Lose Weight with Curcumin
How Curcumin Can Help in Losing Weight by Modulating Various Targets Involved in Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome
Most People gain weight by consuming more calories than they burn. But gaining weight is a complex situation that involves other factors like genetic factors, metabolism levels and lifestyle and it also depends on the type of food we eat and the physical activities.
Obesity is known to create ongoing low-grade inflammation in the body which leads to further chronic diseases inclusive of diabetes and heart-diseases. All these health problems are called the metabolic syndrome, a phenomenon that has by now become a public health challenge worldwide. There has been growing interest in medications including natural products as complementary or alternative choices for common chemical therapeutics.
Several scientific reports suggest that turmeric and its active ingredient curcumin were shown to modulate various targets involved in obesity and metabolic diseases. Due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties curcumin has a role in the prevention and treatment of obesity, diabetes, atherosclerosis, and in general –the metabolic syndrome.
Curcumin was shown to alter signals at the cellular level and help avoid the untimely health issues that develop from obesity.
Curcumin was found to prevent insulin resistance mechanisms and other metabolic conditions related to obesity such as high cholesterol levels, heart diseases and stroke.
But eating turmeric is not enough. As curcumin, the main life-saving ingredient in turmeric, is about 3-5 % and its bioavailability is poor. Therefor scientists developed Curcumall®, the concentrated liquid curcumin/turmeric that includes an extract of 95% curcumin in a liquid bioavailable form and includes also an extract of ginger that also exhibit effects against obesity and insulin resistance.
We can sum-up curcumin’s role in weight management:
1. Curcumin reduces inflammation – Obesity is known to be a pro-inflammatory condition and studies have been done that concluded that Curcumin directly interacts with cells to reduce inflammation and during this process, it helps in a reversal of insulin resistance, hyperglycemia and other symptoms that often accompany obesity.
2. Curcumin helps with liver detoxification – Liver plays an important role in fat metabolism which in turn is very important in weight loss. Better functioning of the liver helps get rid of excessive fats.
3. Curcumin promotes thermogenesis – In the process referred to as thermogenesis, fat gets burnt by the central nervous system in order to maintain body temperature. Curcumin helps increase thermogenesis rate which then leads to greater amount of fat getting burnt and thus encouraging weight loss.
4. Curcumin inhibits the growth of fat tissue – In our bodies, adipose tissues are responsible for the storage of fat cells and these adipose tissues get nutrients and oxygen through a process called angiogenesis. Curcumin has anti-angiogenic properties and thus helps inhibit fat tissue growth, and thus assists in promoting weight loss.
Professor Bharat B. Agrawal, from the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, The University of Texas, Houston, Texas, explains:
“…These curcumin-induced alterations reverse insulin resistance, hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, and other symptoms linked to obesity. Other structurally homologous nutraceuticals, like ginger, also exhibit effects against obesity and insulin resistance…”
Taking a supplement like Curcumall® on a regular daily basis—1-2 teaspoons in a glass of water on an empty stomach, can be beneficial in assisting weight loss and avoiding the development of metabolic syndrome
