"Turmeric contains polyphenols [with] . . . 600 health benefits."

I am beginning to believe all of the online buzz about the health benefits of turmeric, even the regenerative capacity of this spice.

So what's in turmeric that makes it so special and, quite frankly, so powerful?  Those compounds are curcumin, the main active ingredient in turmeric. It is a powerful anti-inflammatory and a very strong antioxidant; however, "the curcumin content of turmeric is not that high… it’s around 3%, by weight."  Despite its power, curcumin, the compound that most of the studies done on turmeric are based, does not absorb well.  IF you system is in some form of disrepair, you will definitely benefit from any amounts of turmeric your first time using the spice as a medicinal.  Kris Gunners insists that

. . . curcumin is poorly absorbed into the bloodstream. It helps to consume black pepper with it, which contains piperine… a natural substance that enhances the absorption of curcumin by 2000% (3).

Gunners gives us a tip on how to consume turmeric so as to get higher absorption:

I personally prefer to swallow a few whole peppercorns along with my curcumin supplement, in order to enhance absorption.  Curcumin is also fat soluble, so it may be a good idea to take it with a fatty meal.

One article from Alma Sommer claims that turmeric is "more effective at fighting headaches than Ibuprofen."  She explains that the patients in the study that compared Ibuprofen to turmeric that the patients "showed greater performance and claimed they had a higher level of satisfaction then that of the ibuprofen group."  And this point kind of brings home the advantages and disadvantages:

While Turmeric has been known as a safe and natural pain killer for centuries, Ibuprofen has been found to be very damaging.  Turmeric contains polyphenol which has been shown to have over 600 health benefits. “The Lancet review has found ibuprofen to be as toxic to the heart as Vioxx, a banned anti-inflammatory drug that caused thousands of deaths from cardiovascular diseases.” Turmeric is also very affordable and according to this study, it is definitely the better choice when it comes to remedying what ails you.

Turmeric is an excellent anti-inflammatory, but so are a lot of other foods, spices, minerals, etc.  Garlic is anti-inflammatory.  So are fish oils, one that Dr. Barry Sears called miraculous.  With so many choices of effective anti-inflammatory medicines available, it makes sense to select the ones that don't cost and arm and a leg, ones that we can take on a regular basis, part of our daily meals perhaps, and ones that have the least amount of unpleasant side effects. 

Okay, so we know that turmeric is an excellent anti-inflammatory.  Gunners tells us that it prevents cancer, that it lowers the risk of heart disease, that it prevents and treats Alzheimer's disease, works as a great arthritis medicine, fights depression, delays aging and fights age-related chronic disease, that it improves brain function and lowers risk of brain diseases, and increases the anti-oxidant capability of your body.  So it does a lot. 

One benefit I've seen and read over and over again are turmeric's benefits on the brain.  Gunners explains that it improves brain function, but what kind of function, suffering from what conditions?  He explains:

The neurons are capable of forming new connections, but in certain areas of the brain, they can also multiply and increase in number.  One of the main drivers of this process is Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), which is a type of growth hormone that functions in the brain (20).  Many common brain disorders have been linked to decreased levels of this hormone. This includes depression and Alzheimer’s disease (21, 22).  Interestingly, curcumin can increase brain levels of BDNF (23, 24).  By doing this, it may be effective at delaying or even reversing many brain diseases and age-related decreases in brain function (25).  There is also the possibility that it could help improve memory and make you smarter. Makes sense given its effects on BDNF levels, but this definitely needs to be tested in human controlled trials (26).

Another article by BioMed Central says that turmeric "boosts the regeneration of brain stem cells."  That's stem cells; not brainstem cells.   "The [subventricular zone (SVZ)] and hippocampus are the two sites in adult mammalian brains where neurogenesis, the growth of neurons, is known to occur."

My advice, my unprofessional, anecdotal advice?  Put two teaspoons of turmeric into a smoothie.  You can make the smoothie using your favorite kind of milk or yogurt.  Be sure to add the black pepper kernels for greater absorption.  Some folks will add pineapple or papaya or their favorite fruit.  Coconut is a great addition too.  A couple of folks at YouTube have suggested using orange juice as the base of your smoothie instead of milk or yogurt.  Okay.  

Further benefits of turmeric here.