Curcumin - The Spice that May Help Fight Breast Cancer (1561 hits)
New research offers hope for women diagnosed with breast cancer and those hoping to avoid the disease altogether. That’s good news considering that according to the American Cancer Society an estimated 36,620 American women died in 2013 alone. An additional 232,340 breast cancer diagnoses were made in the same year.
October 1-31 is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer by death among women, next to lung cancer.
Exciting new research released in the journal Clinical and Experiential Medicine found that curcumin, a naturally-occurring substance found in the spice turmeric, helps fight breast cancer. The herb has been heavily studied in the past as a possible natural treatment for cancer but this new research shows the herb’s effectiveness against breast cancer, in particular. The study found better results as doses of the herb’s effective ingredient curcumin increased.
Other research in the medical journal Molecular Carcinogenesis found that curcumin caused cancer cells to commit suicide, a process known as apoptosis. The scientists concluded that “Our findings provide mechanistic support for the potential use of…curcuminoids as a novel class of cancer chemopreventive agents.”
Additional research in the medical journal Anticancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry found that curcumin helped to regulate the genes involved in breast cancer and prevented cancer from spreading throughout the body (metastasizing).
Research in the journal Frontiers in Chemistry found that curcumin also prevents the formation of tumors. According to the same journal the spice demonstrates many other healing properties and has been found to be antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiviral, and to assist in treating neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer disease.
Both turmeric and curcumin supplements are readily available in most health food stores or from your natural health professional. If you choose to take turmeric, I recommend between one to three grams of the dried, powdered root daily. The supplement package should indicate how much of the dried root is found in each capsule or tablet. Capsules tend to be easier to digest for most people.
For assistance in the prevention and treatment of breast cancer, I prefer a standardized curcumin supplement. Take 400 to 600 mg of curcumin three times daily for a total of 1200 to 1800 mg per day. Always consult your physician prior to use. This information is presented for educational purposes only.
