Recent years have seen a remarkable resurgence in the popularity of alternative and complementary medicine. Turmeric is one of these alternative options that continues to be used.
This vibrant yellow spice found primarily across Asia has most recently been embraced for its incredible health benefits.
Not only used in cooking, this Asian spice is now used all over the world to aid the immune system, improve the skin, support the digestive system, and support our respiratory tract.
Most people use turmeric as a dietary supplement(see also: What Is The Best Turmeric Supplement?). It is commonly used to reduce the effect of respiratory infections, arthritis, allergies, depression, and digestive disorders. However, it is also known to help shrink fibroids.
In this post, we’re going to discuss how long it takes turmeric to shrink fibroids. We’ll show you what fibroids are, how turmeric can help, and how long you can expect it to take.
Let’s get started, shall we?
What Are Fibroids?
Before we look at how long it takes turmeric to shrink fibroids, we first need to tell you more about what fibroids are. You can’t truly understand how turmeric can help before knowing what they are.
To put it simply, fibroids are small tumors made up of fibrous connective tissue and muscle cells. Developing in the uterus, it is believed that 70% to 80% of females develop fibroids at some point in their lives.
However, it is worth noting that not every woman will develop symptoms that require specific treatment if any at all.
To many women, fibroids are a scary thought, however, an important characteristic of these tumors is that they are almost never malignant or cancerous.
As a result, most women that show no symptoms decide not to have any treatment.
When it comes to size, fibroids can be incredibly small or extremely large. Some fibroids are the size of peas whilst others can be watermelon size. Even if the fibroids grow to extreme sizes, effective treatment is still available.
Does Turmeric Shrink Fibroids?
Now for one of the most important parts of this post, does turmeric actually shrink fibroids? Various studies would suggest that the answer to this question is yes.
The growth of fibroids is usually promoted by two hormones that stimulate the development of the uterine lining during the menstrual cycle. Those hormones are progesterone and estrogen.
The main active ingredient in turmeric is called curcumin(see also: What Is The Difference Between Turmeric And Curcumin?). Curcumin is known to have powerful anti-inflammatory qualities. It is also a strong antioxidant.
As a result, it is known for fighting fibroids and other inflammatory diseases.
So, how does turmeric shrink fibroids? Well, the curcumin in turmeric is believed to bind to uterine fibroids.
Once bound, the curcumin activates peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma, also known as PPAR-gamma. In turn, the fibroids are shrunk.
Studies have also shown that turmeric has qualities that help reduce the effects estrogen has on hormone-sensitive cancer cells.
How Long Does It Take For The Fibroids To Shrink?
Generally speaking, turmeric isn’t that fast acting. Instead, it takes a while for turmeric to start working(see also: How Long Does It Take For Turmeric To Work?). In the case of turmeric shrinking fibroids, it isn’t seen as a short-term anti-inflammatory.
Before you see results, the level of curcumin in your body will have to build up. On average, people can expect to see the benefits of turmeric after approximately 4 to 8 weeks.
This figure will change from person to person as everyone is different. How quickly the turmeric takes to work will depend on your condition and your overall body mass.
While it hasn’t been categorically proven yet, research into the topic does seem to suggest that the fibroids could be shrunken quicker if the turmeric is ingested as a supplement and in food.
Mixing the curcumin with healthy fats gives the turmeric a boost. The curcumin easily binds with fat, making it easier for it to be absorbed by the gut.
Eating turmeric with healthy fats like coconut oil and avocado will increase the rate by which it absorbs into your bloodstream.
Before taking any supplements, it is important to seek advice from a medical professional. Some supplements aren’t required whilst others simply aren’t suitable.
A doctor will be able to evaluate your situation and give you sound advice.
How Much Turmeric Should You Take?
How much turmeric you should take for uterine fibroids varies depending on the type of supplement you decide to use.
Turmeric is available in a wide range of forms. For example, turmeric supplements can be found in capsule, drink, paste, and powder form.
Therefore, you will have to carefully think about how much you need to take before doing so. Again, a doctor will be able to advise you about what’s best.
To give you a better idea of how much turmeric you can take a day, we’ve listed some of the forms and doses you might use.
Turmeric powder – 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder a day in your cooking is plenty.
Golden Paste – Start with ¼ to ½ teaspoon a day and work up to 1 to 2 teaspoons 2 to 3 times a day.
Turmeric tincture – You can take 10 to 30 drops of turmeric tincture 2 to 3 times (see also: When Is The Best Time To Take Turmeric?)a day depending on your condition.
Turmeric supplements – 300 to 400mg 2 to 3 times a day.
Final Thoughts
In this post, we’ve shown you that it takes on average 4 to 8 weeks for turmeric to make an impact on fibroids. After 4 to 8 weeks, you can expect the fibroids to shrink.
Having said that, how long the fibroids actually take to shrink depends on your condition and body mass.
We’ve also shown you the doses of turmeric you can take to shrink fibroids and aid your immune and digestive systems (see also: How Long Does Turmeric Stay In Your System?). Even though we have shown you this, it is important that you talk to a doctor before taking any supplements.
Only then can you be sure that you are doing the right thing for your body.
All aspects of health are incredibly important in keeping us at the top of our game when it matters most. But many people choose to ignore the health that they cannot see - including the gut, cognitive, respiratory, and more.
Hi, my name is Adam Maxwell and I have been a medical professional for over 20 years. My wife is also in the same field, having been a trained clinical psychologist for 15 years.
Between us, we have seen a fair amount of health-related issues!
