4. Turmeric may help to improve your memory
A study has shown that daily consumption of curcumin, the component found in turmeric, improved memory in individuals having mild, memory loss related to aging. The study looked at how an easily absorbed curcumin supplement impacted memory performance in dementia-free individuals, as well as the potential effect of curcumin on the microscopic tangles and plaques in the brains of individuals who have Alzheimer’s.1✅ JOURNAL REFERENCE
DOI: 10.1016/j.jagp.2017.10.010
Other studies have shown curcumin to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Turmeric is a dietary staple in India, and it has been suggested that this could be a reason that elderly people in India have a reduced incidence of Alzheimer’s.
This double-blind, placebo-controlled study included 40 individuals aged from 50 to 90 years who had experienced mild memory loss. Individuals were randomly assigned to be given either 90 milligrams of curcumin or a placebo twice daily for 18 months.
Standardized cognitive assessments were administered to all 40 individuals at the outset of the study and at intervals of 6 months, and their curcumin blood levels were monitored at the outset of the study and after 18 months. PET scans were used for determining the amyloid and tau levels in the brains of 30 of the participants at the outset of the study and after 18 months.
Significant improvements in memory and attention abilities were experienced by the individuals taking curcumin, while the individuals taking the placebo didn’t experience any improvements. Memory tests improved by 28% in the individuals taking curcumin over the 18 months.
PET brain scans of the individuals who took the curcumin showed considerably less tau and amyloid signals in the hypothalamus and amygdala in comparison to individuals taking the placebos. The hypothalamus and amygdala are areas of the brain that control several emotional and memory functions.
Image Source – compoundchem