I am wondering if this Google article holds any truth. (I am low in ferritin and working on increasing it thru iron supplementation with Vit C)
Turmeric And Iron Deficiency: Can too much turmeric intake lead to iron deficiency?
"Turmeric And Iron Deficiency: Can too much turmeric intake lead to iron deficiency?" m-timesofindia-com.cdn.ampp...
I know we can't believe everything on "google dr"... wondering if anyone has any feedback. My gut says hogwash.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...
High dose turmeric can cause anaemia by binding to iron in the gut
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...
Turmeric helps iron overload by preventing iron absorption.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi...
Curcumin alleviates iron burden.
I found these studies published in academic journals by using Dr Google. However they are neither "google" articles or Wikipedia. They are research studies.
Overall they suggest that turmeric as found in curcumin can help treat iron overload e.g. as caused by haemochromatosis.
It does this by limiting iron absorption, which is what hepcidin normally does. This is great if you suffer a lack of hepcidin, e.g. due to haemochromatosis.
Otherwise, bad news!
Sorry, I am struggling here, have I missed something? The original question from kicker asked if turmeric might be a factor in preventing iron absorption. The two articles that Manerva has found both suggest that it does indeed reduce iron absorption therefore it looks like it backs up kickers initial assumption and it is not hogwash!?
Well this certainly is news! I take Curcumin daily for arthritis but will now reconsider. Manerva, I really appreciate your knowledge on so many subjects. Do you think that taking Curcumin every other night opposite iron supplements would help lesson the negative effects on iron absorption?
I had an appt with my naturo-- who is great-- and she said to take curcumin on an empty stomach. No eating bc any iron in foods may not be easily absorbed. So, I am thinking take curcumin in morning before breakfast and take iron with Vit C (lemon water) at night before bed (no food prior for 2 hours).
Oh, re-reading Manerva's post. Crud.
What I wrote is what the evidence states. It's true I didn't say you could therefore take them at different times, because I didn't think of it I just answered the question..
Kayakcarole had kindly pointed it out in a civil reply.
The remark about hogwash was a mistake I've admitted and deleted. This was politely politely pointed out by munroist.
Your remark about what I wrote is inaccurate and personally offensive.
The latter contravenes forum rules.
Nor is is it constructive or helpful.
I suggest you apologise for saying my writing was "crud".
Oh no, Manerva!!! I did NOT mean your WRITING was crud... I am sorry that I was not clear and I offended you. I meant crud... because it is bad news for me and I am in a difficult spot now (based on your excellent research). My naturo said she researched this interaction and found only 1 study that supported turmeric prevents iron absorption BUT that they were taken together. Piecing it together, this is why she told me to take turmeric separately. I have sent her many links from this site as well as others. Some from "Google doctors" as she called them.
She sent me an email reply on this iron-turmeric interaction and I was taken aback. Hard to explain, but I took it that I was overwhelming her with emails, that I was offending her in using "Google drs" and she needed me to follow her protocol. Important to know that I did not have your well-researched links at that time. It was just the original link that I posted here. I wish I had waited in sending my last email to her until AFTER I saw your links. IF I had included your links to the REAL research, her reply would have been kinder and less defensive.
All this to say... my use of the word Crud was me thinking aloud. I hesitate sending her these links ... and honestly ... any more. I really do like and trust her and don't want to inadvertently offend her. She has helped me a lot and I want to keep a good rapport with her. But.. after her last email, I am reluctant to send her much.
Btw, the naturo seemed more concerned about iron sat (transferrin sat) being only 16% than Kaiser doc. She also was more concerned about my ferritin and wants it to 50. Kaiser doc just said I was a bit low on ferritin.
So, Manerva, please accept my apology for offending you. Like so many of us, I feel you are an angel on this site and obviously have a beautiful heart. I hate that I have caused you to feel anything other than appreciated and respected.
Gracious apologies accepted. Please be careful what you write, not just to me but your naturo too.
I believe she is right a TSAT of 16% is worrying.
Whereas as some sources refer to less than 25% being a worry for possible anaemia, others put it lower.
However if you read this
sciencedirect.com/topics/me...
It suggest 16% is a cut off point and anything less means that there is an inadequate iron supply for erythropoiesis. i.e. the normal formation of Red Blood Cells.
