Save to favorites
This feature is restricted to active members.
Join now to save favorites and get all member benefits, including over 1,400 reviews.
Join NowAlready a member? Sign in here.
ConsumerLab Tests Reveal the Best Turmeric and Curcumin Supplements & Spices
White Plains, New York, June 29, 2023 — Turmeric and curcumin (a key compound in turmeric) are promoted for uses including osteoarthritis, seasonal allergies, and ulcerative colitis, as well as improving cognition and reducing symptoms of depression. But do they really work, and which products are best? To answer these questions, ConsumerLab recently purchased and tested popular turmeric and curcumin supplements and spices, and reviewed the scientific evidence.
ConsumerLab’s tests revealed that all of the selected turmeric and curcumin supplements contained the amount of curcumin compounds (curcuminoids) expected from their labels. However, there were significant differences in these amounts, which ranged from 42 mg to more than 1,000 mg per serving. One product was also found to be contaminated with lead, a toxic heavy metal. The cost to get a 500-mg dose of curcuminoids from supplements ranged from just 15 cents to more than $6. Turmeric spices were found to contain similar amounts of curcuminoids (about 33 to 36 mg per ½ teaspoon). Although none of the spices exceeded ConsumerLab's limits for heavy metal contamination, one product was one-third lower in lead than the others.
Among Approved products, ConsumerLab selected an overall Top Pick turmeric/curcumin supplement that provides clinically significant amounts of curcuminoids at low cost, as well as Top Picks with and without bioavailability enhancers, which may improve absorption of curcumin, but in some cases, may interact with certain medications. ConsumerLab also selected a Top Pick turmeric spice that contained a good amount of curcuminoids with the least amount of lead.
The results are available online now in ConsumerLab's new Turmeric and Curcumin Supplements and Spices Review, which includes test results and comparisons for 19 products, including one product for dogs. Fifteen products were selected for testing by ConsumerLab: A1 Vitality Turmeric Curcumin, Allergy Research Group CurcuWIN 500, Doctor’s Best Curcumin Phytosome with Meriva, Frontier Co-Op Turmeric Root, Gaia Herbs Turmeric Supreme – Extra Strength, Great Value Ground Turmeric, Integrative Therapeutics Theracurmin HP, Jamieson Curcumin Turmeric 550 mg, Kirkland Signature [Costco] Turmeric 1,000 mg, McCormick Ground Turmeric, Qunol Extra Strength Turmeric, Root2 Turmeric Extract Curcumin C3 Complex, Spring Valley [Walmart] Turmeric Curcumin Extract – Natural Peach Mango Flavor, Terry Naturally CuraMed, and Zesty Paws Turmeric Curcumin Bites. Four additional products passed the same testing and were Approved through CL's voluntary Quality Certification Program: Garden of Life My Kind Organic Extra Strength Turmeric, GNC Herbal Plus Turmeric Curcumin 500 mg, Life Extension Curcumin Elite, and Puritan’s Pride Curcuminoids from Turmeric.
The review summarizes the clinical evidence for turmeric and curcumin supplementation, and discusses the typical dosage for specific uses including rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, depression, ulcerative colitis and others. It also explains the best way to take turmeric and curcumin supplements to increase absorption and the evidence for formulations designed to enhance absorption and/or bioavailability such as those with black pepper extract (Bioperine), BCM-95, C3, CurcuWin, Longvida, Meriva, NovaSol, and Theracurmin, as well as how to increase absorption when using turmeric spices for cooking. The review discusses potential side effects and drug interactions with turmeric and curcumin, and black pepper extract. A video with expert tips for taking turmeric and curcumin is also available.
Founded in 1999, ConsumerLab.com is a leading provider of consumer information and independent evaluations of products that affect health and nutrition. Membership to ConsumerLab.com is available online and provides immediate access to continually updated reviews of nearly every popular type of dietary supplement and health food, answers to reader questions, and product recalls and warnings. ConsumerLab also provides independent product testing through its voluntary Quality Certification Program. The company is privately held and based in New York. It has no ownership from, or interest in, companies that manufacture, distribute, or sell consumer products.
