Curcumin in curry may boost brain health

Dietary curcumin consumption through curry is good for the brain, being associated with a reduced risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia in older Singaporeans, as shown in a study.

The association followed a dose-response pattern, such that the more curry the participants ate, the greater the protective effect was on the outcome, noted lead investigator Prof Yanxia Lu from Shandong University, Jinan, China, and colleagues.

The odds of MCI or dementia decreased by 39 percent among participants who occasionally consumed curry (more than once a year but not more than once a month; odds ratio [OR], 0.61, 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 0.40–0.94), by 44 percent among those who consumed it often (more than once a month but not more than once a week; OR, 0.56, 95 percent CI, 0.35–0.89), and by 46 percent among those who consumed it very often (more than once a week but not daily; OR, 0.54, 95 percent CI, 0.30–0.96; p=0.021 for trend) relative to those who never or rarely consumed curry (less than once a year). [Nutrients 2025;doi:10.3390/nu17152488]

A similar trend was observed for cognitive impairment, but the association was significant only in the “often” consumption category (OR, 0.68, 95 percent CI, 0.48–0.95; p<0.05).

These findings are consistent with those from animal studies showing that curcumin and its analogues may play a role in maintaining cognitive function, according to Lu and colleagues. Rats and mice who received a higher dose of curcumin performed well on the Morris water maze, object recognition test, and object location task. [Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2013;105:76-82; PLoS ONE 2011;6:e27865]

In humans, studies involving older adults suggested positive short-term benefits. A specific formulation of curcumin was associated with improvements in working memory and performance on specific cognitive tasks following both a single dose and 4 weeks of use. In a longer 48-week trial, participants who received curcumin supplementation performed significantly better than those who received placebo on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment at 24 weeks, but this effect disappeared by 48 weeks. [J Psychopharmacol 2015;29:642-651; Br J Nutr 2016;115:2106-2113]

“Curcumin, a polyphenol isolated from turmeric roots, has been shown to exhibit potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiviral, antineoplastic, and antiageing activity. We first showed in a population-based observational study of middle-aged and elderly individuals living in the community that curry consumption was associated with better cognition, as examined via the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE),” the investigators said. [Am J Epidemiol 2006;164:898-906]

Subsequent longitudinal observations in the Singapore Longitudinal Ageing Study follow-up cohort indicated that the dietary intake of curcumin yielded beneficial effects on higher cognitive functions such as attention, working memory, visuospatial constructional ability, language, and executive function over time. [Nutrients 2022;14:1189]

“The present data support the cognitive benefits of curcumin from natural dietary food sources in humans. Increased intake of curcumin in a turmeric-rich diet could enhance population health by reducing the rate of cognitive decline and risk of developing MCI or dementia,” Lu and colleagues said. “Further studies should be conducted to replicate these findings in other similarly exposed populations.”

The analysis included 2,920 participants (mean age 65.5 years, 65.2 percent female) from the Singapore Longitudinal Ageing cohort. They were free of stroke, Parkinson’s disease, or traumatic brain injury at baseline. Cognitive function was assessed at the 3–5-year follow-up.

Participants who reported a greater frequency of curry intake (often, very often, and daily) were more likely to be younger, men, of Malay or Indian ethnicity, and better educated. They also had higher levels of social and mentally stimulating activity, had central obesity and diabetes, had lower scores on the Geriatric Depression Scale, and had higher mean levels of MMSE global cognition.