Just One Dose of Turmeric Strengthens Memory

The upcoming issue of The Natural Path looks at how to keep memory and cognition young and healthy as we age. New research now shows that a single dose of the Indian spice turmeric may enhance working memory. . . .

One of the unfortunate complications of diabetes is dementia. The cognitive impairment begins developing while the person is still pre-diabetic.

In a just published double-blind study, people who were sixty or older and who were prediabetic were given a single dose of 1g of turmeric at breakfast. After six hours, measures of working memory showed a significant improvement from a score of 2.6 to 2.9 on a 3 point scale in the ones given the turmeric.

This is convenient and important news for diabetics and prediabetics because the study did not use turmeric standardized for 95% curcuminoids, as many turmeric studies do. This study used the whole turmeric powder that is commonly used in cooking. That means that just adding turmeric to your meals may help maintain and enhance memory.

Good news for diabetics. But what about healthy people with no blood sugar problems? Measurements in the study suggested that the turmeric may be even more effective in healthy people with no pre-diabetes (Asia Pac J Clin Nutr 2014;23:581-91).

Other research has suggested that the curcumin found in turmeric may protect brain cells from the damaging beta-amyloid that is linked to Alzheimer’s and that it may also protect brain cells from aging (PLos One 2014;9e:101251).

So turmeric and curcumin, its active ingredient, are potentially exciting new natural approaches to protecting your memory and cognitive functioning.