Gout, a type of inflammatory arthritis, occurs due to the excess amount of uric acid in your body. About one-third of the uric acid in your body is created by the breakdown of a substance called purine found in many foods. When you eat high-purine foods like red meat, seafood, and alcohol, it increases your uric acid levels and thereby your risk of developing gout.
Intense joint pain, swelling, stiffness, redness, warmth, etc. are some of the most common gout symptoms. Since a cure for gout has not been found yet, the main aim of every gout treatment is to alleviate the symptoms. Some health experts recommend some home remedies for managing gout.
If recent studies are to be believed, turmeric, a yellow spice, can help in managing gout symptoms.
Turmeric For Gout Management
For thousands of years, turmeric has been used for treating inflammatory disorders like gout and arthritis. This is mainly because of curcumin, a chemical compound found in turmeric. Curcumin possesses anti-inflammatory properties that can help in reducing inflammation very effectively. A 2019 animal study has found that curcumin is capable of suppressing nuclear factor-kappa B, a protein that plays a major role in inflammatory conditions.
A study conducted on humans in 2013 also found the anti-inflammatory effects of curcumin. People suffering from gout were given Flexofytol, a purified curcumin extract. It was found that Flexofytol helped in reducing inflammation and alleviated other gout symptoms. The researchers believed that Flexofytol helped in managing gout because of the ability of curcumin to block the protein nuclear factor-kappa B.
The anti-inflammatory properties of curcumin not only reduce inflammation but also helps in reducing the joint pain caused by gout. Since osteoarthritis is an inflammatory condition like gout, researchers also believe that curcumin can alleviate the pain and other symptoms associated with gout.
One other benefit of turmeric is that it is a potent antioxidant. The antioxidant properties of turmeric can help in preventing the cell damage caused by the free radical molecules. If your body does not have enough antioxidants to prevent free radical damage, it may lead to oxidative stress. Some studies have shown that oxidative stress can lead to inflammation and other health problems. Therefore, we can safely conclude that regular intake of turmeric can help in managing gout inflammation by reducing oxidative stress levels in our bodies.
