Prostate Restored
Photo by Karolina Grabowska Pexels Logo Photo: Karolina Grabowska

Does turmeric act like estrogen?

However, curcumin and other turmeric diarylheptanoids are only weakly estrogenic and do not produce significant effects when turmeric is consumed in food.

Can olive oil clog your arteries?
Can olive oil clog your arteries?

While there is some truth to this (olive oil does appear to cause relatively less damage than saturated animal fats), it is important to note that...

Read More »
What is normal blood pressure for a 70 year old?
What is normal blood pressure for a 70 year old?

New Blood Pressure Standards for Seniors The ideal blood pressure for seniors is now considered 120/80 (systolic/diastolic), which is the same for...

Read More »

Curcuma longa. Biologically active components of turmeric include several curcuminoids (including Turmeric is a bright yellow spice used extensively in Indian cooking. It made from the dried rhizome (underground stem) of the plant. Biologically active components of turmeric include several curcuminoids (including curcumin ) and other diarylheptanoids, as well as various turmerones and sesquiterpenoids. Turmeric and its components have been shown to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, antiparasitic, anti-thrombotic, anti-proliferative, anti-angiogenic, radioprotective, neuroprotective and cardioprotective effects. Curcumin has been shown to inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis of chronic and acute myeloid leukemia, Burkitt’s lymphoma, melanoma, osteosarcoma, head and neck squamous cell, esophageal, brain, thyroid, lung, synovial, pancreatic, liver, intestinal, colorectal, endometrial , cervical, bladder, ovarian , and prostate cancer cells.

Breast cancer-related effects of consuming turmeric

Curcumin has been shown in the laboratory to have profound and diverse effects on breast cancer development, proliferation and metastasis . Furthermore, these anticancer actions have been observed against several types of breast cancer, including hormone receptor positive ( ER+/PR+ ), triple negative ( ER-/PR-/HER2- ), and HER2 overexpressing ( HER2+ ) cell lines. Some degree of selectivity for cancer cells (rather than normal breast cells) also has been observed. While cell and animal study evidence of curcumin's anti-cancer activities is remarkable, there have been no population studies that specifically address the association between turmeric consumption and the risk of breast cancer. India, where turmeric is a dietary staple, has lower overall cancer rates and breast cancer rates than countries in the West (although the rates are rising, particularly in urban areas). One 2005 study found that south Asian women (having origins mainly in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka) living in California were 3.5 times more likely to develop breast cancer than native Asian Indian females. However, these results likely are the result of a variety of non-dietary as well as various dietary factors.

Curcumin increases the effectiveness of various chemotherapy drugs

Adding curcumin to chemotherapy regimes that include Taxol (paclitaxel), Adriamycin (doxorubicin), cisplatin , or 5-Fluorouracil ( 5-FU ) has been shown to enhance their cytotoxicity. Curcumin has also been shown to reduce cardiomyopathy in a mouse model of Adriamycin treatment. Curcumin might also protect the brain from chemotherapy, thereby reducing chemo brain . On the other hand, supplementation with curcumin has been shown to interfere with the effectiveness of tamoxifen treatment.

Curcumin is a heavy metal chelator

What exercises should be avoided with high blood pressure?
What exercises should be avoided with high blood pressure?

If you have high blood pressure, you should avoid physical activity that requires sudden bursts of activity or strain as these may increase the...

Read More »
What Happens After 2 weeks of not ejaculating?
What Happens After 2 weeks of not ejaculating?

What happens to sperm that aren't released from the body. Not ejaculating much these days? No worries — sperm that aren't ejaculated simply get...

Read More »

Curcumin has been shown to be an iron and copper chelator, which may be helpful for some women (since high stores of copper or iron can contribute to breast cancer risk), but could increase risk of anemia in women with marginal levels, especially those undergoing chemotherapy.

Curcumin is radioprotective while increasing the effectiveness of radiotherapy

Curcumin has been found in mouse models to effectively protect skin from radiation damage, while at the same time sensitizing breast cancer cells to radiation and making them more susceptible to its effects. Therefore, it appears that adding turmeric to the diet during radiation treatment does not lessen the radiation's effectiveness and could be beneficial. Also, there is some evidence that turmeric could help protect normal breast cells from radiation-induced cancer (e.g., when radiation is used to treat other cancers).

