Turmaric Dangers

[LottieBay]

A lot of people are jumping on the Turmaric bandwagon. Yesterday I spent quite a bit of time online researching drug interactions to satisfy my own curiosity because I'm on 14 different meds and wanted to see if there was a related reason for me feeling so crappy. One thing I found out on several different sites is that Turmaric should not be taken with any drug, prescrition or over the counter, that will cause thinning of the blood. Including Aspirin, ibuprofin and naproxin.
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/ConsHerbs/Interactions/Turmericch.html
This site will list all of those drugs and it might be a really good idea for those alternative treatment advocates to check the lists to be sure you aren't on any of those medications listed.

Margaret

[GitOverIt]

Luckily I don't take any drugs.....hardly ever need aspirin ...can't remember ever taking anything (drugs or shots) for any illness...but don't take turmeric either:D

had my tonsils out when I was very young...they didn't give any follow up treatment other than ice cream in those days;)

[SouthpawGrammer]

Thanks for the Info!

Love Paw xxx

[LisaJ-C]

I take Ibuprofen, and I was gonna give the Turmeric a shot,

don't think I will bother now.

Thank You.



Lisa xxx


I am now getting in the Christmas spirit.

[soloist]

Margaret:
I read the site and as I interpret it, it states clearly that turmeric when taken with NSAID's and/or Reserpine "has shown secretion protection in animals from the development of ulcers" due to these classes of drugs. Ulcers are a common effect of taking these drugs, as well as taking aspirin. So turmeric has proved usefull to stop ulcers.
The caution against taking turmeric with blood thinning drugs is only theoretical. There is no proof. "No documented bleed or other adverse interaction".
With all due respect, I would be more concerned with the interaction of 14 medications than with turmeric.

[chaimFL]

Margaret thanks for the info.....it's good to know both sides. Interestingly if you go to the right side of the page you posted and click on "related topics: Tumeric" it says that although in lower doses it helps with ulcers....in high doses it can actually cause them.

[soloist]

Here's some info on turmeric by authors interested in natural remedies for inflammatory disorders.
"Scientists use a word to describe a compound that is beneficial at one level but dangerous at another. That term is "biphasic," and curcumin (the isolated compound from turmeric) is a classic expression of a biphasic compound. At low levels, such as naturally exists in the context of the WHOLE TURMERIC RHIZOME, curcumin is extraordinarily beneficial. In a highly concentrated and unnaturally islolated form, curcumin can be problematic. One isolated chemical constituent of an herb, like curcumin, can thus have exactly the opposite effect of the full spectrum herb."

It seems that the whole herb is superior in anti-inflammation uses than taking large doses of "standardized" herbal extracts.

[chaimFL]

Soloist that's a great point. This one reason I don't like to take herbal remedies because we know the benefits of the herb, but then the makers of these herbal supliments come and multiply the natural dose by 100 times and we don't know if that same effect is there or not. Since herbal supliments don't need clinical trials we just have no idea.......I like to be fully aware of the side effects and interactions. By the way....what I see you are from Ontario....what part?? That's one place I travel too a few times a year (Toronto).

[debber_1]

Margaret Thanks for the info..

It pays to be careful!!

[ARL]

Yes,,,I to was really thinking of trying it out,,after reading some of the good things,,but than I for one never start anything without my liver specialist consent,,,and like alot of alternative methods, not everything is really safe. So it pays to be careful....they say anything natural can't harm you,but there are some that can....Good girl Dr.Lottie.....thanks for watching out for us!!!!