Turmeric, popularly used as a spice for cooking in South Asia, has an active ingredient called curcumin. Curcumin has been identified as a natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.

Athletes, with rigorous fitness and physical demands, could well benefit from having turmeric on their list of supplements.

The following shows how the natural performance booster can have positive effects on the body's health:

POWER PLAY: Turmeric is popular for its performance enhancing potential

Turmeric as a performance enhancer

Turmeric roots can work as an efficient performance enhancer for athletes. There are many miscellaneous properties of turmeric which makes it a good supplement for people involved in rigorous activities every day, such as the athletes:

 
Turmeric to increase mitochondria:

When curcumin is consumed in addition to training, the synthesis of new mitochondria [found in cells for energy production process] increases compared to training alone. Consequently, the production of available energy is improved. Curcumin plays a role in the effect of training on our mitochondria, thereby potentially helping the athlete to increase performance.

Turmeric to slow down fat accumulation:

Fat is the most important thing when it comes to athletic performance. Turmeric, with its active ingredient curcumin, is one of the best natural remedies to stimulate fat burning in the body. This miraculous natural herb also helps to prevent muscle wasting, which isn't good for an athlete. This is especially important when monitoring calorific energy balance in the case of injured footballers. (1)

PAIN: Inflammation of the knee has been treated with turmeric

Using turmeric to treat arthritis

Joint pain and stiffness are common in the elderly or active athletes. Conditions that restrict, mobility such as osteoarthritis joint wear and tear (cartilage damage) or rheumatoid arthritis, commonly known as rheumatism can happen to anyone though. Symptoms are usually kept under control with medication. Natural therapists have recommended turmeric for those who choose a non-pharmaceutical or holistic path. Turmeric preparations are said to help relieve arthritic pain. Sometimes, chemically related substances are also included in turmeric supplements, to increase its success. (2)

FEEL THE LOVE: Cardiovascular function is also on the agenda of turmeric's benefits

Turmeric and cardiovascular health

When calorie input is more than the needs of the body, triglycerides can build up in the blood. Over time, they increase and may lead to bad cholesterol (LDL), causing hardening of the artery walls. This has been shown to potentially increase the risk of stroke, heart attack, and cardiovascular disease.

Curcuminoid [found in turmeric] supplementation is associated with a reduction in CRP levels in studies carried out over a minimum of four weeks. The mechanisms involved are believed to be linked to suppression of the production and release of pro-inflammatory substances.

Consuming turmeric also has many antioxidant advantages. Curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, can help decrease oxidative stress on the body. Inflammation and blood pressure are common causes of cardiovascular disorders in people.

Turmeric root is thought to have a positive impact on weight. The suggestion is, it prevents the accumulation of fat in the liver. Turmeric as a digestive aid helps to accelerate the digestion of fats and their natural elimination from the body. Far from synthetic fat burners, turmeric is a natural product. It improves the metabolism of the body and makes it more efficient in its work. (3)

GUT FEELING: Curcumin has shown to be effective for bowel conditions

The bowel and turmeric

Appreciated and consumed in India and Asia, turmeric is a real concentrate of active ingredients. It’s popular for the secretion of bile during digestion. This allows better processing of food by the body.

In addition to improving the digestive comfort of those who consume it, turmeric root has been researched for benefits against a common bowel disease. Turmeric has been used on most digestive and intestinal pain.

 
The active components of the root are said to help fight and reduce inflammatory diseases that affect the intestines, such as irritable bowel syndrome. Curcumin, the active ingredient of turmeric may be effective against Crohn's disease. (4)

References:

1. Curcumin, the golden spice in treating cardiovascular diseases. Biotechnology advances, 38, 107343.
Bradford P. G. (2013). Curcumin and obesity. BioFactors (Oxford, England), 39(1), 78–87.
2. Daily, J. W., Yang, M., & Park, S. (2016). Efficacy of Turmeric Extracts and Curcumin for Alleviating the Symptoms of Joint Arthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials. Journal of medicinal food, 19(8), 717–729.

3. Li, H., Sureda, A., Devkota, H. P., Pittalà, V., Barreca, D., Silva, A. S., Tewari, D., Xu, S., & Nabavi, S. M. (2020).

4. Curcumin as a Treatment for IBD. Verywell Health. (2021). Retrieved 29 November 2021.