Lab studies indicate that curcumin, the yellow pigment in turmeric, could help safeguard arteries from diabetes-related damage, prompting calls for human trials to confirm its potential benefits.
Curcumin, the pigment that gives turmeric its bright yellow colour, may do more than add flavour to food. Research highlighted by ScienceDaily and published in the journal Physiology suggests the compound could help shield blood vessels from the damage linked with type 1 diabetes, at least in laboratory animals. The findings point to a possible way of easing some of the long-term cardiovascular strain that can accompany the condition.
The work focused on the aorta, the body’s main artery, in rats with type 1 diabetes. According to the study, chronic curcumin treatment reduced inflammation, improved how cells handled calcium and restored levels of heat shock protein 70, a molecule involved in protecting cells under stress. Those changes were associated with healthier vessel structure and function than in untreated diabetic animals.
Swasti Rastogi, the study’s lead author and a doctoral researcher at Florida Institute of Technology, said the compound appears to act as more than a simple antioxidant. She said it may help improve blood sugar levels, reduce inflammation and preserve the aorta’s structure and function in type 1 diabetes. Separate previous research has also pointed to curcumin’s potential to influence immune activity and oxidative stress in experimental diabetes models, although those studies were not focused on blood vessels.
Researchers stressed that the results do not mean people with type 1 diabetes should start taking turmeric supplements or increasing their intake in the hope of protecting their arteries. The findings are still limited to rats, and human trials would be needed to establish whether the same benefits occur in people, as well as what dose might be both effective and safe. Any future use would also have to account for possible interactions with other medicines.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