Curcumin may help protect against the harmful effects of HRT

Curcumin has been shown to inhibit progestin -accelerated mammary tumors in rats. Combined hormone therapy containing both estrogen and progestin has been found to result in increased risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women. Treatment with curcumin was found to postpone the first appearance of progestin-accelerated tumors, decrease overall tumor incidence, and reduce proliferation. These results suggest that curcumin might be an effective a dietary chemopreventive agent in women already exposed to combined hormone therapy.

Curcumin may reduce harmful BRCA1 effects

Curcumin can restore BRCA1 expression in triple negative ( ER-/PR-/HER2- ) breast cancer cells, thereby potentially reducing the effects of harmful BRCA1 mutations in carriers.

Turmeric and curcumin supplements are not recommended

Although turmeric contains 4% to 6% curcumin and related compounds, their bioavailability is limited because of poor absorption and rapid elimination from the body. The levels of curcumin used in laboratory experiments to assess its chemoprotective effects typically are many times higher than that which would result from consuming dietary turmeric. This has made turmeric and curcumin supplements popular. However, we recommend consuming turmeric as food rather than taking such supplements, whose safety and effective dosages for breast cancer patients and survivors have not been established.

Turmeric and curcumin supplements are concentrated sources of phytoestrogens

What does zinc do for a man?
What does zinc do for a man?

Zinc has a number of vital functions, from supporting the immune system and promoting wound healing, to supporting healthy bones, skin and vision....

Read More »
How do you reduce inflammation in the bladder?
How do you reduce inflammation in the bladder?

Lifestyle and home remedies Use a heating pad. A heating pad placed on your lower abdomen may soothe bladder pressure or pain. Stay hydrated. Drink...

Read More »

Turmeric contains a number of diarylheptanoids, including curcumin, bismethoxycurcumin, demethoxycurcumin, and other compounds structurally related to them. Depending on their chemical structure, some of the more than 400 diarylheptanoids that have been identified in a variety of plants act as phytoestrogens , i.e., structurally and functionally similar to mammalian estrogens and able to bind to estrogen receptors. However, curcumin and other turmeric diarylheptanoids are only weakly estrogenic and do not produce significant effects when turmeric is consumed in food. When phytoestrogens bind to cell receptors, they can have either anti-estrogenic activity (which reduces ER+ cell proliferation and growth), or estrogenic activity (promoting ER+ cell proliferation and growth), or both (depending primarily on dosage). Based on available evidence, the phytoestrogens in turmeric are associated with reduced ER+ breast cancer risk. On the other hand, turmeric and curcumin supplements, which concentrate the phytoestrogens in turmeric, have the potential for adverse effects, depending on the formulation. In any case, they should not be taken during tamoxifen treatment since curcumin has been shown to interfere with the metabolism of tamoxifen and reduce it's treatment efficacy (see our article on tamoxifen and turmeric or curcumin supplements ).

Turmeric should be purchased organic

Curcumin has been shown to have a cytotoxic impact on microbes such as the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. One study also showed that long-term use of low-dose curcumin supplementation suppressed immunity against some other microbes (i.e., pathogens whose elimination primarily involves reactive radicals generated from inflammation ). Consuming black pepper along with turmeric may increase the spice's anti-breast cancer action by enhancing breast cancer cell (including breast cancer stem cell ) sensitivity to curcumin. Below are links to recent studies concerning this food and its components. For a more complete list, including less recent studies, please click on turmeric.

What age should you get prostate?
What age should you get prostate?

Prostate Cancer Screening Ages 55 to 69 This is the age range where men will benefit the most from screening. That's because this is the time when:...

Read More »
What causes prostate cancer to spread?
What causes prostate cancer to spread?

These small changes in DNA cause the cells to grow faster and live longer than they normally would. As these abnormal cells accumulate, they...

Read More »
How long does saw palmetto take to work for prostate?
How long does saw palmetto take to work for prostate?

For BPH, studies have used a daily intake of 320 milligrams of saw palmetto split into two doses. The doses will be different in other forms, such...

Read More »
Does zinc turn into testosterone?
Does zinc turn into testosterone?

Immune function, DNA and protein production, and cell division are all related to zinc levels in the body. Zinc also enables the male body to...

Read More »