Wellness Resources
When you think about turmeric and its active ingredient curcumin, you might think about joints, everyday aches and pains, and perhaps heart or gut health. New research has provided great insight into turmeric/curcumin’s effects on metabolism and weight management. It has an impressive array of metabolic effects. Here are some recent findings that demonstrate its important roles in maintaining healthy weight and overall metabolism!
1. Antioxidant
Fat cells chronically release pro-inflammatory cytokines, free radicals, and other molecules that impair metabolism and injure mitochondria. Your goal is to break this chronic cycle that impedes healthy weight management.
Turmeric is a natural antioxidant that regulates production and secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, like TNF-alpha. It also quenches free radicals like reactive oxygen species (ROS) that damage mitochondria and stress your metabolic rate. This helps your fat cells become less inflamed and aids your metabolic machinery to work with less wear and tear.
2. Autophagy
Turmeric helps protect mitochondria. It also supports autophagy, which is the removal of old worn-out cells and mitochondria. Obesity is linked with dysfunctional mitochondria that can no longer efficiently burn fuel which leads to fatigue and sluggish metabolism.
3. Browning of Fat
Brown fat is a desirable, healthier body fat that has high metabolic activity. White adipose cells have low metabolic activity. White fat cells can be transformed into “beige” cells via a “browning effect” which increases metabolism. This is an important metabolic quality as the level of brown fat is high in infants and young children but declines as we age and is naturally lower in adults.
Turmeric helps provide a browning effect to white adipose tissue as it activates gene expression related to this. It also turns on mitochondrial biogenesis and thermogenesis, which helps with heat production and activation of the autonomic nervous system for faster metabolism. Turmeric also promotes increased fat burning within your mitochondria.
4. Blood Sugar
Turmeric enhances blood sugar metabolism. It supports cellular uptake of glucose and aids beta cell function in your pancreas. It helps your cells burn sugar more effectively.
5. Adipose Cell Modulation
Cellular studies suggest that turmeric inhibits adipogenesis or fat cell formation. It was also found to reduce or modulate leptin, adiponectin, and other markers of fat metabolism.
6. Gut Microbiome
Turmeric supports your intestinal microbiome, a highly important characteristic for weight management. As curcumin is absorbed and metabolized by your gut flora, it promotes growth and diversity of beneficial flora and increases the production of short chain fatty acids (SCFA) in your gut. This directly aids your metabolism and burning of calories.
Turmeric also protects the integrity of your intestinal lining. A healthy gut barrier stops toxins from non-beneficial germs entering circulation. This stops the progression of more inflammatory reactions that interfere with healthy metabolism. A healthy gut microbiome and intestinal barrier are vital for weight loss and healthy weight management.
7. Fat Burner AMPK
Turmeric also targets and turns on AMPK. This is a master enzyme switch essential for fat burning and production of energy. AMPK is a critical homeostatic regulator of cellular metabolism and energy management.
Turmeric’s positive effect on the gut microbiome, intestinal barrier integrity, and AMPK activation increases thermogenesis. Studies show that animals fed a high fat diet with turmeric supplementation generated higher body heat by burning calories and experienced weight loss.
8. Fat Burner PPAR-alpha
Curcumin also turns on another fat-burner called PPAR-alpha. This helps activate fat burning and decrease build-up of lipids in the liver. It also aids in increasing insulin sensitivity, thereby helping to manage the negative effects of insulin resistance.
9. Cholesterol Modulator
Human and animal studies show that turmeric modulates many signaling proteins and enzymes involved with insulin, cholesterol, and triglyceride metabolism. Use of turmeric has led to improvements in study participants with waistline and hip size, BMI (body mass index), modulation of HDL, LDL, triglycerides, total cholesterol, apolipoprotein A, B, and other lipids.
Reduce Your Metabolic Stress
Turmeric has been used for thousands of years. It continues to be one of the most sought-after spices in cuisine but also for its benefits to health. When your body is chronically inflamed and metabolically stressed, its efficiency is like riding a bike uphill with a rusty chain and low tire pressure. Turmeric helps take some of the metabolic stress off your body.
Consider adding turmeric to your nighttime supplements to enhance your body’s natural thermogenesis or fasting effects while you sleep. It also helps tissue repair, immune system, and detoxification. Tumeric may also be used during the day as desired.
Repair Plus and Turmeric Gold contain an advanced turmeric extract with superior bioavailability and enhanced curcumin absorption. Turmeric is a favorite nutrient of mine. I hope it is a favorite of yours too! Add some turmeric to your healthy diet and lifestyle!
