I have been getting quite a number of requests from blog readers wanting to know more or less the same things: how much curcumin I take, how I take it (with a fat, with cocoa, etc.)…and so on and so forth…
Instead of replying to each and every one of you, which would take heaps of time, I decided to write a quick post today about this issue.
Dosage: Every day I take 8 grams of C3 Complex curcumin = the curcumin that has been used in the MM, SMM, and MGUS clinical trials.
As for brands, I prefer Doctor’s Best, simply because of its easy-to-take one-gram tablets, which you can sometimes find at a relatively decent price if you shop around online a bit…
Note: I am actually running out of the D. Best curcumin and will soon have to buy some from a local Italian pharmacy. The Italian curcumin will simply be C3 Complex (it won’t have a brand name, that is). I mentioned that merely to point out that for me the important thing is for my curcumin to be the C3 Complex, and that it come from a reliable source.
When I take it. I take TWO doses of curcumin a day: 4 grams around lunchtime, 4 grams around dinnertime. I simply swallow my tablets with a glass of water, usually. No fats, no quercetin (see below).
That’s the main part of my current protocol.
I also take Nigella Sativa (black cumin) every day. I grate the black cumin seeds over my food, using a simple, non-electric grinder (such as a flax seed grinder).
I ran out of quercetin some time ago and haven’t yet found a reliable supplier here. So I am not taking quercetin…haven’t for ages, in fact. Nor am I taking fish oil. This means that I’ve cut down on my daily supplement intake. I mean, at one time I was taking more than 20 pills a day…I guess we all need a break sometime! 😉
Current experiment: Ganoderma lucidum, or Reishi…the “mushroom of immortality.”
Remember the 2006 study titled “Ganoderma lucidum causes apoptosis in leukemia, lymphoma and multiple myeloma cells“? No? Well, if you are curious to learn more about it, do a Search of my blog for “Reishi,” using the handy Search box on the upper right.
Just quickly, though…I began writing about G. lucidum in July 2009. Because it sounded so promising, I decided to test it, but back then I didn’t buy enough extract for a proper test, at least that is what I remember. And I couldn’t get any more here in Italy. Well, things have changed. I recently found a reliable (at least, I hope!) G. lucidum product at my local pharmacy, and so here we go again, but this time I’ll have enough. I’ve been taking almost 2 grams a day, together with my curcumin…which means I divide it into two one-gram-ish doses.
Of course, I don’t know what the outcome of this curcumin/G.lucidum combination will be. I’ll let you know this fall, when I have more blood tests…
That said, I feel fine, absolutely fine…fit as a fiddle in fact…or rather, as fit as a fiddle can be in this horrendous Florentine heat! 😉
Now, just to add a little bit of silly-ish news: my Fitbit, which Stefano gave to me as a present a few months ago, says that I am doing “excellent” (!) in my, er, age (!) group. Way to go, eh!?! Yeah! (But hey, my AGE group? How dare they! 😉 )
I think that’s about it…oh, but I’d really love any comments from you…For example, what do you take, and how/when/etc. do you take it? How has your protocol worked for you? I would love some updates, especially from those who haven’t been in touch with me lately. I wish I could keep track of everyone, but I get so many messages on a daily basis…so…it’s impossible. Anyway, I’d really appreciate it if you could find the time to drop me a line or to leave a comment on this post. Thanks a lot!
Take care, everyone, and…see you soon!!! 🙂
Ciao Margaret, sono Luisella, ci siamo viste qualche anno fa per un convegno a Firenze.
Dopo il trapianto non ho voluto fare il mantenimento con LENALIDOMIDE, invece ho voluto provare con la curcumina. Il trapianto l’ho fatto nel luglio 2011: sono passati 6 anni e sono stata e sto molto bene.