ConsumerLab’s tests revealed that all of the selected turmeric and curcumin supplements contained the amount of curcumin compounds (curcuminoids) expected from their labels. However, there were significant differences in these amounts, which ranged from 42 mg to more than 1,000 mg per serving. One product was also found to be contaminated with lead, a toxic heavy metal. The cost to get a 500-mg dose of curcuminoids from supplements ranged from just 15 cents to more than $6. Turmeric spices were found to contain similar amounts of curcuminoids (about 33 to 36 mg per ½ teaspoon). Although none of the spices exceeded ConsumerLab's limits for heavy metal contamination, one product was one-third lower in lead than the others.
Among Approved products, ConsumerLab selected an overall Top Pick turmeric/curcumin supplement that provides clinically significant amounts of curcuminoids at low cost, as well as Top Picks with and without bioavailability enhancers, which may improve absorption of curcumin, but in some cases, may interact with certain medications. ConsumerLab also selected a Top Pick turmeric spice that contained a good amount of curcuminoids with the least amount of lead.
The results are available online now in ConsumerLab's new Turmeric and Curcumin Supplements and Spices Review, which includes test results and comparisons for 19 products, including one product for dogs. Fifteen products were selected for testing by ConsumerLab: A1 Vitality Turmeric Curcumin, Allergy Research Group CurcuWIN 500, Doctor’s Best Curcumin Phytosome with Meriva, Frontier Co-Op Turmeric Root, Gaia Herbs Turmeric Supreme – Extra Strength, Great Value Ground Turmeric, Integrative Therapeutics Theracurmin HP, Jamieson Curcumin Turmeric 550 mg, Kirkland Signature [Costco] Turmeric 1,000 mg, McCormick Ground Turmeric, Qunol Extra Strength Turmeric, Root2 Turmeric Extract Curcumin C3 Complex, Spring Valley [Walmart] Turmeric Curcumin Extract – Natural Peach Mango Flavor, Terry Naturally CuraMed, and Zesty Paws Turmeric Curcumin Bites. Four additional products passed the same testing and were Approved through CL's voluntary Quality Certification Program: Garden of Life My Kind Organic Extra Strength Turmeric, GNC Herbal Plus Turmeric Curcumin 500 mg, Life Extension Curcumin Elite, and Puritan’s Pride Curcuminoids from Turmeric.
The review summarizes the clinical evidence for turmeric and curcumin supplementation, and discusses the typical dosage for specific uses including rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, depression, ulcerative colitis and others. It also explains the best way to take turmeric and curcumin supplements to increase absorption and the evidence for formulations designed to enhance absorption and/or bioavailability such as those with black pepper extract (Bioperine), BCM-95, C3, CurcuWin, Longvida, Meriva, NovaSol, and Theracurmin, as well as how to increase absorption when using turmeric spices for cooking. The review discusses potential side effects and drug interactions with turmeric and curcumin, and black pepper extract. A video with expert tips for taking turmeric and curcumin is also available.
Founded in 1999, ConsumerLab.com is a leading provider of consumer information and independent evaluations of products that affect health and nutrition. Membership to ConsumerLab.com is available online and provides immediate access to continually updated reviews of nearly every popular type of dietary supplement and health food, answers to reader questions, and product recalls and warnings. ConsumerLab also provides independent product testing through its voluntary Quality Certification Program. The company is privately held and based in New York. It has no ownership from, or interest in, companies that manufacture, distribute, or sell consumer products.
Turmeric Tips from ConsumerLab
— END —
Members of the media contact may contact media@consumerlab.com or call the ConsumerLab.com main number (914-722-9149). Please include the name of your news organization when contacting us.
