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I am a Registered Dietitian from Connecticut and MS sufferer since 2006. I had CCSVI 6 weeks ago - so far so good. You may see me post when people are skeptical of CCSVI or promote some nutritional supplement. CCSVI is an emerging story. I hope there is a happy ending. I am not against supplements, just that many of these have few safety and efficacy studies.

Welcome PatGF. We are glad to have you part of the mix. Jump in! :-)

Welcome, welcome, PatGF. Just the person I need!

Because I read in the Better Homes and Gardens, November 2008 issue, an article by David Feder, R.D., I wrote to the author a few years ago, asking about his line that stated: "Numerous studies in Asia have demonstrated that compounds in turmeric can lead to a decrease in blood glucose, while increasing levels of blood insulin." I sought to obtain the particulars of these studies in Asia. I never received a response.

On the surface, it would seem turmeric works in the same way as many diabetes drugs, that is, reducing glucose by raising insulin levels.

Now, I wonder if you can tell me how or where to find information on such Asian studies? Can you direct me to a university department or faculty member who might be able to help me? I am not shy; I will write to anybody!

You see, I believe that increased levels of insulin are fundamental to the cascade of MS. My own fasting serum insulin levels have been elevated with every test result.

We are happy to have you as a new member of this community – whether or not you can answer my questions.

A recent paper has a good review of the studies on curcumin (tumeric) and its effect on insulin. This was an in vivo rat model.

Mohamed Abdel Aziz;et al. The Effect of Curcumin on Insulin Release in Rat-Isolated Pancreatic Islets. Angiology, 61, no. 6 (2010): 557-566

Their theory is based on the observed effect of curcumin, the active ingredient of tumeric, on an enzyme - Heme Oxygenase 1, a mediator of cellular defense against tissue injury. The study that cited above measured the direct effect of curcumin on insulin secreation (increase) and oxidative tissue damage to pancreatic islet cells (decrease).

A paper in Annual Review of Nutrition Reviews states that Curcumin directly interacts with adipocytes, pancreatic cells, hepatic stellate cells, macrophages, and muscle cells. Other structurally homologous nutraceuticals, derived from red chili, cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, and ginger, also exhibit effects against obesity and insulin resistance. Administration of 10 mg curcumin per day for 30 days to eight human subjects increased HDL-cholesterol (good cholesterol), decreased LDL-cholesterol (bad cholesterol).

Targeting Inflammation-Induced Obesity and Metabolic Diseases by Curcumin and Other Nutraceuticals. Bharat B. Aggarwal. Annual Review of Nutrition
Vol. 30: 173-199

Cited within this review:
 
Srinivasan M. 1972. Effect of curcumin on blood sugar as seen in a diabetic subject. Indian J. Med. Sci. 26:269–70.

Song MJ, Kim KH, Yoon JM, Kim JB. 2006. Activation of Toll-like receptor 4 is associated with insulin resistance in adipocytes. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 346:739–45

When I looked up tumeric on the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database it had no information on tumeric being used for diabetes treatment. But, the Natural Medicines Database states that the use of curcumin in treating Uveitis is effective. Uveitis is an inflammation of the middle layer of the eye, common cause of blindness in patients with Multiple Sclerosis. Taking curcumin 375 mg three times daily has been shown to be effective for this condition in a study lasting 12 weeks.

Efficacy of curcumin in the management of chronic anterior uveitis.
Lal B, Kapoor AK, Asthana OP, Agrawal PK, Prasad R, Kumar P, Srimal RC. Phytother Res. 1999 Jun;13(4):318-22.


More research needs to be done with more participants to be sure of how much curcumin is effective in blood glucose, obesity, and other types of inflammation. It is Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) in amounts found in foods, and possibly safe in medicinal amounts. If taken as a supplement, it is best absorbed if taken with food.

Does that help you?