Turmeric and Weight Loss

Turmeric is very popular these days, and that’s for good reason. The plant is not new and it has been used for thousands of years in the Indian and Chinese traditional medicine. Turmeric is extracted from the roots of the Curcuma longa plant, and curcumin is the main component that gives it the colour and the health benefits. It can help your body in so many ways thanks to the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, including losing weight. In this article you will find out the turmeric and weight loss.

The Metabolism

But before we see how curcumin can help, let’s talk about, metabolism. It is a complex process that involves the conversion of the food we eat into energy. The calories we consume combine with oxygen and produce the energy needed by our bodies to function on a daily basis.

And by that we don’t mean just activities like walking, running, working out, etc. The body needs energy even while you sleep in order to function, to grow and repair cells, to breathe and so on. This is the basal metabolic rate, the minimum of calories you would need each day to survive even if you were to stay in bed all day long.

The metabolism is influenced by:

  • body size and composition – people with more muscle mass will burn more calories at rest
  • sex – since men naturally have more muscle mass than women, they will also burn more calories at rest
  • age – muscle mass starts to deteriorate as we age, so the metabolism slows down as well
  • daily physical activity – being active throughout the day definitely helps in burning more calories
  • thermogenesis – the ability of the body to digest, absorb and burn calories
  • genetics – some people can simply eat anything they want and still not gain any weight, thanks to a naturally fast metabolism

When it comes to losing weight, you can either consume less calories through the food you eat, or burn more through physical activity. For the best results, you should do both. Obesity is a major problem our days, and it can lead to many health problems, some of them being fatal.

Turmeric for Weight Loss 

There is no “magic bullet” out there that will highly increase weight loss with out dieting or exercise, but there are plenty of supplements that can assist the process and speed up the metabolism. Turmeric is one of them, thanks to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, and the effects it has on blood sugar.

A study looked at 44 overweight individuals with the metabolic syndrome, a condition that can lead to diabetes, heart disease or stroke. They were analyzed during a period of 30 days with changes in diet and lifestyle, and the recorded weight loss was less than 2%. Then, they started to take curcumin and the results were analyzed once again. Here is what they found:

  • weight loss was enhanced from 1.88% to 4.91%
  • the reduction of body fat went from 0.7% to 8.43%
  • waistline reduction increased from 2.36% to 4.14%
  • hip circumference reduction increased from 0.74% to 2.51%
  • BMI reduction increased from 2.10% to 6.43%

This study and many more conclude that anti-inflammatory supplements such as curcumin can definitely help weight-loss. Curcumin interacts directly with the fat tissue and reduces chronic inflammation. It also induces adiponectin expression, which regulates levels of blood sugar and breaks down the fatty acids. Curcumin should always be combined with black pepper or phosphatidylserine for improved absorption. For example, you can use our powerful turmeric capsules. The black pepper extract itself also has weight-loss benefits.

Turmeric Dosage For Weight Loss

There are actually few studies that looked strictly at curcumin and weight-loss compared to the number of studies that looked at the multitude of other health benefits. So it is quite difficult to pinpoint the exact dosage that is perfect for losing weight.

Most turmeric supplements offer a dose of 250 to 500 mg per serving, so taking this dosage 3 times per day might be a great start. So the total daily dosage would be between 750 mg and 1,500 mg. Curcumin has been shown to be safe and tolerable for up to 8,000 mg per day, but that dosage is not sustainable long-term for most people.

The secret with curcumin is to take it constantly over the course of 4 to 8 weeks, instead of taking very high doses for short periods of time. And keep in mind that you should combine it with a healthy diet and some form of exercise. Just taking curcumin while laying in bed and eating fast food all day will not do any wonders.

Turmeric Side Effects

Some people may get certain side effects from curcumin, including bruising or bleeding, low blood sugar, kidney stones or gallbladder disease, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation or allergy and a reduced absorption of iron in the body. If any of these symptoms occur, stop the treatment and consult with your doctor immediately.

So now you know the turmeric dosage for weight loss. Make sure to stick to the treatment and then let us know your results in the comments area below. For a wide variety of turmeric products, you can check out this page.

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