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5 Best Turmeric Supplements of 2024
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- The 5 Best Turmeric Supplements
- Best Overall Turmeric Supplement: Hi-Health Turmeric Plus With Bio-Absorb Curcuwin
- Best Value Turmeric Supplement: Windmill Turmeric 1000mg
- Best Curcumin Gummy: Nordic Naturals Zero Sugar Curcumin Gummies
- Best Extra-Strength Turmeric Supplement: Qunol Turmeric Curcumin Capsules
- Best Turmeric Supplement for Joint Pain: Garden of Life Extra Strength Turmeric
- How to Choose a Tumeric Supplement
- Who Shouldn’t Use Turmeric?
- FAQs About Turmeric Supplements
- Key Takeaways
Although you may know it best as the golden spice added to curry dishes that stains your bowls yellow, turmeric is beneficial for much more than just flavor.
Curcumin, the primary bioactive component of turmeric, has been studied for its role in reducing inflammation, increasing antioxidant activity, and supporting heart, brain, immune, metabolic, and joint health.
But curcumin is notoriously difficult to absorb, leading many unformulated supplements to be a waste of money.
There are several answers to curcumin’s bioavailability issue—from the simple (like adding black pepper or fat to increase absorption rates) to the more advanced, including proprietary technology that converts curcumin into formulations our bodies can better absorb and utilize.
Our top turmeric supplement choice is Hi-Health Turmeric Plus With Bio-Absorb Curcuwin for its affordability and high bioavailability—but you’ll also find options for low-cost turmeric, gummy versions, high potency, and combination formulas for inflammation.
The 5 Best Turmeric Supplements
| Best Overall | Best Value | Curcumin Gummy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product | Hi-Health | Windmill | Nordic Naturals |
| Dose | 500mg | 1000mg | 200mg |
| Cost* | $52.99 for 120 servings ($0.44/serving) Shop Now | $10.99 for 30 servings ($0.37/serving) Shop Now | $29.95 for 30 servings ($1.00/serving) Shop Now |
Best for: People looking for a high-quality and affordable turmeric supplement with superior bioavailability; people looking to reduce inflammation.
Our overall best turmeric supplement pick is the Hi-Health Turmeric Plus With Bio-Absorb Curcuwin, which utilizes a proprietary delivery system called Curcuwin®.
Curcuwin® is a water-soluble curcumin extract that has been clinically shown to increase the absorption and retention of curcuminoids—the bioactive components of turmeric—in the body.
This proprietary technology converts the fat-soluble curcumin into water-dispersible ingredients that enhance its bioavailability.
Research from 2014 shows that this form increased the absorption of curcuminoids by 46-fold, while a study from 2018 found that Curcuwin® exhibited over 100-fold higher bioavailability than unformulated curcumin.
This form of curcumin also has evidence showing that it supports recovery and reduces soreness after exercise.
This Hi-Health supplement provides a moderately high dose of turmeric at 500mg per capsule—250mg of turmeric and 250mg of Curcuwin®—and comes with an affordable three-month supply.
Best for: People looking for a budget turmeric supplement.
Windmill Turmeric 1000mg is our best budget pick for turmeric supplements at $0.37 per serving.
While this supplement contains 1000mg of turmeric, note that only 100mg of that are concentrated curcuminoids—a family of the most bioactive components in turmeric, including curcumin, demethoxycurcumin, and bisdemethoxycurcumin.
Turmeric root still benefits health and reduces inflammatory responses—it contains other plant compounds that may work synergistically with curcuminoids—although it’s thought that the concentrated form of curcumin provides more potential benefits.
Best for: People who want the benefits of turmeric without taking pills; people looking for gluten-free, sugar-free, or vegan gummy options.
Nordic Naturals Zero Sugar Curcumin Gummies are an excellent alternative to taking turmeric capsules.
With 15 calories per two-gummy serving and zero sugar, these xylitol-sweetened gummies are ideal for people who want the benefits of curcumin without having to take pills.
These gummies contain slightly less turmeric than others on this list—but the 200mg they do contain is concentrated curcumin extract in the form of Longvida®, another clinically researched and patented method to increase curcumin’s absorption.
They do this by using solid lipid curcumin particles that allow blood and tissues to uptake free curcumin, leading to absorption rates that are 285 times better than other forms of curcumin, according to the manufacturer.
Plus, research in healthy older adults found that Longvida© supplementation improved aspects of mood and working memory.
Best for: People wanting higher daily doses of turmeric to support healthier joints and reduced inflammation.