Ho preso best curcumin c3 complex 6 g + omega 3
fino alla fine di dicembre scorso, poi i valori si sono un po’ alzati (non a livelli di pericolo) e allora ho provato “full spectrum curcumin” per 3 mesi ma non ha funzionato gran che.Sono tornata alla curcumina c3 – 3 g + 1 di full spectrum +omega 3-. A settembre rifarò gli esami e staremo a vedere.
I medici che mi seguono del centro trapianti sono al corrente della mia piccola sperimentazione e sono d’accordo. tra l’altro mi dicono che è abbastanza raro che un trapianto duri così a lungo senza medicine (speriamo non siano le ultime parole famose).
Sarei curiosa di sapere se qualcuno che conosci ha fatto la mia stessa esperienza.
ciao
Luisella
Hi Margaret, I recently found your blog thanks to God. I was diagnosed with MM in january 2016. My doc up to say have not put me on any treatment except for few dex. Today I went to visit and my HB is 7 and my BUN is 6.2. I have lost 15kg of weight I was 90 kg before and 170 cm in height. I have pain in my shoulders, my upper and lower back, in my hip and thigh.
I saw an article in your blog about Dr C3 curcumin and I start taking it two weeks ago. Can you tell me from your experience if that’s enough to give me a good response of killing the MM cells or what else can I add to the curcumin?
Rgds
Sim
Read this article from the UK about a MM sufferer who took 8gm curcumin/day and has no sign of MM now. She is a reader of this blog and Margaret has mentioned her before-Dieneke.
BMJ Case Reports 2017; doi:10.1136/bcr-2016-218148
CASE REPORT
Long-term stabilisation of myeloma with curcumin
http://casereports.bmj.com/content/2017/bcr-2016-218148.full
I am so happy I found this blog, I cannot say that too much.
I have just started to take curcumin, 3 weeks into it now and started taken 8 grams a day as we speak. I will do some blood tests next week, but according to what I have read here I would not see any difference there until after 8 weeks. I have two different types of curcumin and one of them has also vitamin K2 to strengthen my bones. So far there is not much update from my side as I am newly diagnosed.
Hi Margaret,
It’s been a while since I last contacted you when I first found your blog a few years ago. I just read your update on your current protocol and thought I would reply to your request regarding what others were doing. I’m MGUS (light chain myeloma) and have been taking C3 Complex Curcumin (Doctors Best) for 2 years now. I started out with 8g per day and it had an immediate effect. My readings have dramatically stabilised, they do not vary as much as they used to and there is a trending decline in the lambda light chain amount.
I’ve now cut down to 6g per day after advice from Prof. Manoharan and Dr Terry Golombick – they practice close to my home. They had similar results with lesser doses of curcumin. I now take in the mornings 2g of curcumin, 1g of fish oil and 1g of quercitin (currently testing quercitin effects) with full cream milk. In the evening about 10pm I take 4g of curcumin and 1g of quercitin with small amount of full cream milk. I have tried reveratrol, boswellian extract and green tea extract but there was no noticeable effect on my results. I also read somewhere that green tea may actually negate some of the effect of Curcumin.
For what it’s worth, I buy DB C3 Complex from iherb.com online. There’s usually plenty of discount period and they also offer loyalty discounts, free postage etc……it has worked well for me.
I’m going so well now the Oncologist only wants to see me once a year but I still monitor myself with quarterly blood tests. Hope you are feeling better after your loss and thanks again for this great, informative blog.
Cheers,
Mark (Australia)
Hi Mark,
1 was diagnosed with IGL light chain myeloma in 2012. I had an autologous PBSCT in early 2013. Pre- and post-transplant conditioning included bortezomib/cyclophosphamide/dexamethasone (pre-) and bortezomib/dexamethasone (post). Aside from ongoing pamidronate infusions, and the recent addition of doxycycline, I have been essentially treatment free for the last 2 years. I have been supplementing with curcumin for much of the post-transplant period, but now my lambda marker is rising so I am investigating in more detail how and when to take curcumin for possibly better effect. Do you take your morning dose before breakfast or with it? Also, do you know yet if combining with quercetin had any influence?
