20 Benefits of Turmeric In Fighting Cancer Naturally [UPDATED]

Extensive research is being conducted in many laboratories across the globe on the anti-cancer properties of turmeric.

Being a powerful anti-oxidant, turmeric can protect cells from getting damaged.

Turmeric is now being used as a complementary therapy with conventional cancer treatment.

Laboratory tests have found that turmeric interferes with many critical molecular pathways that cause the growth and spread of cancer.

Recent studies have concentrated on the anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric and if this could help with the prevention and treatment of cancer.

Scientists believe that the active ingredient of turmeric, curcumin is a well-known antioxidant and thus helps in fighting free radicals that cause cell damage.

Turmeric is also known to interfere with several key molecular pathways that lead to cancer development.

Please feel free to use the Table of Contents below to jump to the relevant section in the article.

20 Benefits of Turmeric In Cancer

Research proves that Turmeric and curcumin have natural anti-cancer, chemo-preventive, radioprotective, chemoprotective properties. These are helpful in various ways while treating cancer. Turmeric anti-oxidant property also helps in the prevention of cancer.

Here is a list of 20 different ways turmeric benefits in cancer.

1. Turmeric kills cancer cells

One of the principal reasons why turmeric is becoming cherished as a health aid is due to its anti-cancer property.

Curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, has been widely researched upon for its anti-cancer effect.

The exact cause of cancer has not been identified but it is thought of as a disturbance in cell signaling pathways that gradually affects proteins that regulate cell life and activity.

This disturbance causes the cells to be immortal and hyperproliferative and thus cancer spreads throughout the body.

A study published in Biofactors, 2013 states that curcumin’s anti-cancer action is a result of inhibition of cell signaling pathways at multiple levels.

A recent study published in Molecules 2015 identifies various targets that curcumin acts on to exert anti-cancer effect and these include :

• Transcription factors (they control the expression of genes)
• Growth factors
• Inflammatory proteins
• Cancer-causing molecules
• Various proteins involved in the regulation of cell cycle and cell death

This multi-faceted action of curcumin makes it a novel anti-cancer agent that holds promise for future treatment options in cancer.

What does this mean?
Turmeric and curcumin act on multiple molecular targets to defeat and kill cancer cells. Curcumin free turmeric also has some potential anti-cancer compounds.

2. Works as a chemopreventive agent

Chemoprevention involves the administration of various agents that prevent potential premalignant cells from developing into cancer.

It is curbing cancer in initial stages and terminating it.

Turmeric and curcumin not only kill fully developed cancerous cells but also work as chemopreventive agents.

Researchers identify inhibition of nuclear factor-kappa B by curcumin as the principal mechanism behind its chemopreventive action.

Nuclear factor-kappa B is the master target behind inflammatory processes and also plays a vital role in cell development.

Apart from that Rahmani et. al have identified multiple molecular targets such as activation of tumor suppressor genes, activation of cell death genes etc. that curcumin acts upon to prevent cancer.

A scientific paper published in the Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention states that dietary turmeric reduces the risk of cancer.

Now that is a pretty powerful statement who has a genetic history of developing cancer.

Curcuminoids anti-viral property and the ability to prevent the activation of cancer-causing genes help terminate HPV infection in order to prevent cervical cancer.

This is also evidenced by a study where 12 weeks of oral supplementation with turmeric extract prevented and reversed the development of cervical cancer in women.

Curcumin is also identified as a potential chemopreventive agent in breast and colon cancer.

What does this mean?
Turmeric and curcumin can also help prevent cancer by arresting growth of premalignant cells. Dietary turmeric reduces risk of cancer.

3. Prevents metastasis

Metastasis is the spread of cancer throughout the body. Cancer cells detach from the primary origin and travel via the blood and lymph.

They fight the attacks by the immune system and accumulate in various organs initiating cancer in those regions.

Metastasis is the primary cause of morbidity in cancer. Researchers have revealed that curcumin can help prevent metastasis and this is a profound revelation in cancer treatment.

Its ability to interact with various proteins and regulate their activity helps in preventing proliferation and invasion of cancerous cells.

It inhibits angiogenesis or the formation of new blood vessels in tumors that halts their growth.

Experimental studies have identified curcumin’s ability to prevent metastasis in breast cancer, lung cancer, liver cancer, thyroid cancer, ovarian cancer, and prostate cancer.

A clinical trial was conducted to find a dose of curcumin in combination with chemotherapy in metastatic breast cancer. 14 patients were involved in this trial and the maximum tolerated dose was 8g per day.

Most patients showed improvement in terms of symptoms as well as biological responses.

As per the researchers, the recommended dose was 6g curcumin per day for 7 days every 3 weeks in combination with docetaxel.

What does this mean?
Metastasis is a major hurdle in cancer treatment and curcumin is found to prevent metastasis by arresting the growth of cancer cells and preventing them from invading in other tissues.

4. Halts progression of pre-cancerous lesions

As mentioned previously, curcumin works as a chemopreventive agent and prevents cancer from developing and progressing.

A clinical trial was conducted in National Taiwan University College Of Medicine to assess this effect of curcumin.

25 individuals were recruited for this study and they suffered from the following 5 high-risk conditions:

• Resected urinary bladder cancer
• Bowen’s disease of cancer
• Cervical epithelial neoplasia
• Oral leucoplakia
• Intestinal metaplasia

Individuals were treated with 500mg curcumin/day initially and if no side effects were observed the dose was escalated gradually to reach 12g/day.

Serum concentrations were detectable at 1-2 hours after ingestion and dropped within 12 hours.

7 individuals showed an improvement evidenced by tissue culture. Only 2 individuals developed malignancy despite curcumin treatment.

No side effects were observed at high doses but at a dose of 12g the size of the capsule was too large for ingestion. 8g of curcumin taken orally for 3 months was found to be safe and beneficial in chemoprevention.

Rai et. al also demonstrated that oral curcumin intake can cure oral precancerous conditions like oral leukoplakia, oral submucous fibrosis or lichen planus by virtue of its antioxidant property and ability to protect from DNA damage.

Oral turmeric oil extract consumed for 12 weeks can regress and prevent cervical lesions from developing into cervical cancer.

This study found that curcumin helps better in controlling pre-cancerous progression in cervical cancer than standard anti-microbial therapy.

What does this mean?
Curcumin taken orally can help control growth and reverse the development of pre cancerous lesions especially in oral cancers as evidenced by human studies. Turmeric oil intake is found to prevent cervical cancer progression.

5. Has anti-carcinogenic action

Carcinogens are agents that cause cancer. They could be substances in your diet or environment or exposure to radiation etc.

Turmeric and curcumin have anti-carcinogenic action- they protect from toxic effects of carcinogens and prevent cancer.

Curcumin is found to mediate anti-carcinogenic action by raising levels of antioxidant enzymes and regulating the action of nuclear factor kappa B (key player in inflammation).

This action prevents the growth of lymphoma.

Curcumin targets various biochemical pathways to protect from skin carcinogenesis or the development of skin cancer due to exposure to harmful sun rays.

Stem cells are cells that serve as precursors to fully functional and developed cells.

Similarly, cancer stem cells are rare cells that share characteristics similar to stem cells and cause the renewal of tumors.

Norris et.al state that curcumin mediates it an anti-carcinogenic activity by acting on cancer stem cells and regulating signaling pathways.

Curcumin’s anti-microbial action fuels its anti-carcinogenic action in gastric and colon cancer.

Curcumin activates the tumor suppressor gene to prevent pepsin induced carcinogenic activity in laryngopharyngeal reflux or silent reflux.

What does this mean?
Curcumin counteracts the toxic effects of carcinogens or cancer causing agents that helps prevent cancer.

6. It has anti-tumor property

The tumor is a mass of cells; they can be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous and spread to different parts of the body).

Curcumin, as well as its derivatives, have been identified with anti-tumor activity. It is found to have synergistic activity with chemotherapeutic agents.

The hormone suppressive and anti-tumor property of curcumin benefits in pituitary tumors. Tumor cells become resistant to cell death by the activity of an enzyme named telomerase.

Curcumin inhibits the activity of this enzyme and benefits in brain tumor.

Curcumin activates pathways that cause cell death in order to inhibit tumor progression. This anti-tumor effect of curcumin benefits in prostate cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, pituitary tumor, brain tumor etc.

