We introduced Turmeric earlier in this blog… and mentioned how it can be helpful in an earlier article. We are going to talk more about how turmeric helps our hearts…
Both heart attacks and strokes are caused by atherosclerotic plaque buildup or high cholesterol levels. This plaque buildup leads to blood clots being formed and when a single clot breaks off from arterial walls and travels to the brain or heart, it can cause a stroke or heart attack. Studies have found that turmeric could reduce the adhesive abilities of blood platelets, thereby preventing them from forming clots. It can also relax blood vessels and minimize heart damage after suffering a heart attack.
Several other studies conducted on the benefits of turmeric suggest the same – that it could prevent buildup of plaque, therefore preventing onset of atherosclerosis leading to blocked arteries, stroke or heart attack. In laboratory studies on animals, it was found that turmeric extracts could lower levels of LDL ‘bad’ cholesterol from building up in the arteries. This could stop platelets from bunching together and could also reduce risk of clots being formed on arterial walls. However, in another study, it was found that 4g of curcumin taken daily did not drastically improve cholesterol levels.
Another study pointed out that curcumin prevents cholesterol oxidation that is the main reason for plaque buildup, destruction of blood vessels and heart attacks or strokes. Curcumin has vitamin B6, essential in maintaining optimal homocysteine levels, excess of which could cause plaque buildup and blood vessel damage. In a study on 10 healthy patients given 500mg curcumin for 7 days daily, their oxidized cholesterol levels in the blood reduced by 33%, total cholesterol by 11.63% and HDL cholesterol had a 29% increase.
Turmeric for LDL / bad cholesterol control
A study was conducted on rats being fed a diet rich in saturated fats and low in fiber or a diet that also included curcumin in it for 8 weeks. In the rats fed the curcumin diet, serum triglyceride levels reduced by 27%, LDL cholesterol by 56% and total cholesterol by 33.8% as compared to the group fed the high fat diet. Their low-density lipoprotein levels also reduced and they had 20% less blockage in their arteries indicating the benefits of turmeric in preventing plaque buildup and heart disease or stroke.
Curcumin in the blood sends signals to the liver cells commanding them to produce more mRNA the messenger proteins. These create more LDL cholesterol receptors and help liver cells to clear out the bad cholesterol from our bodies. This results in reduction of bad cholesterol and prevents plaque buildup. Liver cells that received 10 microM of curcumin were able to demonstrate a 7-fold increase in production of mRNA as against cells that did not receive any curcumin.
Anti-inflammatory benefit
Turmeric is a powerful antioxidant and has anti-inflammatory capabilities too. It can work in two ways by suppressing COX enzyme that causes pro-inflammatory signals to be created in the body and it also inhibits the gene that increase production of all pro-inflammatory molecules. The antioxidant properties of turmeric are similar to vitamin E and C. its antioxidant abilities are not degraded by cooking. A study on rabbits fed a high-fat diet and a turmeric diet found that curcumin reduced damage by free radicals and triglyceride and cholesterol levels.
Turmeric and Stroke
A stroke can affect the brain also and animal studies find that a drug made using turmeric could regenerate cells of the brain after a stroke. In a study on rabbits, it was found that curcumin drugs could reduce motor deficits caused by a stroke. This hybrid curcumin compound CNB-001 is said to quickly cross the blood-brain barrier and moderate mechanisms vital to neuronal survival. CNB-001 acts by repairing damage caused by strokes and it does not attack the blood clots themselves. The repair is done at the neuron level. Turmeric on its own does not get absorbed so easily and you require very high concentrations to provide any therapeutic benefits. This means that in an emergency stroke situation, turmeric may not be as effective. This is why CNB-001 seems a better choice for it gets absorbed and distributed very quickly. It can repair damage to 4 major pathways to the brain.
Studies have been conducted on the benefits of turmeric for hemorrhagic strokes at the Medical College of Georgia. Usually patients who suffer from such strokes are treated for nausea, headaches and other symptoms and not for the stroke itself. Often invasive surgery is done to remove the clots. However, some patients might not be able to undergo such surgery. Therefore, laboratory animals mimicking hemorrhagic strokes were injected a solution of curcumin with corn oil in the abdomen thrice over three hours. It was found that the size of the clots reduced although the reason was not known. It was thought to be the combination of the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric. IV curcumin seems the most beneficial and it could also prevent a stroke from occurring. Curcumin capsules may also protect those at risk from suffering a stroke. Further studies are required.