Many thanks, Christine (NZ).
Margaret your blog is doing so much good for so many people. You really have helped me so much. I just want to say thankyou so very much for all you do. Your cats are gorgeous. I have a 15 yr old black and white who I simply adore.
So very sorry for your loss of late. Sending you my sympathies at this time.
Thank You Margaret for sharing your experience and helping a lot of people like me.
I underwent Stem Cell Transplant for Multiple Myeloma in Jan 2012.
In Jan 2015, I was on Lenolidamide and was advised to go for a second round of Stem Cell Transplant.
It was then that I came across your Blog . Started taking Curcumin , Ashwagandha and Satavari and in three months I was back to normal. There was no mention of a Transplant since then . In Feb 2016 I stopped taking Lenolidamide on the advice of my Oncologist.
God Bless you.
Veni
Hyderabad, India
Hi veni,
I am 43 year old female from Chennai.I am diagnosed with smoldering myeloma.
I am consulting at CMC,vellore.
Are you consulting a myeloma specialist at Hyderabad.?
Can you please tell whom you are consulting.
Or the place?
What is satavari?
How much of Ashwagandha are you taking,?
Regards,parveen.
Hi Veni,
My Mum has Multiple Myeloma. Would you please tell me how much and the types/brands of Curcumin, Ashwagandha and Satavari you have been taking,
Thanks in anticipation,
Sue
Hi Margaret,
My father is 71-yrs, had prostate cancer several years ago and underwent radiotherapy. Everything was under control, PSA readings were fine until September last year when it was found it had spread to the left kidney. January ’17, left kidney removed and had his first review after 6 months last July. Now, after a ct-scan was done, it seems like there are multiple scattered lung nodules suggestive of lung metastases. Off the record, the doctor mentioned that if there’s indeed lung cancer at this stage, nothing will be done. To top it off, he was referred by his GP (where he had his diabetes and hypertension checked and monitored) to have his remaining kidney checked. After his nephrology appointment, his remaining kidney is failing and is at stage 3b of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). Of course, I was devastated as even his nephrology doctor said that none can be done but palliative care. However, after reading some research papers, I decided to get him started on 8-week curcumin protocol (after dinner only) and now we are about to go into his 3rd week (4tabs, 2 after breakfast and 2 after dinner). I managed to get supplies of Doctor Best C3 delivered online through Iherb. We now add 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil to this protocol for better absorption. The reason he is not taking them after lunch is because of the gum arabic solution that I’m having him before lunch that might/will hinder absorption). The gum arabic solution is for his CKD. Having said that, I’m worried since he takes his other meds during breakfast and Doctor Best C3 contains some Bioperine in it.
Really hope this will help him. Will try to keep posted with any updates.
Hi , my sister is suffering from ACute Myeloid leukaemia , can she have cucurmin tablets aswell? If so then how much dosage should she consume ? And before food or after food . She is in very serious condition . Please reply
Hi Margaret
I have been diagnosed with secondary cancer in my bones.
I was originally diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008
and was given the all clear in 2013, but now I
have been diagnosed with the secondary cancer.
Does the turmeric supplement only work for blood cancer?
Would love to try the tables. I appreciate your input.
Rgds
Maria
Hi Margaret, so glad I found your blog!
Just wondering re the curcumin you take twice a day, is it on an empty stomach or a full stomach after a meal??
Your reply would be so much appreciated!
John
I wanted to research antihistamines since Claritin has been shown to lower breast cancer recurrence (starting year 15 in April!)..and discovered that antihistamines also work on myeloid-derived suppressor cells.
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/279000
My results are still trickling in and still not sure what is going on with me (red flag was slight elevation in total protein serum). I’m wondering if my Alpha-lipoic acid (trying to lower fasting blood sugar) affected results (??) or woke up dormant cells (in a bad way..??)
anyway, I continue to work though this blog and love everything about it. I love when you share Italian life! And your health!