What does this mean?
Curcumin exerts anti-tumor activity by acting on various proteins, hormones and pathways that support tumor growth and thereby prevents tumors from progressing.

7. It inhibits angiogenesis in tumors

Angiogenesis is the formation of new blood vessels and in healthy individuals, this is an essential process especially in case of wound healing.

But in tumors, angiogenesis helps in the proliferation and growth of tumors and hence anti-angiogenic agents are developed.

Curcumin inhibits angiogenesis in tumors. It inhibits the activity of cells that form blood vessels and other factors that promote the formation of the blood vessel.

Thereby it cuts down the supply of blood to the tumors and halts their growth. (Read How Turmeric Inhibits Angiogenesis in Cancer)

What does this mean?
Curcumin inhibits angiogenesis-formation of new blood vessels and prevents tumors from growing.

8. It acts on 30+ targets to induce cell death in cancer cells

Curcumin interacts with 30+ molecular targets in order to kill cancer cells selectively.

Cancer cells are immortal due to the disruption of pathways that regulate the cell cycle, but curcumin comes and rearranges these pathways in a way that cancer cells are susceptible to cell death.

It acts on external cell death pathways to kill cancer cells.

It blocks the activity of cell survival pathways, damages DNA, balances prooxidant and antioxidant agents, acts on inflammatory enzymes and also mediates various other mechanisms to kill only cancer cells and not normal cells.

What does this mean?
Curcumin selectively terminates only cancer cells without affecting normal cells via multiple mechanisms.

9. It arrests cell cycle and development in cancer

The cell cycle is a series of phases of cell growth and development. Each phase is marked by a checkpoint and this cycle is a highly regulated process.

Curcumin regulates the activity of various proteins that control the cycle and influence some of the checkpoints as well. It arrests the growth of cancer cells in various phases and thus prevents them from growing.

It acts on as many as 7 molecular targets to arrest cells in various phases of growth.

Experimental studies show that this activity of curcumin is beneficial in conditions like head and neck cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer, breast cancer.

What does this mean?
A novel mechanism of action by which turmeric exerts anti-cancer effect is by arresting the growth of cancerous cells in various phases of cell cycle and halting their growth and progression.

10. It selectively kills cancer cells and protects normal cells

Researchers have pointed out that curcumin selectively kills cancer cells and protects normal cells from toxicity. These findings are extremely essential in reversing drug resistance in tumors.

A scientific paper published in Nutrition and Cancer, 2010 reveals that curcumin protects normal cells from toxicity due to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. It does so by elevating antioxidant defenses and exerting an anti-inflammatory effect.

The exact mechanism by which curcumin differentiates between cancer cells and normal cells hasn’t been identified but it could be because cancer cells have lost mortality related signals, unlike normal cells.

This dual property of curcumin even extends to cancer stem cells; it protects normal stem cells and exerts toxicity to cancer stem cells.

What does this mean?
Unlike conventional anti-cancer agents that are toxic to cancer cells and normal cells; curcumin selectively kills cancer cells and protects normal cells from toxicity. This makes turmeric a great adjunct to conventional cancer treatment.

11. It reverses drug resistance in cancer cells

Multidrug resistance is a serious challenge in cancer treatment. P-glycoprotein is a protein involved in drug metabolism and its overexpression in cancer cell confers drug resistance.

Curcumin regulates the activity of P-gp to reverse drug resistance in cancer.

A rigorous review study identifies over 100 pieces of evidence that confirm that curcumin overcomes drug resistance in cancer cells and increases sensitivity to chemotherapeutic drugs.

Curcumin regulates the activity of cancer stem cells to reverse drug resistance.

A study was conducted where individuals suffering from gemcitabine-resistant cancer were treated with curcumin and gemcitabine. They received 8g of curcumin orally every day.

Good compliance was seen with curcumin treatment and a 1-year survival rate was 19%. Researchers concluded that curcumin in combination with gemcitabine was safe for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

What does this mean?
Curcumin can reverse drug resistance in cancer and increase sensitivity of cancer cells towards chemotherapeutic drugs.

12. It destroys cancer stem cells

Cancer stem cells, as discussed previously, are rare cancer cells that confer the ability to renew tumors.

As per the stem cell theory of cancer, few cancer cells behave like stem cells and they renew themselves and sustain cancer.

Li et.al comment that curcumin targets the self-renewal pathway of cancer stem cells, as well as other molecular targets and thus, reverses drug resistance, metastasis and sustenance of cancer.

Scientific literature provides evidence that curcumin attacks cancer stem cells in colon cancer, breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, head and neck cancer, brain cancer.

A recent study published in Anticancer Research,2015 reveals that curcumin has asymmetrical effects on stem cells- it is toxic to cancer stem cells and non-toxic to normal stem cells.

What does this mean?
Curcumin’s unique anti-cancer action even targets cancer stem cells which if left untreated cause renewal of tumors, drug resistance and metastasis.

13. It increases chemo and radiosensitivity

Apart from exerting the anti-cancer effect, curcumin even sensitizes cancer cell to conventional cancer therapy.

It acts on specific genetic factors, growth regulatory pathways, drug resistance proteins, proteins that prevent cell death in order to increase the sensitivity of cancer cells to cancer treatment.

Curcumin is found to increase the sensitivity of various cancers such as breast cancer, cervical cancer, gastric cancer, pancreatic cancer etc, to various chemotherapeutic drugs.

Similarly, curcumin overcomes radioresistance by acting on various targets that control cell growth and development.

What does this mean?
Curcumin as an add-on to conventional cancer treatment can help increase sensitivity of cancer cells to chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

14. It is chemo and radioprotector

Dr. Goel and Dr. Aggarwal have reported that just as curcumin increases sensitivity to cancer treatment it also protects from chemotherapy and radiotherapy-induced toxicity.

Curcumin’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties help in protecting normal organs and tissues from cancer treatment toxicity. Curcumin protects normal cells and normal stem cells from chemotherapy-induced toxicity.

It raises antioxidant defenses and protects from DNA damage in radiation therapy. Curcumin supplementation also reduces visible symptoms of cancer therapy-induced toxicity.

For more details on this please read Turmeric: Natural Protector From Chemo & Radio Side Effects

What does this mean?
Curcumin protects from cellular toxicity caused by chemotherapeutic agents and radiotherapy.

15. It protects from side effects of cancer treatment

A study published in Phytotherapy Research, 2014 by Belcaro et. al shows that a specialized formulation of curcumin called Meriva, helps reduce visible side effects of cancer treatment.

Patients suffering from solid tumors, undergoing chemotherapy or radiotherapy, and not in critical stages of the disease were enrolled in the study.

Patients were given 500mg Meriva or placebo thrice a day after meals.

A significant reduction in side effects of chemotherapy such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, organ toxicity, reduced platelet count was observed and they even experienced an improvement in cognitive function such as memory and thinking.

Even after 2 months of chemotherapy, Meriva improved the health status of cancer patients and there was a reduction in the percentage of individuals suffering from side effects while this was not observed in the group receiving a placebo.

In the radiotherapy group, curcumin treatment reduced inflammation of the mucosal lining of site treated such as inflammation of the mouth, throat, bowels etc.

It also reduced other symptoms like swallowing difficulties, nausea, fatigue, weakness as well as dependence on medications required to control the side effects of cancer treatment.

Even after the treatment, Meriva was found to reduce the side effects of radiotherapy significantly better than the control group.

No side effects were observed with and no cases of drug interaction were mentioned.

Overall Meriva, curcumin supplement was found to be effective in reducing toxicity and side effects of cancer therapy. Authors of this paper are associated with the company Indena SpA that manufactures Meriva.

Cancer cachexia is extreme weight loss occurring in cancer and various studies identify that curcumin can benefit in this condition.

Also curcumin and turmeric benefits in oral mucositis occurring as a result of radiation therapy. A study was conducted in head and neck cancer patients who were receiving chemoradiotherapy or only radiotherapy and suffering from oral mucositis.

The individuals were either treated with turmeric mouthwash or povidone-iodine gargles. The study lasted for 7 weeks and tests were conducted every week to assess the effect of the therapy.

