Can You Take Turmeric / Curcumin with Meloxicam?

Turmeric can be included in the diet when taking meloxicam. It is advisable to maintain a 3-4 hour gap between taking turmeric supplements or a large dose of turmeric spice and meloxicam to avoid any drug interactions.

Meloxicam is Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID) commonly used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.

Turmeric is a natural and very effective anti-inflammatory and an antioxidative agent which has been found to be beneficial in the treatment of various inflammatory disorders including arthritis.

Various herbal supplements are often used by people in addition to regular treatment measures for better and early recovery.

But is it safe to take both turmeric and meloxicam together? Let us find out.

Dietary intake of turmeric is safe even when one is on medications. Interactions between turmeric and various commonly used drugs have been studied, but there is insufficient evidence to ascertain any beneficial or adverse effects of taking it with meloxicam.

However, as per available research on other NSAIDs and other drugs, the following uses or concerns can be outlined.

Potential Benefits of taking Turmeric with Meloxicam

Let’s check the potential benefits of turmeric / curcumin with meloxicam.

Turmeric and Meloxicam have similar effects

Turmeric and its active phenolic component curcumin are potent anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and analgesic agents.[1]

Turmeric and curcumin work by various mechanisms to carry out their anti-inflammatory activity.[2]

The various inflammatory mediators like Nuclear Factor Kappa-B (NF-κB), Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) and interleukins are successfully inhibited by turmeric. [3]

Like Meloxicam, it also suppresses the cyclooxygenase (COX) and lipoxygenase enzymes that carry out inflammation. [4] [5]

Thus, meloxicam and turmeric both can help in reducing inflammation and pain in arthritis patients.[6] [7]

As per some studies, some herbal products like turmeric may have a synergistic effect with NSAIDs, increase therapeutic action and work on similar pathways without any adverse effects.[8] [9]

This proves the potential of turmeric to be used together with meloxicam for better management of inflammation and pain, particularly in arthritis patients.

Taking turmeric in addition to meloxicam may not only aid in faster recovery but also help in reducing the doses of the drug and any side effects that might occur with the use of meloxicam.

Turmeric is safer and may help in alleviating the adverse effects of Meloxicam

Meloxicam intake may result in a number of side effects, the most common being gastrointestinal problems like ulcers, and bleeding. Long-term or overuse may further result in liver damage. [10] [11]

Meloxicam is also not recommended for individuals with cardiovascular risks like heart attacks, heart disease, stroke, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

Turmeric, on the other hand, does not pose a risk of severe adverse health events. It is considered safe and is well tolerated even at high doses of up to 8g per day. [12] [13]

With its gastroprotective effects, it could help in the prevention of ulcers, cancer, and other gastrointestinal problems, if taken with NSAIDs like meloxicam. [14]

Additionally, it has high antioxidant properties, due to which it has been proven to reduce, reverse or prevent liver toxicity caused by the use of several drugs. [15]

Unlike meloxicam, it does not pose risks of heart attack and stroke and is rather cardioprotective in nature.

These multiple benefits of turmeric and curcumin have made them potential adjuvants or substitutes for many NSAIDs.[16] [17] [18] [19]

Thus, the use of turmeric along with meloxicam may result in reduced side effects.

Potential concerns of taking turmeric with meloxicam

Turmeric may increase the risk of bleeding

The use of NSAIDs like Meloxicam poses a risk of internal bleeding and/or bleeding in the stomach and intestines.

As turmeric has anti-platelet activity, it may aggravate these effects and enhance the bleeding rate in susceptible individuals. [20]

Thus, as a precautionary measure, concomitant use of turmeric supplements with meloxicam should be avoided, particularly by individuals who are taking both for a longer time.

Turmeric may alter drug metabolism

Turmeric and curcumin are used with black pepper for increased absorption. Black pepper contains piperine which acts as a bioenhancer and enhances the absorption of not only turmeric but also of drugs.

Studies have shown that both curcumin and piperine can alter drug metabolism and absorption in the body which could bring about changes in the therapeutic effect and also increase the side effects.

Curcumin and piperine inhibit the drug metabolizing enzymes Cytochrome P450 and P-glycoprotein. These are the same enzymes by which Meloxicam is metabolized in the body.[21]

This may increase the concentration of the drug in blood up to a level where it could become toxic. [22] [23]

These are only laboratory results and, more research is required in humans to prove these effects.

So what can we conclude?

Taking turmeric in the diet is safe and may not cause any significant changes in drug metabolism.

However, when taking turmeric/curcumin supplements with Meloxicam, it is advisable to keep a gap of 3-4 hours to prevent unwanted interactions.

Also, it is better to consult your healthcare practitioner before including any herbal supplements like turmeric/curcumin in diet, especially if taking other medications.

One may also require adjusting the doses of both turmeric and meloxicam if taking together.

How to Take Turmeric / Curcumin

Curcumin is the key active ingredient of turmeric. You can either take turmeric powder (which has 3-5% curcumin) or curcumin supplements.

Unless you are faced with an urgent health concern, it is always better to take good quality turmeric powder and make it part of your diet.

The best way to do is by making the golden paste (recipe here). Golden paste not only makes turmeric powder easy to take, but it also enhances the otherwise low bioavailability of turmeric (thus more health benefits). You can start with 1/4 tsp of golden paste and if your body takes it well increase it upto 1-1.5 tsp with no issues at all.

Just make sure that the turmeric powder is of good quality (some recommended brands here).

In case you are addressing aggressive disorders such as cancer or looking for immediate relief (severe pain etc.), you can take curcumin supplements too. There are several types of supplements available, here is our detailed guide on the types + best brands>

Over to you now, if you have used turmeric / curcumin, please share your experience and feedback by commenting below. We would also be happy to answer your queries.