A review of scientific literature conducted by the Open University of Catalonia (UOC) has found that consuming moderate doses of curcumin – the active compound in turmeric – can aid muscle recovery and help reduce pain after intense physical activity.
Turmeric has been valued for thousands of years as a spice and natural colorant in cooking - Photo: Sci Tech Daily
According to Sci Tech Daily , turmeric has been valued for thousands of years as a spice and natural colorant in cooking.
Turmeric helps muscle recovery
In addition to its culinary uses, turmeric and its compound curcumin have long played an important role in traditional Asian medicine. Over the past few decades, many studies have been conducted to explore the properties of curcumin, its effects on the body, and its potential health benefits.
Now, researchers from the Epi4Health group at UOC have found that turmeric and related products such as curcumin can help reduce muscle damage and inflammation in the musculoskeletal system after intense physical exercise.
“Both pre- and post-workout curcumin consumption was associated with better outcomes in muscle recovery, reduced pain, and improved antioxidant capacity,” said pharmacist and nutritionist Daniel Vasile Popescu-Radu, lead author of the study.
Hundreds of scientific studies have demonstrated the benefits and potential of curcumin, especially in terms of its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
However, what is new in the experts' research is the confirmation of these findings in the field of sports through a synthesis of scientific literature, recently published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.
“The goal of this study was to evaluate the scientific evidence for the effectiveness of curcumin in reducing exercise-induced muscle damage, such as muscle fiber injury, soreness, and loss of strength, as well as its ability to reduce inflammatory markers, improve pain perception, and accelerate muscle recovery in regular exercisers,” Popescu-Radu explains.
"Effective use of curcumin depends on factors such as dosage, absorption, and timing of consumption."
Many factors need to be considered
According to the authors, potential benefits of curcumin include reducing local and systemic inflammation, reducing oxidative damage due to increased free radical production during exercise, and reducing muscle pain, thereby improving subjective pain perception and range of motion of the affected muscle group.
“Moderate consumption of curcumin, within the established dosage range, post-workout improves and accelerates muscle recovery,” Popescu-Radu emphasizes.
“Monitoring is always needed, as a professional can adjust the dosage and timing of use to optimize benefit,” he said.
Specifically, experts estimate that a daily intake of 1-4 grams of curcumin is enough to benefit people in good health, especially during eccentric exercises, which cause the most damage to muscles.
However, despite the proven benefits, experts stress that there are still factors to consider, including hormonal influences and the user's individual characteristics, as well as the timing of consumption and the specific formulation used.
“The absorption of curcumin may be affected by the formulation used or the presence of other substances such as piperine. Furthermore, the diversity of study participants makes it difficult to apply these results to female athletes or specific situations such as perimenopause and menopause,” said Popescu-Radu.
Experts warn that while all of these studies show the potential of turmeric as a dietary supplement for athletes, more research, with larger sample sizes, is needed to confirm and strengthen the findings.
"Curcumin can significantly improve the health of regular exercisers, and may even play an important role in reducing markers of inflammation and improving antioxidant capacity, among other health benefits," the researchers concluded.
Also note that more research is needed on formulation, absorption, and other factors to accurately assess efficacy.
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/curcumin-trong-cu-nghe-co-the-cai-thien-phuc-hoi-co-bap-20250204225354117.htm
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