The group using turmeric mouthwash had delayed and reduced the incidence of oral mucositis due to radiation therapy better than povidone-iodine gargles.

Turmeric reduced the incidence of intolerable oral mucositis. It also reduced the breaks in radiation therapy due to the occurrence of oral mucositis and also prevented the change in body weight.

What does this mean?
Curcumin supplementation can reduce visible side effects of cancer treatment such as nausea, vomiting fatigue etc. and improve one’s health status. It can also counteract radiation therapy induced oral mucositis.

16. It can regulate immune responses to combat cancer

The immune system plays a key role in cancer development. Naturally, immune system responses have the ability to initiate anti-tumor response but cancer cells evade such responses and suppress the immune response.

Curcumin has immunomodulatory property- it can regulate immune responses. It helps in reversing immune suppression and benefits in immunotherapy in cancer.

A study published in Cell Division, 2015 states that curcumin helps to restore immune function in cancer.

It balances the population of immune cells and cytokines that help deliver an anti-tumor effect.

Curcumin is found to improve the effectiveness of immunotherapy and cancer vaccines.

What does this mean?
Curcumin’s ability to regulate immune responses contributes to its anti-tumor effect and benefits in immunotherapy in cancer.

17. It curbs inflammation

Chronic inflammation can pave way for cancer as in the case of gastric cancer. Even viral infection related inflammation can trigger cancer. Inflammation in cancer also increases cancer-related fatigue.

Turmeric and curcumin are strong natural anti-inflammatory agents. They act on various pathways and biochemical targets to stop inflammation and do not cause side effects like non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Research states that curcumin targets inflammation in cancer. Animal study suggests that curcumin attenuates inflammation in the airways and thereby protects from lung cancer.

The anti-inflammatory action of curcumin can thus help in chemoprevention.

What does this mean?
Turmeric and curcumin have potent anti-inflammatory property that can benefit in preventing cancer as well as reducing other symptoms related to cancer.

18. It improves antioxidant defenses

Oxidative stress or imbalance between prooxidants and antioxidants fuels the progression of cancer.

There is still a debate on the idea of whether antioxidant supplementation as a part of cancer therapy will result in clinical improvement or no.

Curcumin and other curcuminoids are antioxidants. Their antioxidant activity contributes to their anti-tumor effect.

By raising the level of antioxidant enzymes, curcumin offers protection from toxicity induced by radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Curcumin’s antioxidant action also helps in preventing cancer.

A study published in Molecules, 2010 states that dietary antioxidants like resveratrol and curcumin can help in preventing and treating blood-related cancer types.

A recent study published in Nutrition and Cancer 2016 reported that curcumin supplementation in patients receiving radiation therapy for prostate cancer resulted in improvement in antioxidant capacity.

Supplementation of turmeric powder with imatinib, the anti-cancer drug, is found to improve antioxidant status in chronic myeloid leukemia.

What does this mean?
Curcumin improves antioxidant status of cancer patients which contributes to its anti-cancer effect and also protects from toxicity of cancer treatment.

19. It is an epigenetic agent

The presence of certain genes predisposes one to cancer. Gene therapy is being explored for treating cancer.

Epigenome consists of various proteins that regulate the expression of genes.

This processor activity of controlling gene expression can be altered unlike the DNA sequence of the gene and these alterations give rise to epigenetic changes.

Curcumin is being identified as an epigenetic agent and the application of this property of curcumin is being studied in relation to the prevention and treatment of cancer.

Experimental studies have identified the utility of this property of curcumin in relation to various cancer like colon cancer, leukemia, bladder cancer, liver cancer etc.

What does this mean?
Curcumin functions as an epigenetic agent. It can regulate the activity that control expression of genes that contribute to cancer development.

FAQS on Turmeric and Cancer

Here are answers to a couple of queries asked about turmeric frequently.

1. Will turmeric heal cancer?

Turmeric has natural anti-cancer properties that have demonstrated great results in experimental studies and also helped in controlling cancer progression in clinical trials. But due to its absorption limitation, it is still difficult to use turmeric alone to treat cancer.

2. Can Golden Paste help in cancer?

Golden Paste or dietary inclusion of turmeric can help in cancer to strengthen immunity and lower side effects of cancer treatment. It can help in chemoprevention and help in maintaining remission. In case of higher stages of the disease, turmeric supplements may be necessary. But, please consult your doctor before starting.

