5 Major Side Effects of Turmeric That Everyone Should Know
Turmeric (or Indian saffron) is a perennial plant of the ginger family, which is gathered for ground roots and used as a common spice in various cuisines. The warm, bitter taste and bright yellow color of turmeric are usually added to curry powder, cheese, butter and mustard to create flavor and color.
We already found the answer to the question “what’s the benefit of turmeric?” Briefly, turmeric is considered as a natural medicine in many parts of the Asia. Curcumin – an active biochemical component – found in turmeric has the ability to relieve pain, reduce the risk of cancer and inflammation, as well as support the digestion and liver functions.
However, you might not know that turmeric also has many potential dangers. Everyone should be aware of side effects of turmeric, and we’re here to help!
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What’re the Side Effects of Turmeric?
#1. Blood Thinning
The National Institutes of Health proved that taking turmeric can slow the blood clotting. Furthermore, it may raise the risk of bleeding and bruising if patients are going to undergo surgery or had a blood-clotting disorder.
When using turmeric, it’s recommended not to take it with antiplatelet or anticoagulant drugs, such as Warfarin, Aspirin, Plavix, Ibuprofen, Naproxen, etc. Moreover, you should avoid it if you have taken another slow-clotting supplement like ginger, red clover, clove, garlic, angelica and ginkgo. If you’re sensitive to turmeric, you should consult the doctor before taking turmeric supplements or eating turmeric in dishes.
#2. Gallbladder
According to Drugs.com, turmeric contains oxalate which raises the risk of gallstones. Thus, for those who have gallstone problem or have a bile duct obstruction, turmeric shouldn’t be used because it will make these problems worse.
Although curcumin in turmeric can be a prevention of gallstone formation by regulating the bile and cholesterol level, it’s proven that 20 to 40mg of curcumin can make gallbladder contraction and empty in healthy individuals.
#3. Stomach Problems
Although turmeric is an effective treatment for upset stomach, it may cause irritation when taken high doses. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, turmeric can increase the acid level in the stomach if it’s used with antacid drugs like Tagamet, Zantac, Prevacid or Pepcid. In some cases, patients have to stop using turmeric because of negative effects on digestion.
In addition, turmeric can be the cause of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) by stimulating the stomach to produce more gastric acid. Therefore, it’s necessary to follow the recommended dosages to relieve the symptoms of some stomach problems.
#4. Liver Problems
Animal studies prove that a large amount of turmeric can cause liver problems. Although no similar study is conducted on human beings, it’s recommended for people having liver problems to use a minimal amount of turmeric depending on the doctor’s advice. If you have suffered from some illness related to liver problems, you should avoid or stop taking it in your daily diet.
#5. Uterine Contractions
People who plan to get pregnant may suffer the side effects of turmeric. During pregnancy or breastfeeding, women are recommended to avoid using turmeric because it can promote a menstrual period. Taking higher doses of turmeric can stimulate the uterus and increase the basal activity of uterine, which results in the miscarriage and premature uterine contraction.
Conclusion
Turmeric has a wide range of benefits in both culinary and medicinal applications. Nevertheless, it has many potential side effects for those having pregnant, gallbladder, diabetes, stomach and liver problems. There are also reports of turmeric for arthritis side effects. Therefore, it’s important for people to consult the advice of the doctor before using turmeric as a treatment remedy.
Through this post, we hope that you have known side effects of turmeric to your body. If you have any question or contribution, please let us know by leaving your comment in the box below. Thank you for reading!
