(06-10-13) Curcumin supplementation is shown to halt the progression of diabetes in pre-diabetics

by John Phillip

(NaturalNews) Curcumin, the native Indian spice derived from turmeric has been
touted for decades as a powerful tool in the fight against cancer development
and progression, Alzheimer's disease and cardiovascular disorders due to its
natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The spice compound has
recently attained 'superstar' status along with other nutrients including
resveratrol, vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids in the fight against chronic
diseases that plague millions of aging individuals.

A group of researchers publishing in Diabetes Care have found that
supplementation with a standardized compound extracted from turmeric may help
prevent diabetes in people at high risk. Diabetes and prediabetes, the
precursor stage of the disease, afflicts as many as one-third of the US
population, placing as many as 100 million individuals at dramatically
increased risk for heart disease, cancer and dementia as well as early death.

Study finds curcumin halts the deadly progression to diabetes in pre-diabetic
individuals
To conduct the study, scientists reviewed a cohort of 237 pre-diabetic
participants in Thailand. Prediabetes is defined as a fasting blood glucose
reading between 100 and 124 mg/dL, although many forward-thinking natural
practitioners believe the lower reading should be 85 mg/dL. Researchers found
that over nine months, a daily dose of curcumin appeared to prevent new cases
of diabetes among people with clinically diagnosed pre-diabetes.

Study participants received a daily regimen of three curcumin capsules
containing 240 mg of curcuminoids each twice per day or placebo capsules for
nine months. Physical examinations were conducted over the enrollment period to
gather data on body weight, waist circumference, glucose tolerance, insulin
resistance, glycated hemoglobin and C-peptide, all biomarkers used to assess
the progression of diabetes.

At the end of the nine month period, 16.4 percent of the study's participants
receiving the placebo developed diabetes, with a fasting plasma glucose level
above 126 mg/dL, or an oral glucose tolerance test level of 200 mg/dL or higher
at two hours. Among those receiving the curcumin supplemented protocol, no
cases of diabetes occurred. Additionally, the researchers determined that the
supplemented group had significantly improved pancreatic beta cell function
(beta cells release insulin to control serum blood glucose levels) and
decreased levels of insulin resistance.

The study authors concluded "Our study showed that the curcumin extract can
effectively prevent the prediabetes population from developing type 2 diabetes
mellitus... because of its benefits and safety, we propose that curcumin
extract may be used for an intervention therapy for the prediabetes
population." This study used a daily regimen of 730 mg of a standardized
curcumin extract to achieve the results reported. Most health-minded adults
will want to supplement with 500 to 1,000 mg of curcumin each day to prevent
the damaging health effects of metabolic syndrome and diabetes.

Sources for this article include:

http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/early/2012/07/02/dc12-0116
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_127711.html
http://www.lef.org

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