For those looking for a higher dose of turmeric, Qunol Turmeric Curcumin Capsules provide 1500mg of turmeric per 3-capsule serving.
This dose consists of a bio-enhanced turmeric complex made of 18-22% curcuminoids and has up to 40-fold enhanced bioavailability due to its water dispersion technology.
However, this supplement is on the expensive side and requires three capsules to reach its higher dose, which may be challenging for some people.
Best for: People wanting a combination formula to support joint health, digestion, and reduced inflammation; people wanting an all-organic turmeric supplement.
Lastly, the Garden of Life mykind Organics Extra Strength Turmeric Inflammatory Response is one of the best turmeric supplements for arthritis, joint health, and reduced inflammation.
This is because it contains not only 553mg of turmeric (with 100mg of curcuminoids) but also fermented ginger root and probiotics.
Like turmeric, ginger root is well-known for its role in reducing inflammation and supporting joint, cognitive, and cardiovascular health.
Rather than using proprietary technology to change curcumin’s structure, Garden of Life uses fermented turmeric and black pepper to increase absorption, as piperine—the active compound in pepper—is known to increase curcumin’s bioavailability.
This supplement is also Certified USDA Organic, Non-GMO Project Verified, NSF Certified, Certified Vegan, and gluten-free.
How to Choose a Tumeric Supplement
When choosing a turmeric supplement, it’s important to see if the brand uses any method to increase absorption, as curcumin has poor bioavailability on its own.
There are several ways to boost curcumin’s bioavailability, including:
- Adding piperine (black pepper)
- Adding fat
- Water dispersion technology
- Using different transport vehicles or formulations, like liposomes, microemulsion, or nanoparticles
You can also look for a supplement’s certifications and third-party testing, which verify its quality and purity.
Lastly, you can look for the concentration of turmeric versus curcumin in the supplement.
While both turmeric and curcumin have shown beneficial effects on health, curcuminoids (which include curcumin) have been better researched.
Supplements tend to contain both turmeric root and curcumin (which is usually a concentrated form of curcuminoids).
Who Shouldn’t Use Turmeric?
Turmeric and curcumin are considered generally safe supplements to take without side effects, but there are some conditions that might be contraindicated, including:
- People at increased risk of kidney stones, as some turmeric supplements contain high levels of oxalates that contribute to kidney stones.
- People taking blood thinners, anticoagulants, or antiplatelet drugs, or those that have a bleeding disorder should talk to their doctor first because turmeric can act as a blood thinner.
If you’re not sure about your specific health situation, talk to your healthcare provider.
FAQs About Turmeric Supplements
What Is the Best Form of Turmeric to Take?
Both turmeric and curcumin have shown beneficial effects on health, but curcuminoids (which include curcumin) have been better researched.
Supplements tend to contain both turmeric root and curcumin (which is usually a concentrated form of curcuminoids).
High-quality turmeric supplements should also utilize a method to enhance its bioavailability, like adding black pepper or using liposomes.
Is It Okay to Take Turmeric Every Day?
Yes, it is generally considered okay to take turmeric every day.
Is It Better to Take Turmeric Capsules or Powder?
It’s simpler to take turmeric capsules, and you’d likely have to take a lot of powder to get the same effects as a concentrated capsule.
Therefore, it’s likely better to take turmeric capsules to see the most significant effects.
Is It Better to Take Turmeric in the Morning or at Night?
If you’re taking a turmeric supplement, it generally does not matter if you take it in the morning or night, as the supplement hopefully has used methods for enhancing its bioavailability.
It’s possible that consuming the supplement with a meal could be easier on the stomach if you are sensitive to supplements—but this is highly individual.
Essentially, it’s best to take turmeric supplements at a time when you will best remember to take them.
If you’re consuming turmeric as a food source, eating (or drinking it) with a source of fat will increase its absorption—but it doesn’t matter what time of day you consume it.
How Quickly Does Turmeric Work for Inflammation?
It depends, but some research has found that people showed improvements in inflammatory joint discomfort after supplementing with turmeric for six weeks—in fact, turmeric had comparable effects to ibuprofen.
Other studies have found that it takes 8-12 weeks to reduce inflammatory symptoms.
Overall, turmeric is not an overnight magic pill, but taking it regularly has been found to work for many inflammatory conditions.
Key Takeaways
- Turmeric has many health benefits, including reducing inflammation and supporting brain, cardiovascular, metabolic, and joint health.
- However, curcumin—the main bioactive component of turmeric—is poorly absorbed; therefore, good turmeric supplements should include some method of enhancing bioavailability.
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