human health of turmeric and curcumin supplements, as summarised in the Committee on Toxicity Herb Induced Liver Injury discussion paper (gov.uk, updated 2026-09-17) |
| Applies to | What sources say | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| certain health conditions | Not recommended in case of obstruction of the bile duct, cholangitis, liver disease, gallstones and any other biliary diseases, due to possible stimulation of bile secretion (EMA HMPC monograph on Curcuma longa rhizoma). | European Union herbal monograph on Curcuma longa L., rhizoma (EMA/HMPC/329755/2017, Revision 1) |
| certain ages | Use in children and adolescents under 18 years of age is not recommended - not established due to lack of adequate data (EMA HMPC monograph). | European Union herbal monograph on Curcuma longa L., rhizoma (EMA/HMPC/329755/2017, Revision 1) |
| pregnant | Not recommended during pregnancy: safety during pregnancy has not been established (EMA HMPC monograph). | European Union herbal monograph on Curcuma longa L., rhizoma (EMA/HMPC/329755/2017, Revision 1) |
| breastfeeding | Not recommended during lactation: safety during lactation has not been established (EMA HMPC monograph). | European Union herbal monograph on Curcuma longa L., rhizoma (EMA/HMPC/329755/2017, Revision 1) |
| Severity | Medicine | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| caution | blood thinners (anticoagulants or antiplatelets) — The risk of bleeding might be increased because turmeric may interfere with clotting by decreasing platelet aggregation; a seriously raised INR was reported in a warfarin user who started a turmeric product (Welsh Medicines Advice Service, NHS Wales). | Welsh Medicines Advice Service (NHS Wales): Turmeric - potential interactions |
| caution | diabetes medicines, including insulin — Turmeric or curcumin might reduce blood glucose and increase the risk of hypoglycaemia with antidiabetic medicines (Welsh Medicines Advice Service, NHS Wales). | Welsh Medicines Advice Service (NHS Wales): Turmeric - potential interactions |
| caution | chemotherapy — Use caution when taking medicinal doses of turmeric or curcumin alongside medicines with significant side effects, such as anti-cancer agents (Welsh Medicines Advice Service, NHS Wales). | Welsh Medicines Advice Service (NHS Wales): Turmeric - potential interactions |
| caution | immunosuppressants — Use caution when taking medicinal doses of turmeric or curcumin alongside medicines with significant side effects, such as immunosuppressant agents (Welsh Medicines Advice Service, NHS Wales). | Welsh Medicines Advice Service (NHS Wales): Turmeric - potential interactions |
COT 2024 statement on the potential risk to human health of turmeric and curcumin supplements, as summarised in the Committee on Toxicity Herb Induced Liver Injury discussion paper (gov.uk, updated 2026-09-17)European Union herbal monograph on Curcuma longa L., rhizoma (EMA/HMPC/329755/2017, Revision 1)Welsh Medicines Advice Service (NHS Wales): Turmeric - potential interactionsZeng L et al., Biosci Rep 2021;41(6) - Curcuma longa extract and curcumin supplements in osteoarthritis, systematic review and meta-analysis (PMID 34017975)
Audited published research for Turmeric / Curcumin by condition. Drill into a pair page for the full breakdown.
What this means: Bars count reported findings, not treatment effectiveness or certainty.
One study may report several findings or appear in more than one pairing. Counts do not show the size of an effect. Comparable numerical estimates are not established for this summary.
| Compound and condition | Findings (count) | Studies (count) | Reported results (finding counts) | How sure? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joint Pain | 7 | 2 | Benefit: 4; no benefit: 3; harm: 0; unclear: 0; not recorded / unrecognised: 0 | Not formally graded |
Where people report using it and what trials suggest
Common claims the trials do not support
Anti-inflammatory polyphenol with modest osteoarthritis-pain trials and notorious bioavailability problems; several headline trials have been null.
Evidence grades reflect study quality and consistency, not marketing claims.
Ordered by strength of evidence, then result direction.
