Study Finds Turmeric Extract Significantly Improves Blood Sugar Levels in Overweight People
A newly published study in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition shows that turmeric extract may be effective in reducing inflammation and improving glucose metabolism in overweight people, and that daily intake of CLE may reduce chronic low-grade inflammation, thereby reducing the risk of insulin resistance and controlling postprandial hyperglycemia.
Turmeric and Inflammation
Inflammation is categorized into chronic and acute inflammation and plays a crucial role in the body's defense mechanisms. Acute inflammation removes pathogens and other harmful foreign bodies while inducing wound healing. Chronic inflammation, on the other hand, is slow and long term, and immune cells such as macrophages may mediate chronic inflammation.
Chronic inflammation can be triggered by aging, obesity, unbalanced diet, sleep deprivation, stress, and inactivity. c-reactive protein (CRP) is a prominent marker of low-grade inflammation, and slightly elevated levels of CRP are indicative of an increased risk of diabetes, cancer, and coronary heart disease.
Glucose is essential for maintaining physiological homeostasis in the body. Insulin is an anabolic hormone synthesized by the pancreas that improves energy supply by regulating micronutrients. Excessive intake of carbohydrates and fats leads to obesity and impaired glucose metabolism.

Turmeric is a common spice rich in curcumin, sweet myrrh curcuminol and sesquiterpenoids A and B. Curcumin is a lipophilic polyphenolic compound with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and weight loss properties.
Several species of the ginger family are used in traditional herbal medicine for the treatment of various disorders, such as gastrointestinal disorders, metabolic syndrome and neurological disorders. Preclinical studies have shown that many phytochemicals from the ginger family, especially polyphenols, have been shown to have antidiabetic properties. Polyphenols such as curcumin, curcuminoids, curcuminol, quercetin and kaempferol have been shown to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-atherosclerotic, anti-diabetic, antidepressant properties and can be used in the treatment of hypertension, diabetes and cancer. The antidiabetic effect of curcumin is mainly to increase glucose uptake and utilization by skeletal muscle cells and adipocytes, reduce lipid deposition in hepatocytes, and inhibit gluconeogenesis. Thus, the ginger family of plant-derived drugs is a useful resource that plays a key role in the treatment of diabetes.
Researchers noted that CLE could theoretically improve postprandial hyperglycemia and increase insulin sensitivity by reducing chronic low-grade inflammation. Thus, regular intake of CLE may improve insulin resistance and postprandial hyperglycemia, thereby reducing the risk of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.