Best Curcumin Supplements – UK Buyers Guide

Best Curcumin Supplements UK

With its multi-cultural society, more and more consumers within the UK are being exposed to natural remedies and none more so than the health benefits provided by turmeric and its active substance called curcumin. Turmeric is well regarded on the Indian subcontinent and within South East Asia as a root that has wondrous healing properties. In fact new evidence from recent scientific trials indicate turmeric could be one of our most amazing therapeutic foods.

 

But before you rush out and buy any turmeric or curcumin supplement, you need to understand the actual difference between the 2. In fact, understanding the active constituents of the products and the compounds within the supplements will greatly enhance your ability to choose the correct dosage and product for the best health benefits. You see, turmeric is the root that is harvested and then ground up to make the powder known as turmeric spice. Curcumin on the other hand is the active substance found in turmeric, and it is THIS compound that has the wonderful healing properties. In fact, curcumin compounds only comprise a small percentage of turmeric powder (less than 5%).

 

With recent research into the health benefits of curcuminoids, many manufacturers are now producing curcumin supplements and these are now making their way onto the UK market as consumer reviews have expounded on the numerous health benefits and curcumin’s efficacy in the treatment of several health conditions. Recent medical studies have shown that curcumin (extracted from turmeric) is 10 times more potent than grape seed extract, which has long been recognised as the most powerful antioxidant available to date. So curcumin and the resultant curcumin supplements are certainly something you need to take heed of.

 

However, not all curcumin supplements are created equal, so we tested a number of the top curcumin supplements within the UK to create the Best Curcumin Supplements UK Buyers Guide.

 

Nu U Nutrition Organic Turmeric and Organic Black Pepper supplements

Best value curcumin supplement – 1 year supply

If you’re looking for the best value curcumin supplement on the market that provides a mammoth 365 capsules in the container (for daily doses), then you should definitely consider the Nu U Nutrition Organic Turmeric and Organic Black Pepper supplements. Nu U Nutrition is local as well, and all Nu U Nutrition products are made in the UK. They also proudly use Soil Association Certified turmeric, and add Organic black pepper to the capsule to aid absorption of the curcumin compound. As we all know, without the addition of the black pepper, the body struggles to absorb the full effects of the Curcumin compounds and the efficacy of the product is enhanced with the addition of the black pepper.

The Nu U Nutrition Organic Turmeric supplements offer 600mg of Organic Turmeric Curcumin from just one capsule, and the product is FREE from milk, lactose, soya, gluten and wheat, making the product suitable for vegetarians and vegans as well. The capsules are on the larger side, but are still easy to swallow and are marketed as their highest potency curcumin supplements due to each capsule containing 600mg of organic turmeric (curcuma longa root) and 5mg of organic black pepper.

[info]Providing 365 capsules in the packaging, your daily dose of curcumin supplements is sorted at a very affordable price as well[/info]
PROS
  • Proudly made in the UK
  • Company proudly uses Soil Association Certified turmeric
  • FREE from milk, lactose, soya, gluten and wheat meaning its 100% suitable for vegetarians and vegans
  • 5mg Organic Black pepper added to improve absorption of curcumin compound
CONS
  • None

Nutravita Organic Turmeric and Organic Black Pepper supplement

Best Organic Turmeric and Organic Black Pepper blended supplement

Nutravita is a well known UK brand and their organic turmeric and black pepper supplement is a natural and powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant that can aid in the relief of a number of health issues and symptoms. The company manufactures everything in the UK, and sources only the highest quality turmeric in the UK to use in their turmeric (curcumin) supplements. They also ensure they source organic turmeric with naturally occurring Curcumin to ensure the product is contaminant free and only contains organic and pure ingredients. By using organic turmeric, the company also ensures it avoids adding any of the toxins, pesticides and heavy metals found in non-organic turmeric products.

What we really love about the Nutravita Organic Turmeric and Organic Black Pepper supplement is that it is one of only a few supplements where the turmeric is blended with black pepper. Each of the capsules contains 600mg of organic turmeric (curcuma longa) and 5mg of organic black pepper. Organic black pepper is the perfect ingredient to blend with organic turmeric. The reason they blend the black pepper with the turmeric in the same supplement is because studies have proven that the absorption of Curcumin is modest if taken on its own, but when paired with Organic Black Pepper the absorption rate can be increased by up to 2000%. It is the Bioperine (an extract from black pepper) that increases the absorption of the Curcumin compound from the turmeric, and this is the reason that this product comes highly recommended.

With a vegetable capsule shell, the supplements are also suitable for vegetarians and the size is perfect for daily doses and they are easy to swallow.

[info]All of the Nutravita range is backed by fully certified safety assessments and they manufacture all of the products in the UK.[/info]
PROS
  • Product is made in the UK following strict manufacturer guidelines
  • Certified organic by the Official Soil Association
  • 100% suitable for vegetarians and vegans
  • Blended with black pepper to improve absorption of curcumin compound
CONS
  • None

Nature’s Best 10,000mg High Potency Turmeric tablets

Best High Potency turmeric supplement

If you’re looking for one of the highest potency turmeric tablets in the UK, you can’t miss this turmeric supplement from Nature’s Best. Each tablet contains 500mg of turmeric root extract providing 95% curcumins – roughly equivalent to 10,000mg of turmeric spice. Commonly used by many in the UK to ease the symptoms of arthritis (but also has many other health benefits), as the curcumins act as anti-inflammatories and many users have noted how the high potency tablets have relieved back pains and other joint pains in arthritis sufferers.