3. Can turmeric be used to treat cancer in pets?

Yes, turmeric or Golden Paste can be given to pets to treat cancer. Please refer to the Pets tab right on top of the page for more details.

4. What dose of turmeric should I take for cancer?

This depends on the form of turmeric you take. We recommend taking Golden Paste in diet and turmeric supplements for cancer and the details have been highlighted in the Dosage section below.

5. Should I take whole turmeric or curcumin for cancer?

We recommend curcumin supplements for cancer treatment along with dietary turmeric for a better effect.

6. Is it safe to take turmeric/Golden Paste with turmeric supplements in cancer?

Yes, it is safe to take Golden Paste or turmeric in the diet when taking supplements; however it is advisable to limit to low doses say 1-2 teaspoon in a day to avoid gastric discomfort. But, please consult your doctor before starting.

7. What herbs can I take with turmeric for cancer?

Various herbs and natural aids are recommended for cancer treatment so it is best to consult a herbalist or health practitioner before you take natural supplements for cancer treatment.

8. Can I take turmeric with anti-cancer medications/ chemotherapy?

Yes, it is safe to take turmeric in the diet when taking anti-cancer medications. But, please consult your doctor before starting. If taking Golden Paste or turmeric supplements avoid taking it close to the time of taking other medicines.

Maintain a 3-4 hour gap between the two. Curcumin increases sensitivity to chemotherapeutic agents so it is advisable to consult a doctor before taking turmeric supplements for cancer. (Read How Turmeric Improves Chemotherapy’s Effectiveness)

9. What dose of turmeric/curcumin should I take for chemoprevention?

This depends on the stage of precancerous lesions. Including turmeric in the diet helps prevent cancer. More details can be found in Dosage section below.

10. What dose of turmeric/curcumin should I take when in remission?

To maintain remission we recommend taking Golden Paste along with turmeric supplements. More details is mentioned in the dosage section below.

11. What dose of turmeric/curcumin should I take for non-malignant tumors?

A combination of Golden Paste and turmeric supplements can be taken for nonmalignant tumor conditions. Please refer to the Dosage section below.

12. Is it safe to take turmeric/curcumin when undergoing radiation therapy?

Turmeric can be safely included in the diet during radiotherapy. Curcumin is found to increase sensitivity to radiation therapy. (Read How Turmeric Improves Radiation Therapy Effect)

13. Can turmeric be used topically for treating cancer lesions?

Yes, it is safe to use turmeric topically to treat external cancer lesions. Please read Topical Turmeric for cancer.

14. Can turmeric/curcumin help reduce the side effects of cancer treatment?

Research proves that curcumin attenuates side effects of cancer treatment like nausea, fatigue and also protects cells and organs from therapy-induced toxicity. Please read How Turmeric Protects from Side effects of Chemo/Radio therapy

15. How long does it take for turmeric to benefit in cancer?

This depends on the individual, severity of the disease, dosage as well as the form of turmeric you are taking. If taking turmeric supplements as mentioned in the Turmeric for cancer dosage article improvement should be observed as evidenced by tests within 8 weeks.

16. Are there any side effects or precautions to note about turmeric?

Turmeric, when taken in the diet in moderate doses, is safe. However, there are certain precautions that you should be aware of and these have been discussed below in the Precautions section.

17. Should turmeric be avoided in gout?

Low doses of turmeric in diet can be used in gout but for a therapeutic purpose, it is preferable to take turmeric supplements. Please read the Precautions section.

18. I am taking a blood thinner, can I take turmeric?

Turmeric in small amounts in the diet is safe but turmeric supplements should be avoided in case of a bleeding/clotting disorder. It is advisable to discuss this with your doctor.

The Dosage of Turmeric For Cancer

Turmeric in diet can help prevent cancer. Curcumin, one of the active ingredients is poorly absorbed in the body and hence should be combined with black pepper and/or healthy fats for better absorption.

Here are the top 4 ways of taking turmeric/curcumin for cancer:

1. Turmeric supplements

For cancer, we recommend taking turmeric supplements as conditions like cancer require high doses of curcumin for treatment. The dosage for the same as outlined in the article Turmeric / Curcumin Dosage for Cancer : A Scientific Plan.