01Comparative Effectiveness of Nutritional Supplements in the Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis: A Network Meta-AnalysisZhang Y, et al. · Nutrients · 2025PMID 40806131 ↗02Efficacy and safety of curcumin therapy for knee osteoarthritis: A Bayesian network meta-analysisZhao J, et al. · Journal of ethnopharmacology · 2024PMID 38036015 ↗03The efficacy of curcumin in relieving osteoarthritis: A meta-analysis of meta-analysesBideshki MV, et al. · Phytotherapy research : PTR · 2024PMID 38576215 ↗04Curcumin: A Golden Approach to Healthy Aging: A Systematic Review of the EvidenceNunes YC, et al. · Nutrients · 2024PMID 39203857 ↗05Evaluation of curcumin intake in reducing exercise-induced muscle damage in athletes: a systematic reviewDaniel Vasile PR, et al. · Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition · 2024PMID 39623590 ↗06Curcumin Attenuates Hyperglycemia and Inflammation in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Quantitative Analysis of Randomized Controlled TrialMokgalaboni K, et al. · Nutrients · 2024PMID 39683570 ↗Reported results grouped by condition. Values and units are preserved as recorded; missing information is not estimated.
How to read this table
Reported direction, numerical results and study design are separate. Certainty has not been formally graded in this table.
| What was measured | Reported findings | Result and units | Reported sample and duration | Study / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adverse events | Curcuma longa extract and curcumin had a lower incidence of adverse events compared to NSAIDs in 1621 participants.Benefit seen | Not reported Recorded unit: Not reported | Sample (as reported): 1621 Follow-up: more than 12 weeks | Meta-analysis · 2021 Study detailsThe efficacy and safety of Curcuma longa extract and curcumin supplements on osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Meta-Analysis |
| Joint pain, function, and stiffness | Curcuma longa extract and curcumin showed similar effects on joint pain, function, and stiffness compared to NSAIDs in 1621 participants.No clear benefit | Not reported Recorded unit: Not reported | Sample (as reported): 1621 Follow-up: more than 12 weeks | Meta-analysis · 2021 Study detailsThe efficacy and safety of Curcuma longa extract and curcumin supplements on osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Meta-Analysis |
| Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and WOMAC scores (pain, function, stiffness) | Curcuma longa extract and curcumin reduced pain, function, and stiffness scores compared to placebo in 1621 participants over more than 12 weeks.Benefit seen | Not reported Recorded unit: Not reported | Sample (as reported): 1621 Follow-up: more than 12 weeks | Meta-analysis · 2021 Study detailsThe efficacy and safety of Curcuma longa extract and curcumin supplements on osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Meta-Analysis |
| effusion-synovitis volume on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) | No change in effusion-synovitis volume vs placebo in 70 people over 12 weeks. (CI, -0.3 to 6.8 mL)No clear benefit | Not reported Recorded unit: mL | Sample (as reported): 70 Follow-up: 12 weeks | Randomised trial · 2020 Study detailsEffectiveness of Curcuma longa Extract for the Treatment of Symptoms and Effusion-Synovitis of Knee Osteoarthritis : A Randomized Trial. Randomized Controlled Trial |
| knee pain on visual analogue scale (VAS) | Knee pain improved by 9.1 mm vs placebo in 70 people over 12 weeks. (95% CI, -17.8 to -0.4 mm [P = 0.039])Benefit seen | -9.1 mm Recorded unit: mm | Sample (as reported): 70 Follow-up: 12 weeks | Randomised trial · 2020 Study detailsEffectiveness of Curcuma longa Extract for the Treatment of Symptoms and Effusion-Synovitis of Knee Osteoarthritis : A Randomized Trial. Randomized Controlled Trial |
| lateral femoral cartilage T2 relaxation time | No change in cartilage T2 relaxation time vs placebo in 70 people over 12 weeks. (CI, -1.1 to 0.3 ms)No clear benefit | Not reported Recorded unit: ms | Sample (as reported): 70 Follow-up: 12 weeks | Randomised trial · 2020 Study detailsEffectiveness of Curcuma longa Extract for the Treatment of Symptoms and Effusion-Synovitis of Knee Osteoarthritis : A Randomized Trial. Randomized Controlled Trial |
| WOMAC knee pain | WOMAC knee pain improved by 47.2 mm vs placebo in 70 people over 12 weeks. (CI, -81.2 to -13.2 mm; P = 0.006)Benefit seen | -47.2 mm Recorded unit: mm | Sample (as reported): 70 Follow-up: 12 weeks | Randomised trial · 2020 Study detailsEffectiveness of Curcuma longa Extract for the Treatment of Symptoms and Effusion-Synovitis of Knee Osteoarthritis : A Randomized Trial. Randomized Controlled Trial |
Associated conditions and community-reported outcomes, wrapped together on one page. Aggregates appear only once enough reports arrive.
How this compound is sold in the UK, and where our readers typically find it.
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