What we really love about Nature’s Best products is the focus on quality control. Each product is manufactured and tested according to strict 10 step quality control checks. This ensures the product is free from contaminants including bacteria, heavy metals and pesticides. The product is also wholly manufactured in the UK.

[info]Nature’s Best Turmeric high potency tablets are also free from soya, nuts, shellfish and wheat – in fact they don’t even contain any ingredients containing gluten.[/info]
PROS
  • Strict quality control in the manufacture and testing of each batch
  • Wholly manufactuered in the UK
  • High Potency 10,000mg tablets standardise on the curcumin level (95%)
  • Meets the strictest EU regulations for contaminants
CONS
  • None

Igennus Longvida Optimised 500mg Curcumin Supplements

Best Longvida optimised curcumin supplements

Igennus Healthcare Nutrition have been formulating specialist science-based supplements for quite some time now, and their Longvida optimised curcumin supplements promise superior nutrition for everyday wellbeing with advanced bioavailability (bioavailability is the measure of how much of the beneficial compound gets absorbed into the body – lower bioavailability just means that very little gets into the circulation and the active compound simply passes through the body unchanged). The company is dedicated to providing consumers with the most premium potent and effective curcumin supplements that deliver results.

Standard curcumin has been clinically shown to be safe in high doses but it is poorly absorbed by the body and undergoes rapid intestinal metabolism, and is also quickly eliminated from the body. What we love about this Longvida optimised product is its patented lipid delivery system which enhances its bioavailabilty tremendously (the Curcumin is delivered via a patented protective Solid Lipid Curcumin Particle (SLCP) delivery system). With this delivery system, the curcumin is protected from the harsh environment of the stomach which ultimately leads to rapid absorption into the bloodstream and target tissues even at low doses. Longvida curcumin has been shown to provide an incredible 285x superior bioavailability compared with standard curcumin. In fact, Longvida is the only formulation proven to deliver high levels of free form, unconjugated curcumin, into the bloodstream (meaning extended release with just a single small daily dose).

The Longvida optimised curcumin (500mg per capsule) is free from dairy, lactose, soy protein, wheat, yeast and is gluten free. It also contains no artificial colours or flavours. So with its enhanced bioavailability, the Longvida optimised curcumin supplements may provide wide-ranging health benefits for anybody that is looking for a convenient daily curcumin supplement.

[info]Free curcumin is the only form proven to reach the brain[/info]
PROS
  • Bioavailability is 285x superior to standard curcumin supplements
  • Product is not tested on animals
  • Suitable for vegetarians and vegans
CONS
  • May be more expensive compared to alternate brands that are not Longvida optimised

Health Benefits of Curcumin and Turmeric

[warning]Disclaimer: As always, please seek professional advice from a professional medical practitioner if considering using curcumin or turmeric for any health problems or conditions.[/warning]

Turmeric has traditionally been used as an alternative remedy for a wide range of problems including liver and digestive disorders, allergies and acne. Turmeric and its active compound curcumin have also been linked to other beneficial health results, including the following:

Potent antioxidant

Curcumin is known as a potent antioxidant

Powerful anti-inflammatory agents

Curcuminoids can assist with many arthritic conditions.

Good plaque-retardant for arteries

Turmeric is known to be a good plaque-retardant for arteries. This is especially useful in the protection against strokes and heart attacks.

Healing agent for inflamed digestive problems

Curcumin is known to be a healing agent for inflamed digestive problems such as IBS

Helpful for circulation issues

Curcumin is helpful for circulation issues and is known to be a protective agent for Alzeheimer’s disease

Turmeric and Curcumin – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

[sections] [section title=”What exactly is the difference between Turmeric and Curcumin?”] You may know of turmeric as a spice that is common to many Indian dishes, and rightly so, as it is a plant (Latin name – Curcuma longa) that is very well known in India. Basically the turmeric root is harvested, cleaned, dried, and powdered to be used as a spice. It is the turmeric spice that gives curries their beautiful yellow colours.

Curcumin on the other hand, and other curcuminoids are the active substances in turmeric. These are the substances that contain many of the healing properties associated with this root. So although turmeric is a source of curcumin, a typical turmeric root only contains between 2% to 5% of the curcumin active compound. So that is the reason it is way more effective to take pure curcumin (in curcumin supplement form) rather than ingesting ground turmeric.
[/section] [section title=”What are some of the health benefits of using curcumin supplements?”] Turmeric, and by association Curcumin, has been used in Indian and Asian sub-cultures for many generations and it has only really been since the early part of the 1900s that the health benefits of curcumin have been studied by the West. But once the many beneficial effects were identified, curcumin has since been well regarded for its health benefits. As a compound, it is known to stop pain and inflammation, and is being currently investigated for preventing fat growth and accumulation, regulating blood sugar, stopping depression and slowing the effects of Alzheimer’s disease.

Both the Chinese and Indian cultures consider turmeric as one of the most useful natural medicines available, whilst the Malay people swear by turmeric as a skin treatment for the treatment of numerous skin conditions, including infected wounds.
[/section] [/sections]

Claire

Hi, I'm Claire, the Editor-in-Chief at Refresh Your Health online magazine - the largest UK based online magazine dedicated to healthy living, skincare and beauty.