Consult your doctor before taking turmeric supplements for cancer.

It is advisable to keep a gap of 3-4 hours between taking turmeric/curcumin supplements and other medicines since curcumin interferes with drug metabolism.

Also, avoid taking turmeric supplements on an empty stomach to avoid acid reflux.

Please consult your doctor before starting.

2. Golden Paste
Golden Paste is a combination of turmeric with black pepper and healthy fats to ensure better absorption of turmeric.

Start with low doses such as ¼-1/2 tsp a day for a week and if you observe no side effects increase the dose by gradually every week to reach the ideal dose of 2-3 tsp a day.

Avoid taking it on an empty stomach and close to taking other medicines.

Please consult your doctor before starting.

3. Turmeric Milk and Tea

You can also consume 1 cup of turmeric tea or turmeric milk occasionally but for a condition like cancer, these may not be therapeutic enough. Yet they can help in boosting immunity and alleviating pain.

4. Turmeric in cooking

If not taking Golden Paste it is highly advised to include turmeric in regular cooking and diet to prevent and fight cancer.

You can simply sprinkle it in soups, curries, rice dishes, smoothies or can refer to turmeric recipes. You can also consume ½ inch piece of fresh turmeric daily or juice it.

Here are turmeric/curcumin dosage suggestions for various aspects of cancer disease

Turmeric and curcumin dosage for cancer:

For high stages of cancer disease and progression, it is advisable to take turmeric supplements as outlined in the article Turmeric / Curcumin Dosage for Cancer : A Scientific Plan.

After 8 weeks, you conduct tests to assess whether curcumin has helped you.

If the results are not positive then it is unlikely that curcumin may help you. If results are positive consult your doctor and continue with the 8g dosage as per the health practitioner’s recommendation.

Also, we recommend including 1-2 tsp of Golden Paste daily even when taking turmeric supplements or even if not taking turmeric supplements for this would help to strengthen immunity and counteract side effects of cancer treatment.

Please consult your doctor before starting.

What is better for cancer: Turmeric or Curcumin?

Turmeric has more to offer than curcumin. It has a number of anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory compounds apart from curcumin. However, only 3-4% of turmeric powder constitutes curcumin.

So for a therapeutic effect, you would need to take large doses of turmeric powder to deliver the required amount of curcumin to a target tissue. Also, we can’t ignore the absorption problem.

Therefore we advise taking curcumin supplements as well as dietary turmeric/Golden Paste for a complete approach to fighting cancer.

Precautions

When taking turmeric supplements for cancer it is advisable to discuss it with your doctor first for the following reasons:

• Curcumin increases the sensitivity of cancer cells to chemotherapy which is good but it may require your cancer treatment dosage to be monitored.
• Curcumin increases the sensitivity of cancer cells to radiation therapy which is good but then the radiation therapy needs to be monitored.
• Various studies have shown that curcumin has a synergistic action with chemotherapeutic drugs but it is best to consult your doctor with regards to the same.
• One study states that curcumin may hinder immunotherapy outcomes in skin cancer but has not been clinically proven, so it is better to take a doctor’s advice for this.

Turmeric supplements should be taken after meals to avoid acid reflux symptoms.

Avoid taking it at the same time as other medicines and maintain 3-4 hour gap. This is because curcumin and piperine interfere in drug metabolism.

A couple of general precautions with turmeric supplements include:

• Pregnancy and lactation
• Prior to surgery (at least 15 days)
• If taking anti-diabetic or stomach acid-reducing medications
• If suffering from gall bladder problems

Turmeric intake as a spice should be limited if you are prone to kidney stone development or if suffering from gout. In the case of turmeric supplements consult a health practitioner prior.

Final Words

Turmeric and its active ingredient curcumin are strong natural anti-cancer agents.

They can also help prevent cancer and detoxify the body from cancer-causing agents.

Turmeric can help attenuate the side effects of cancer therapy and also increase sensitivity to cancer treatment.

Turmeric and curcumin should be considered as an adjunctive treatment for cancer and also as a chemopreventive agent.