As the article says, there are few things which could affect the result. As you know fasting is one of them.
I'd say that a ferritin level of 50 is still inadequate. It's better to aim for 100 and 200 at least would be more ideal.
See this link
sciencedirect.com/science/a...
careful how you tell your naturo!
It's possible because I think it works by binding to the iron. So if you don't take them at the same time, that wouldn't happen.
Good point!
I appreciate your response. I am so glad to now be aware of this and will definitely take them at different times.
I will also educate my doctors so they can help guide others. Why work so hard to raise our iron levels only to sabotage our own efforts.
So you do think taking curcumin at a separate time than our iron is "ok"? Or as kayakcarol said, will "lessen the negative effects on iron absorption".
My dilemma after reading your post about this interaction has been that one of my supplements (Bioshield) has turmeric in it. I REALLY hate the thought of going off it since it has so many other great "ingredients".
Kaiser doc wants me , for 1 month, to take 2-3 ferrous sulfate of 365 mg with 65 mg elemental iron per day.
1. Should I "modify" her recommendations and take 2 (or 3 if my body can handle it) every other day since we know about how iron is best absorbed? Should I take the 2
(or 3) together, as opposed to throughout the day)? I'm guessing yes on both.
2. Then take my Bioshield the non-iron days? Vs Bioshield in the morning all days and iron in the evenings all days.
I want to give Kaiser a good shot at helping me, but I trust you more. No disrespect towards Kaiser and my doc... just that you are walking the walk and spend more time researching than them.
As I understand it, I believe one of the articles says it, turmeric prevents iron aborption by binding to it. Check I got that right.
If so then logically, if you take any turmeric and iron at the same time, then they will be in the stomach at the same time and the turmeric will bind to the iron.
If you take them separately e.g. at least 3 hours apart, then by the time you take the second, the first will have "moved on", i.e. left the stomach.
Which you should take first and which second - I have no idea.
Just to be sure best perhaps to take them as far apart as possible. Mornings and evenings or separate days as best suits you.
My understanding for which I have no links is that it is not the amount of iron you take but how much you absorb. The main factor that prevents absorption is hepcidin. There are others.
A doctors view might be that the more of a substance you throw at a condition then the more effective it will be, more painkiller, more antibiotic, etc. This doesn't seem to apply to iron. Throwing more at the condition doesn't necessarily mean more will be absorbed because the more hepcidin will prevent it.
The other view is that the more often you throw at it, the more effective it will be. Take it once a day, twice a day, 3, 4 etc
Not for iron, again because of hepcidin.
If these are both the case then there doesn't seem to be any point in taking a large amount of iron nor any point in taking two separate doses in the same day, or even the following day.
In view of these, please think about what is best for you.
My thought is, give yourself a break! Take ONE kind of iron, once every two days. You don't need to take a large amount if it's not being absorbed anyway.
see this link
practiceupdate.com/content/...
Ferrous bisglycinate might be quite adequate.
One other thing you need to be aware of is that if you are anaemic or even borderline anaemic (TSAT 16%) you're not going to be able to raise ferritin levsl until this is corrected.
I never heard that - but I will reconsider my curcumin supplement.
I think the conclusion is, if you take iron and turmeric, don't take them at the same time.
It's the same for magnesium for a different reason.
It doesn't mean you can't take both of them, I'm sorry if I implied this.
Manerva, please remind us in this thread what hepcidin is. I have long-term anemia. Iron infusion didn't help at all with RLS, though it did raise ferritin levels to 390 temporarily.
Hepcidin is a hormone released in response to blood iron levels. I may be wrong but I think transferrin has the strongest influence on it.
It's effect is to inhibit the absorption of iron from the intestines.
This prevents the body from absorbing too much iron. If iron levels get too high it can lead to major problems.
Without hepcidin, this very easily happens.
Iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) is a separate issue to brain iron deficiency. When absorbing and using iron, the body favours blood. If there is IDA then all iron will be diverted to the blood.
Hence even if it's possible to raise ferritin. (with IDA it's difficult) then the blood will use the ferritin up.
This leaves little left for the brain
Is it IDA you have? Do you know why it's chronic?
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