Curcumin's functionality will continue to draw attention

Curcumin is the main active compound of the plant turmeric root and is one of the popular ingredients in the nutrition and health industry today. Recently, Curcumin C3 Reduct, a patented curcumin derivative from a U.S. company, was approved as a new resource food by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

The market for curcumin has been growing in popularity over the past few years. In the consumer market, the demand for products with high bioavailability continues to grow. The absorption rate of the ingredient in the body is now considered the "make or break" of the ingredient formulation, as it plays a critical role in determining dose effectiveness and quality. Over the years, the bioavailability of curcumin has been the focus of industry attention, and has been addressed by a number of companies through technology, such as microencapsulation technology, phospholipid complex embedding, raw material compounding, etc.

It is understood that in the past, curcumin in the EU is "more than 90% of the content of curcumin or aluminum precipitation" as a food additive or pharmaceutical ingredients. The approval of the company's patented products in the United States has broadened its application in the food field.

Curcumin C3 Reduct, a colorless hydrogenated derivative of curcumin, contains the curcumin-like metabolite tetrahydrocurcumin (THCs), which is safe for the target population at 140 mg/day according to EFSA evaluation data. As a dietary supplement ingredient, the maximum daily intake of the product is 300 mg for adults, excluding pregnant and lactating women. As an antioxidant, tetrahydrocurcumin provides many health benefits, one of which is associated with colon health. Also, microorganisms in the gut metabolize curcumin to tetrahydrocurcumin, which releases many of the benefits of curcumin.

Turmeric has been used as a medicine and food for centuries, and modern scientific research continues to push this ingredient into a broader arena. As of February 2022, there are tens of thousands of research papers related to curcumin, mostly focusing on both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant aspects. Of these, 2021 is by far the year with the most research data, with a massive increase in R&D investment on curcumin. In recent years, cognitive health of the brain has become a new direction for curcumin research. A study conducted by the University of Westminster and Coventry University in the UK involving 155 subjects found that supplementation with a combination of iron and curcumin may improve serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a regulatory protein involved in normal neuronal function and energy homeostasis, suggesting potential applications in its learning and memory aspects.

A growing number of studies have confirmed the potential of curcumin for applications in sports performance and post-exercise recovery. Currently, most of the raw materials in the joint health market are traditional aminosaccharides and chondroitin sulfate, while new raw materials represented by curcumin have entered the market. Henan Zhongda Hengyuan Company has independently developed a curcumin product with high absorption rate. Zhongda said that in the future, it will focus more on the development of curcumin products applied to bone health and sports nutrition and other aspects.

One of the more niche areas of curcumin is its effect on stress/anxiety and sleep, which is mainly related to serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that stabilizes people's moods and helps with sleep, eating and digestion. In a 30-day double-blind crossover trial, 30 subjects with anxiety and depressive symptoms were tested with curcumin (1 gram/day) or placebo, respectively, and the results showed that the curcumin group showed a reduction in anxiety scores.

The health properties of curcumin will continue to be of interest as scientific research continues.