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There's no doubt that turmeric is one of the hottest spices on the market today. In recent years, there has been a lot of research confirming its natural anti-inflammatory properties.
The active compound 'curcumin' found in turmeric can help increase your body's resistance to oxidative stress and reduce harmful inflammation in the muscles after hard workouts. Many health care providers are encouraging patients to take turmeric supplements for quick muscle recovery.
Let's examine whether turmeric really helps with inflammation and muscle recovery.
What is Turmeric?
Turmeric, a spice that has been used for centuries and is widely studied in scientific journals, is often referred to as a superfood because of its many purported benefits.
However, what sets turmeric apart from other so-called superfoods is that it’s a plant and not an extract or manufactured substance. Turmeric pills or shots are another method to get more of this healthy plant.
How turmeric helps with the inflammation?
Turmeric has been used as a medicinal herb for thousands of years—research has shown that its anti-inflammatory properties were sought out for conditions like arthritis.
Turmeric has been studied as a possible alternative treatment for people with osteoarthritis in the knees who are unable to tolerate the side effects of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The study noticed that turmeric capsules had similar effectiveness and better tolerance than the prescription drug celecoxib, when used for inflammation.
Curcumin, a chemical found in turmeric, can reduce muscle soreness and inflammation, according to a study published in The Journal of Nutrition. Combining curcumin with black pepper extract enhances the effects of curcumin by 2,000 percent. Curcumin has been studied as a potential treatment for pro-inflammatory diseases such as cancer and inflammatory bowel disease, though more clinical trials are warranted.
How Turmeric Helps with Muscle Recovery
Intense exercise can make you tired and sore, but taking time to rest and eat right will help your body recover. Turmeric is a popular choice among athletes trying to recover after a workout. A 2007 study published in the American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology found that curcumin helped mice recover after running downhill.
In response to a lack of treatment options for recovering muscles, researchers studied the effects of curcumin on inflammation and skeletal mass regeneration. Curcumin was discovered to have the capacity to speed up muscle repair in mice. However, more research is needed to confirm the findings and determine if they are applicable to humans.
Curcumin exerts its antioxidant properties in the cell by inhibiting the chemicals and pathways that initiate the inflammatory cascade. Improved inflammation regulation is thought to lead to faster muscle healing and increased functional capacity.
What’s the Best Time to Consume Turmeric?
Studies have found that taking curcumin before and after exercise reduced the negative consequences of muscle injury, although it's unclear if the timing of consumption plays a role in the purported benefits.
Curcumin taken 7 days after exercise may help to faster healing of exercise-induced muscle injury, according to a recent study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports earlier this year .
But don’t expect it to work miracles; remember that turmeric is just one of many aspects that contribute to an overall healthy lifestyle that promotes recovery and prevents overtraining.
Different Ways to Consume Turmeric
While turmeric may be beneficial to your post-workout recovery and should be included in your diet, it is crucial to remember that, like all other dietary supplements, there are no clear guidelines for its use and that it should not be relied on as the sole way of recovery.
Key Takeaway
In addition to other benefits, it's safe to assume that curcumin has anti-inflammatory properties. However, most of its effects rely on the compound being present in detectable levels. For example, supplements containing measurable curcumin must be taken twice a day and, in many cases, with meals. The paste form of turmeric has a similar requirement.
That being said, spices taken over the course of a week are also likely to show some clinical benefit for athletes trying to manage inflammation after strenuous exercise. Just remember that exercise should not be replaced with supplements or foods. They can certainly enhance recovery, but there is an amount of rest necessary for optimal muscle repair and growth
