DOSSIER #052 // botanicals
Evidence: LimitedTurmeric
Curcuma longa • Curcumin • Golden milk spice
COMPOUND PROFILE Curcuminoids
THE 30-SECOND VERDICT
Curcumin has extensive lab literature and mixed human data. Food turmeric is a spice, not a protocol.
Turmeric in food is not the same as a 500 mg curcumin capsule. Bioavailability stories should cite the actual formula.
WHAT PEOPLE USE IT FOR
- ✓ Cooking
- ✓ Evening lattes
WHAT THE EVIDENCE ACTUALLY PROVES
- ● Unformulated curcumin has very low oral bioavailability.
- ✕ Does not treat inflammatory disease. High-dose extracts can interact with drugs.
REGULATORY JURISDICTION BLUEPRINT
🇪🇺 EUROPEAN UNION (EFSA) Authorized food / supplement depending on form
Spice is a food. High-dose extracts may be supplements; some novel forms need review.
🇺🇸 UNITED STATES (FDA / DSHEA) Dietary supplement
Spice is food; extracts are typically supplements.
Forms
Rhizome powderExtractsGolden lattes
Sources
- Nelson et al. — The essential medicinal chemistry of curcumin (2017)
Last reviewed 2026-08-12 · Lab desk