Western medicine might scoff at it, but turmeric, or Curcuma longa, has been used in Eastern medicine as more than just a spice for food. It is also used as a medicine to help treat everything from irritable bowel syndrome to inflammation and even diabetes.

What is the validity of these claims? Is turmeric that good for diabetic health? Can turmeric help keep your blood sugar at healthy levels?

This article examines some of the most up-to-date research regarding the effects of turmeric on your health, specifically whether it is effective for diabetes management.

Uses of Turmeric and Evidence

In a series of scientific, peer-reviewed studies, turmeric has been shown to be useful in the treatment of possibly:

• High cholesterol and triglycerides
• Osteoarthritis (and might even help with arthritis pain as effectively as aspirin)
• Itching related to chronic diseases
• Stomach ulcers

Sites powered by western medicine philosophies make clear that there is insufficient evidence to determine whether turmeric definitively helps to treat other illnesses and diseases, including diabetes. Keep in mind, however, that this doesn’t necessarily mean that it isn’t effective, rather that, enough scientific research hasn’t been conducted to confirm it.

Even so, there have been a series of initial studies conducted on the effectiveness of turmeric for diabetes. What do they say?

Uses of Turmeric to Manage Diabetes: Study Results

Below are a series of studies that have examined the potential effect on diabetic biomarkers.

• Curcumin, the active component in turmeric, may reduce blood sugar, glycosylated hemoglobin, and Hb levels as shown in rats. This same study revealed that turmeric might also reduce oxidative stress.
• A study with mice found that three active components in turmeric are those that suppress an increase in blood glucose in type 2 diabetic rats. In other words, consuming turmeric might help to keep blood glucose levels from rising to dangerous levels.
• Turmeric has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as specific insulin-sensitizing properties.

Conclusion

The use of turmeric for managing diabetes and preventing dangerous blood glucose spikes is promising. There are, however, limited human trials, and most evidence is historical or anecdotal.

Turmeric isn’t something that will be prescribed by your doctor, but it is known to have strong chemical properties. Talk to your doctor about any side-effects or negative interactions with medications you may experience and potentially to an eastern medicine specialist (Chinese medicine or Ayurveda) about the use of natural medicines as a complementary treatment to help keep your blood sugar at healthy levels.

Special thanks to Sasha deBeausset for writing this article.