A new study has found that turmeric, or its active component curcumin, may help people with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes lose weight, potentially reducing their need for costly medications.
A review of 20 different studies of participants using doses between 80 mg/day and 2,100 mg/day over 8 to 36 weeks, found that for those with prediabetes, supplements significantly reduced body weight and waist circumference, but again had no effect on BMI.
In people with type 2 diabetes, supplementation led to improvements in body weight, waist circumference, body fat percentage, and hip circumference.
While encouraging, these effects are modest, and the overall evidence quality was often low to moderate due to small sample sizes and variability across studies—so turmeric isn’t a standalone solution but could be a helpful addition to an overall healthy lifestyle.
Read more: