Phase I study of surface-controlled water soluble curcumin (Theracurmin CR-011L)

This morning I read an article about a new MD Anderson Phase I trial administering curcumin to metastatic cancer patients who have not responded to chemo and radiation treatments. NOTE: this is a new type of curcumin…a WATER-SOLUBLE, nanotechnology-enhanced type (no kidding), which basically means that it’s better absorbed into the bloodstream than regular curcumin. That’s what we want…

Here’s the link:  http://goo.gl/l9r6S  The article begins with a description of an organization called “Gateway for Cancer Research,” which funds promising cancer research…alternative, too. I really liked what the Gateway President (a 14-year cancer survivor) said: 

We support truly innovative and promising research that has potential to positively impact the lives of cancer patients at the earliest opportunity. We’re not interested in cancer research that experiments on laboratory mice for years and years without cures.” Excellent!

Reading on, the article tells us that two of the patients in the study have already responded well to this new type of curcumin: their tumors have shrunk…in one case, quite substantially. Wow. 

The last paragraph expresses my sentiments exactly: Patients want this information. They want less toxic, more effective treatment options. Indeed! Anyway, a good read. Highly recommended. 

And here is the direct link to the MD Anderson Phase I curcumin study, which, incidentally, is still recruiting patients: http://goo.gl/zTn4P

While I find this to be a verrrrry promising and exciting study, I have to add that I’m driven absolutely BONKERS by the fact that only metastatic cancer patients (with a short life expectancy) are allowed to enroll. Hellooooooo??? Since curcumin is non toxic blablabla (bla), then why can’t patients in early stages be part of the study, too? I mean, if we can stop cancer from spreading, if we can even shrink existing tumors in a non-toxic way, then why not “go get ’em!” in an early stage??? It makes sense, doesn’t it? If I lived in Texas, I’d be absolutely thrilled to participate in such a study…But, as things stand, I wouldn’t be eligible…I’m too “healthy”…

Very frustrating!!! (To say the least.)

Anyway, today is a national holiday in Italy, and the sun has just come out, so Stefano and I are about to set off for the Parco della Piana (near Florence) to do some bird watching. We hope to see some “babies”! That would be lovely. 🙂

42 Comments

  1. Sounds good! This is what i found (i removed the http://www):
    – .ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21532153
    – .ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21603867
    and a study (remove http:)(http:)//repository.kulib.kyoto-u.ac.jp/dspace/bitstream/2433/154558/1/s00280-011-1673-1.pdf

    Some info: bioclinicnaturals.com/images/PIM/BioclinicUSA/Products/164__9243-PI-LRZ.pdf.pdf

  2. For anyone that’s interested Theracurmin capsules are for sale now on a few web sites.. marketed as Natural Factors CurcuminRich Turmeric Root Extract … Theravalues, the Japanese manufacturers of Theracurmin, also sell it directly from their site theravalues.com/english/products/curcumin_capsule30.html

  3. Theracurmin is being marketed by bio clinic naturals and stating four times the blood level of phytosome product like Meriva. Also a lot of info on their website. I am trying some of their product instead of the Meriva but think it makes me nauseated/gastric reflux. Will see how it goes

  4. @Ronald Sanders. I’ve read the Theracurmin studies and only one person had diarrhea from it. Of course everyone is different but i wonder how much Theracurmin Pro 300 are you taking and how often? High blood levels are achieved from very small dosages of this stuff. Maybe you’re taking too much?Another thing is people with gallbladder disease should avoid it: “Caution is advised for those with gall bladder disease, as turmeric may induce gall bladder contractions.” There are a lot of people out there that have gb disease – and that doesn’t mean stones necessarily – it can be “dyskinesia” or sluggish gallbladder – which creates minimal symptoms – unless provoked by a high fat meal or…curcumin.

  5. @Diane – Emerson Ecologics sell to “health care professionals” at $25/bottle. I was able to sign up as an RN. They have a long list on page 2 of their sign up process for health care professionals that includes a long list of what constitutes a “health care professional”. It’s not just doctors or Nurse Practitioners. So if you know someone who is an RN or therapist of some type you could have them get it for you for 1/2 price and you could pay them back. 🙂

  6. It seems that the the Natural Factors CurcuminRich capsules contain 300mg of Theracumin as well

    http://naturalfactors.com/ca/en/products/detail/4956/curcuminrich-turmeric-root.

    Interestingly on the product page Natural Factors give the percentage of curcumin in Theracumin as 10% with the other 90% being curcuminoids. Does anyone know if this is this the standard composition of Theracumin?

    Amazon are selling 60 capsules of CurcuminRich for $36.25 http://www.amazon.com/Natural-Factors-CurcuminRich-60-VegCap/dp/B007Q7MU0S

  7. This is confusing, does thIs mean a 300mg cap has 30 mg of curcuminoids? If so this is lower than studies that were done.

  8. @Ronald – No. There are 2 dosages on the market. There is a Japanese version sold online that is only 30mg. The ones sold in the US and Canada like Theracurmin Pro 300 are 300mg. Theracurmin is ~30x more bioavailable than regular bulk curcumin …maybe that’s what’s confusing you? dosage of Theracurmin are you taking? Is it 30mg / capsule (from Japan) or 300mg/capsule? And how many a day are you taking? In the studies done in Japan to assess it’s tolerability they gave some people dosages of 150mg once a day and other people got 210mg once a day. The 300mg caps available now are of course higher than those dosages.

  9. I am trying one 300mg theracrumin a day, I wish it was a smaller dose that could be taken twice a day for a more even blood level. I was taking Meriva SR 250 mg twice a day before giving the Theracurmin a try. The literature says Theracurmin is 4x more absorbed than Meriva type product which is probably 8-10 times that of regular curcumin product.

  10. I am thoroughly confused as to the relative curcumin content of Theracurmin and Meriva. I understand that Meriva is 20% curcumin amd Theracurmin 10%. The rest is curcuminoids – what are they? Are they part of the curcumin dosage? The last sentence of Ronald’s 27th Apr 1105pm message can be taken two ways. Should it read ‘Theracurmin is 4x more absorbed than Meriva which IN TURN is probably 8 – 10 times ….’ ie Theracurmin is 36-40 times more effective than the regular curcumin product. Then because Therecurmin is only 10% curcumin do I divide the 36-40 by 10? – giving me a capsule multiple of only about 4x the same weight regular curcumin capsule which is 95% curcumin. Again do I divide the Meriva multiple (which I had understood to be about 29 times more effective than regular curcumin) by 5 because it is only 20% curcumin, making it about 6x normal curcumin effectiveness.
    I take ten 1,116mg curcumin capsules (Vitacost) daily and recently added two 500mg Meriva capsules daily. This dosage is keeping my light chain count at around 2,500, reduced from 3,700 at first diagnosis 16 months ago. My consultant reckons that I can keep my kidneys healthy at this 2,500 count providing I drink 3 litres a day. All other tests show normal counts. He refuses to countenance the possibility of any benefit whatsoever from Curcumin or any other supplement so it’s uphill work.

  11. Theracurmin is only 10% curcumin. It has had two published absorption trials, which showed 27 times absorption of plain curcumin. 300 mg contains 10 mg curcumin, multiplied 27 times, equals 810 mg curcumin. Theracurmin is NOT 300 mg curcumin, though I agree it is hard to figure that out from the label.It has not been used in published disease trials. The reference to cancer efficacy was in comments by a researcher, not a cancer study. Nanotechnology is a gray area with uncertain long term safety. Nano is banned in organic supplements in Canada, the UK, Austria and Australia, because it is no longer natural curcumin. Look at it this way: 500 mg of plain curcumin = 500 mg curcumin. 300 mg Theracurcmin = 810 mg curcumin. 500 mg curcumin phytosome = 2500 to 2900 mg curcumin. 500 mg BCM-95 curcumin = up to 5000 mg curcumin. All these numbers have been established in published absorption studies. Curcumin is probably the most powerful natural medicine in the world, but it will not help you very much if you do not fully understand the dose you are taking.

  12. Sorry folks–typo in above post–300 mg Theracurmin contains 30 (not 10) mg curcumin. THe rest of the math is correct.

  13. Hurrah, thanks Cheryl. Now I know that four 500mg phytosome capsules (Vitacost) are about equal to my ten 1,116mg Curcumin capsules.
    Interesting that when I started taking the additional two 500mg phytosome capsules, in an effort to drive down my protein count, making my intake effectively about 17gm daily, I developed eczema. This condition is now subsiding since I finished my stock of phytosome capsules. Coincidence? I guess I’ll have to raise my intake again to see if I can duplicate the eczema attack. It goes without saying that my dermatologist poo-poos any involvement of curcumin in any condition I may develop or cure.
    Again thankyou Cheryl for your interest.

  14. Cheryl and John

    These absorption studies/claims are somewhat tricky. Here is information on the one site handling distribution of the product. Theracurmin is being used by not only Md Anderson,but UCLA and U of Florida in studies. It is being used in much lower amounts more along the lines of the following which compare a 300 mg dose of each of the products listed
    .hoW can curcumIn absorptIon be enhanced?
    There now exists a number of methods and products that en- hance the absorption of curcumin. The one that produces the greatest absorption of curcumin, particularly of the more active free curcumin, is Theracurmin-Pro 300. This all natural prepa- ration utilizes advanced manufacturing techniques to reduce the particle size of curcumin as well dramatically increase its solubility (bioavailability). The average particle size of curcumin in Theracurmin-Pro 300 is 0.19 ?m compared to an average particle size of 22.75 ?m in curcumin powder. That represents a reduction of over 100 times! This nanonized or micronized curcumin is then mixed with all natural emulsifiers. resulting in a dramatic increase in the absorption of curcumin compared to all other commercial forms tested.14, 15 At equal dosage levels, Theracurmin-Pro 300 produces blood levels in human and ani- mal studies that are:
    • 30 to 40 times greater than regular curcumin • 27 times greater than curcumin plus piperine • 25 times greater than BCM-95 • 4 times greater than phosphatidylcholine-bound
    curcumin

  15. Dear John,

    Your information is incorrect. I am the chief science officer for a company that uses BCM-95 curcumin in its products. I assume you are associated with Theracurmin in some manner, since your quotes are from the company in distributed literature and not available on their website. Correct me and please pardon me if I am wrong. I think we should let the published literature speak for itself. There is only 30 mg curcumin in 300 mg Theracurmin–this is reported in the published literature. Saying a product is being studied at prestigious organizations does not make it so. The only proof is if the study is completed and published and mentions that curcumin form by name. There has never been a study comparing Theracurmin to curcumin blended with piperine, phytosome curcumin (mentioned elsewhere as Meriva), or BCM-95 curcumin published. Theracurmin has been compared to plain curcumin and foudn to have 27X absorption. The math is 27 times 30 equals 810 mg curcumin per capsule. So while your absorption may be admiarable, the amount you start with is so very low that it would cost an enormous amount of money to achieve serum levels of curcuminoids as have been found effective for a variety of concerns. As a past cancer and hopsice nurse, I am particulalry concerned that people believe they are receiving an adequate dose of curcumin when in fact they are not. Whether a person uses curcumin with piperine (a black pepper extract used to enhance absorption), curcumin phytosome, or BCM-95 curcumin, the end result will be more curcumin than is available in your product. Also, these other 3 forms of curcumin all have published human health studies in peer reviewed journals and your Theracurmin does not. Whatever form of curcumin a person selects, they should be able to see clearly on the label and in the published literature exactly how much curcumin they can expect both in the product and in their bloodstream if they use the product. Additionally, consumers should have access to the information of whether or not a curcumin is created with nanotechnology, for which there is some uncertainty of safety in long term use, (which I have stated previously) and is already banned in any organic supplements in Canada, UK, Austria and Australia.I suggest people who are interested look up studies on PubMed, the electronic database of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) available at http://www.pubmed.gov and search on the terms BCM-95 curcumin, curcumin phytosome (or curcumin Meriva) and Theracurmin and draw their own conclusions.

  16. How disappointing? There is silica in it, at least the one from this company. Is there any made without the ingredient for glassmaking?

    http://www.pureformulas.com/theracurminpro-300-60-vegetarian-capsules-by-bioclinic-naturals.html

    “Serving Size 1 Capsule

    Amount Per Serving

    TheracurminTM (surface controlled particle dispersion of turmeric root [curcuma longa] extract providing 90% total curcuminoids)………………………………..300 mg

    Other ingredients: Cellulose, vegetarian capsule (modified cellulose, purified water), magnesium stearate (vegetable grade), silica, gum ghatti, citric acid, dextrin, maltose.”

  17. Hi, I write from Mexico, my father was diagnosed with MM 3 years ago, It was been so painful, here the things are pretty differente with medical care (most if it is social security care, I have to say that it really sucks!)… I found a hope in this blog, thank you so much MArgaret for this incredible work, for sharing your experiencies and your force, its really inspiring! God bless you!greatly… I also found a light with this curcumine, I really wish Margaret or some of you could please tell me what kind of curcumine is the more efective, treatments haven´t work with my father, he has taken dexa, melphalan and thalidomide, the new doctor (a private one) told us he should try Revlimid, its really expensive, we´ll try to make the effort, but I think this curcumine could really help… My father received zometa only for the first year since the diagnoses, but I read that it should continue receiving this if the MM is active, and mostly if it is and advanced case… I`ll be really thankfull for your answer what curcumine, what else have you tried that you recommend? Thank you so much! God bless you all!

  18. Cheryl Myers
    It appears that you are trying very hard to promote your product by attempting to scare people with the safety of nanotechnology. The concern was promoted by organic product distributors ranging from foods to cleaning products. While I am concerned about what our foods contain, I do not think this warrants the level of concern that GMO products do. That being said nanotechnology is on the forefront of research and application as a therapeutic delivery system with many of the worlds leading research labs trying to develop in this area . This includes cancer research and treatment institutions.
    Also, your presentation of the amount of curcumin in a compound is misleading because it must be absorbed to be therapeutic.
    No one has made negative comments on your product,and bottom line is any curcumin product will have a positive result, it’s a question of how much you must take of a given product. y common sense tells me that the smallest amount taken to reach a similar end result is more beneficial to my body and my wallet.
    Ron

  19. I have been reading your blog for about 2 years now since I was diagnosed with MUGUS and sarted taking the curcumin with piperine. After reading this post and the comments I am confused on what I should take. Is this saying that the nanocurcumin, Theracurmin, BCM-95 Curcumin and the Curcumin phytosome is the new way to take our curcumin, and are these that I have listed all the same thing. Help me understand please.

  20. Hi Rebecca, I don’t think we should start changing over to other types of curcumin just yet. Not entirely, anyway. I mean, I admit that I’m curious to try the Meriva type of curcumin, but I would test it only WITH what I’m currently taking, that is, C3 Complex (taken in a lower dose, obviously).

    In my opinion, we should wait to test anything new till we have INDEPENDENT studies…In short, studies that aren’t funded entirely by the producing companies…

    And, in addition to bioavailability claims that sometimes seem a bit or entirely unrealistic to me, there is another consideration: some of these new forms of curcumin are quite expensive. I can’t afford ’em, simply put.*

    (*NOTE: if you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you must know that I always turn down “freebies”…that is, free samples offered to me by companies. I ignore them all. I’m fiercely independent–though my husband calls me “stubborn,” hehe–which essentially means that if I can’t afford it, I won’t take it. Case closed.)

    A few years ago, my SMM friend Sherlock and I bought and tested BCM-95 (capsules), based on all the promising literature we’d read. After two months, our MM markers were MUCH worse. Our results are here on the blog, btw. Point is, since then I’ve been a bit wary of fancy graphs and reports concerning “in vivo” models (mice or rats).

    For all these reasons, I’m sticking to C3 Complex…that is, to what works for me…

  21. Dear all,

    Regardless of what type of curcumin you choose, I hope you will do your own homework and read actual studies and abstracts. Do not listen to anyone–and I include myself–becuase you never know who is posting in reality. I always make sure that I identify myself as someone who works with a specific type of curcumin, but not everyone will do so. People pose as patients, fabricate experiences, and blur the issues quite convincingly. It is sad that you have to protect yourself against this–these forums should not be about competing commercial interests, but about the science behind the supplements you use. As I said before, don’t take shortcuts and rely on marketing info, go to the National Instistutes of Health electronic database at http://www.pubmed.gov and search on the different brands of curucumin. Read the abstracts, or the whole studies if you can get them. Good luck to you all and I wish you all health and healing.

  22. Could please somebody tell me if Curcumine C3 Complex is the same than Dr. Best curcumine?? Thank you so much! God bless you!

  23. I know we are all always looking for the next better product myself included. Just thought I would post this info. I have switched to the Theracurmin 300 from the Meriva although I think they are both good products.

    Ron

  24. Ron, I am taking Dr Best C3 complex. Please keep us posted here on how you are doing on the Theracurmin and how you did on the Meriva. I am planning on adding Meriva to my dosage later on and reducing the C3 complex I take.

  25. What do you think is better? Dr. Best, Theracurmin or MEriva?? Because I live in Mexico and going to ask a friend to buy it for my father in USA, so I`d really like to buy the best option or combination! Thank you so much! God bless you!

  26. This is what I take, therefore I consider it to be the best: C3 Complex curcumin capsules, 500 mg. With bioperine.
    I haven’t tested the 1-gram tablets (also C3 Complex) yet, so I don’t know about those. And they contain silicon dioxide, which I try to avoid…
    Brands: there are many out there now. The ones I like are 1. Doctor’s Best (but the price has gone up a lot lately, so you might check around) and 2, NSI, the Vitacost brand. I haven’t tried any others. The important thing is to check your LABEL and make sure that what you’re getting is C3 Complex curcumin.
    One more thing: if you’re starting the curcumin protocol for the first time ever, I personally wouldn’t use anything but C3 Complex. It makes sense (to me) to use the stuff that has been used in the MM and MGUS clinical trials and that has worked so well for so many of us…and this, before all these new forms of curcumin came out. I just think it’s too early in the game to switch. If you’ve been taking curcumin for a long time, that’s a different story. But I would be super careful about monitoring my blood test results (read about my misadventure with BCM-95)…

  27. Gloria
    I am in agreement with Margaret. Bottom line IMHO is that any curcumin beats no curcumin, and the end result will be similar but vary somewhat with the individual.
    Best wishes
    Ron

  28. Thank you so much!! Is curcumine helping with hypercalcemia? or anything you sugest? I am starting to help my father with his MM, I don´t know anything he used to take decision just by himself, even I didn`t agree, I respected that, but now I think he needs suport because aches and disorders make him not to move sometimes, sorry if I ask too much, I don`t want to bother you, but I need to know and learn as soon as possible and I can see that you are the best! Thank you for your patience, Margaret for sharing this amizing info and for creating this blog that has been and will be so important to all families that suffer MM in many ways! God bless you! Mi best wishes and regards from Chiapas, MExico!! Big hugs!

  29. Margaret,

    I am MM for 12 yeras and have been on 1.0 gram of Sabinsa (AFI) for the whole time. I just got a bottle of Theracurmin through my local Neutropath MD. It is being produced in Canada by Bioclinic naturals and is only distributed through a company called Emerson. They only sell to Neutropaths who have an account established. I called my local Neutropath who ordered a bottle through Emerson,$58/60-300 mg capsules. If your local Neutropath has an account with Emerson, they can order anything they distribute.

  30. Margaret, do I understand correctly that you take 16 500 mg capsules of C3 complex curcumin 1 hour prior to dinner?

  31. Terry
    How have your labs been over the last 12 years and have you had other treatments other than supplements. Is that 1.0 g of C3 per day or how much per day are you taking.
    Thanks, best wishes
    Ron

  32. this is a great thread, clarified a lot for me, if one was just starting out and using the afi curcumiods without biperine and wanted to incorporate the emerson theracumin, or the longvida or the nutrasal product what do you think the dosages should be. Newly diagnosed MGUS, and going for another test in 2 months–free light chains went away with last test, but .8 and high 800’s IGA –pet scan ok, and bone density ok–calc was slighly high but then went back to normal and no anemia–doc said only do 3g of curcumin a day, and said use reservatrol (although the 98% stuff seems to be the only one at high doses–he says take 1000mg a day othewise you’re getting the emodin at 50% reserv which most are–)–only saw 2, the revgenetics and resgrape?, and theaflavin at 750mg from LEF—-Perhaps it’s better to build slower dosages with the curcumin–but maybe pointless if only 8g works–but alas, if the dosages could be combined with the plainer C3 stuff as Margaret believes is a sure bet–perhaps there is some middle ground there…my doc said i will turn yellow at higher than 3 grams…and I do believe after reading for the past 3 weeks that the bioperine is not a good thing–so taking it in large doses which is what those who are taking the curumin at 8g are doing daily (40g of bioperine) is intensifying everything else, including what can be bad—and this waking the tiger thing..had an interesting discussion with my PT who practices cranial sacral therapy and its gentle effects on the strengthing the immune system, as well as Ondamed which I used for lyme–which worked very well..but I wonder….can we strengthen the cancer cells too? I would love to hear some feedback..I feel this is the only place I can reach out for help as I’m not finding all of this info anywhere else but on Margaret’s blog, and I thank her so very much for this!!!

  33. Margaret: If you are acquainted with Dr. Aggarwal, perhaps we could convince him to do a long-distance study of this theracurmin for MGUS patients? (with us, of course, as the guinea pigs)

    For the past six months I have been taking a slightly different form of curcumin, made by Tattvas Herbs, called Tri-Force Turmeric/Curcumin. This was at the direction of my Naturopath. I’m not sure yet if this is having any effect on my numbers, but will report if it does (either positive or negative). I’m taking four grams a day of this. I will paste below the details of this type of curcumin from their website, just to throw another option into the mix for people.
    _______________________________________________________________________________________________________

    Indications: At Tattvas Herbs we are committed to providing you with the absolute best in nutritional products. From our Supercritical formulas to our certified organic products we are convinced that we offer the latest technology in combination with the wisdom of Mother Nature.

    In that context we are pleased to present the world’s first and only Turmeric product that combines a supercritical (Co2) full-spectrum turmeric extract with complete bio-availability and added Turmerones and Curcuminoids. After the initial Co2 extract, we perform a second full-spectrum hydroethanolic extract that contains at least 11% curcuminoids and 55% Turmerones. Finally, we combine the two different extracts with the raw turmeric plant. This breakthrough in Turmeric production is literally the only way to capture the full essence of the Turmeric plant, and the countless benefits it has to offer. The two separate extractions in combination with the whole turmeric plant produces a true full spectrum product that removes the need to be taken with fats, improves bio availability to 8-10 hours, and includes the maximum amount of phytonutrients (curcuminoids and turmerones).

    How is it possible to improve on the 95% Turmeric extract or BCM-95 technology that is currently available?

    The answer in its most basic form, is that we combined the two, and added in a supercritical component, allowing for the world’s only supercritical full-spectrum turmeric extract that has the enhanced bio-availability seen in the BCM-95. The primary issue with Turmeric, simply stated, is that in general it is extremely difficult to absorb in the blood stream and does not maintain sufficient blood levels for any length of time. The usual fix is to add black pepper extract to the formula, which can assist with the absorption to a certain extent, but relative to our new Tri-Force Turmeric product, the absorption rate is inadequate. This one of a kind Turmeric formula uses the powerful CO2 extraction technology in combination with a process that allows the curcumin to be assimilated into the bloodstream up to seven times faster, and can last up to eight hours.

    How is it possible for Tri-Force Turmeric to remain in your system for so much longer than other Turmeric products?

    Traditional 95% extract focuses strictly on one part of the Turmeric rhizome. The bioactive substance of Turmeric (Curcuma Longa) contains molecules that are collectively known as “Curcuminoids”. The bioavailability of the regular Turmeric 95% extracts are poor, in terms of uptake and sustainability in the blood stream. There are other essential components present in Turmeric Rhizome which have been neglected during the traditional method of manufacturing of Turmeric 95% Extract. Through the ground-breaking extraction process used in Tri-Force Turmeric, we are able to use the full spectrum of the Turmeric plant by adding back in the Curcuminoids, Turmerones, and other vital phytonutrients that are lost during the standard extraction process. This truly remarkable product is 100% natural and has been proven to provide maximum bio-availability for synergistic effect.

    Tattva’s Herbs has reviewed various curcumin products that show different degrees of enhanced absorption. One particular published clinical study caught our attention. In it, a novel manufacturing technology was able to dramatically increase blood plasma curcumin to levels not previously seen through supplementation. While only 50-60% of pure curcumin administered to animals is typically absorbed, this new technology increased the absorption of curcumin to a remarkable 96%. The study showed that this process not only delivers more curcumin to the bloodstream sooner, but it sticks around nearly twice as long. This is an extremely important advantage, which should result in greatly enhanced health benefits.

  34. Hi Margaret & everyone else,

    Given that these posts about Theracurmin are from 7 years ago, I would really like to know what you think about it now, and its potentially greater bioavailability? Also: how does it compare to Meriva and Longvida?

    Since shortly before my SCT in 2015, I’ve been taking Dr Best C3 Complex as per your protocol – 8g a day (1g tablets) – every night on an empty stomach, with 2-3 tbsps of flax oil, and a while after taking 3 x quercetin/bromelain tablets. I went into complete remission from MM after the SCT, but for the past 12 months or so my paraproteins have been rising slowly but steadily (“slow creep”). This, combined with the fact that for the past year, until recently, I’ve had to import the Dr Best from the US, and it’s got much more expensive, has made me look around for alternatives.

    The guy in my local health shop, who says he and his family are Ayurveda-trained, strongly recommended I switch to Pukka Wholistic turmeric, but we were at a loss to work out how to compare quantities. I’ve been taking 8 capsules; it says they have 77.5mg of curcumin per tablet (not C3, but organic, with bioperine).

    I couldn’t find any precise data on the Dr Best website or in the pot, so wrote to their sales dept, who responded rather curtly that each 1000mg tablet contained between 92.2-106.5mg curcumin, and that I should not be taking more than one a day (hmm).

    I also have Natural Factors Curcumin Rich Double Strength Theracurmin. This says each capsule contains 60mg of theracurmin – but if it’s much more bioavailable than the others, how does that compare? Per capsule they’re much more expensive than the Dr Best; presumably I wouldn’t need to take as many – but how many should I take?

    I very much like the idea of the curcumin staying in the blood rather than spiking and quickly disappearing soon after I take it. Obviously I want something that will start having a more powerful effect and lowering my free light chain count. But how much would I need to take, and of what, in order to make a difference?

    I hope someone has some advice. At the moment I’m thinking of combining 4x Dr Best and 2 or 3 Theracurmin, but I feel as if I’m just gambling blindly here.

    Here are a couple of interesting reports on bioavailability. I found a very good, recent one yesterday specifically comparing Theracurmin/other curcumin products in the blood over a 24hr period (Theracurmin was WAY ahead), but it’s vanished into the ether again…
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5861163/
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5386596/

    Thanks,

    Charlotte

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