Modern medicine has rapidly evolved to improve the health of the human race. As we have developed newer, more advanced tools for healthcare, we have moved away from traditional medicine. While the advancement of modern medicine is not something that we need to fear, some are interested in preserving the use of traditional supplements. 

This holistic approach is preferred by many who want to avoid pharmaceutical solutions to their ailments. This is especially true for those suffering from minor ailments that you can easily rectify with something as simple as ibuprofen. 

Inflammatory issues are one of the more common ailments that afflict the average person; not everyone wants to down a pill to resolve it. This is part of what has made turmeric a popular supplement for most.

However, turmeric's popularity is not as simple as it seems, as there are several details surrounding its use to which many are not privy. While turmeric is lauded for its health benefits, it is not as easy to use as some might think. The reason turmeric has any benefit to offer is because of the curcumin content that turmeric roots provide. 

Unfortunately, this powerful and beneficial substance has several shortcomings that make using it to improve your health extremely difficult. This is because curcumin is not optimized for easy access, and the body struggles to take advantage of the substance, forcing us to find a way to make curcumin more accessible.

Understanding Bioavailability

Whenever we consume food or take medication, we rely on our body's ability to absorb and disseminate that substance. While some might think this is little more than a metabolic issue, the issue lies with the substance we introduce to our bodies rather than our bodies themselves. This is because everything humans can ingest or administer has something called bioavailability, which dictates how well we can absorb it. This bioavailability varies based on the specific substance consumed, and turmeric is no exception. However, you might wonder how bioavailability works and how it impacts your ability to take advantage of turmeric.

Bioavailability refers to the proportion of your supplement or medication that your body absorbs. The absorbed portion of the substance is then administered to the bloodstream, and your body reaps the benefits. However, the bioavailability of a substance varies depending on how the substance is administered. For example, intravenous medication administration ensures 100% bioavailability since it is fed directly into the bloodstream. However, more common administration methods such as ingestion mean we must let our bodies absorb as much as possible into the bloodstream.

When it comes to turmeric, the bioavailability of curcumin in the root is remarkably low. As a result, the amount that makes it into our bloodstream is equally low. The low bioavailability of curcumin is further compounded by the fact that curcumin is extremely difficult for the body to absorb in general. This means that the only way to use curcumin to improve our health effectively is to find a way to "activate" it. Fortunately, you can use plenty of tools to enhance the effects of turmeric so that you can benefit from them.

You will also need to account for the fact that the amount of curcumin that exists in turmeric root is also very low. According to most research, the concentration of curcumin per unit of turmeric is only around 3.14%, making it very difficult to consume naturally. However, we will focus more on that later. Let us begin by assessing how we can make curcumin easier for the body to absorb.

Combine With Piperine

One of the most effective ways to improve the bioavailability of curcumin so you can use it properly is to combine it with piperine. You might wonder what piperine is if you have never heard of it before. However, you have almost certainly consumed piperine in your life, even if you were unaware of it. Piperine is an alkaloid directly responsible for the taste and scent of black pepper. You have been ingesting piperine every time you have used your pepper shaker to add some zest to your dinner.

While piperine is a mundane substance that virtually everyone in the country has consumed, it has several benefits. Piperine is a natural antioxidant that reduces your risk of developing certain neurological diseases or disorders. This makes it very useful as a holistic health supplement on its own merits; however, it also has an interesting relationship with turmeric and curcumin. Piperine is commonly combined with curcumin since it has been proven to enhance the bioavailability of curcumin.

While curcumin alone has a low bioavailability level, studies have found that adding piperine has a staggering effect on this issue. The research has confirmed that piperine causes the absorption rate for curcumin to increase by 2,000%, which is fairly substantial. A serving as small as 20mg of piperine added to a 2g serving of curcumin has proven to be sufficient to improve our ability to absorb the curcumin in our body.

How exactly piperine can enhance curcumin's bioavailability is not fully understood. However, there are a couple of theories. The first theory posits that the piperine softens the intestinal wall, allowing the curcumin to access the bloodstream easier. The second theory suggests that the piperine instead slows liver function, preventing the body from purging the curcumin before the body has a chance to purge it. The latter theory seems the more likely of the pair; however, there is no definitive answer.

While piperine is the most common tool for "activating" curcumin, it is not the only option. Other tools can enhance your ability to turn curcumin into a viable supplement for your health.

Combine With Healthy Fats

The word "fat" is often used with a negative connotation since it is most commonly associated with the weight we put on. However, there is more than one type of fat; some fats are important for our health. These healthy fats are found in certain foods, and a proper diet helps us to ensure the fat content of our bodies is predominantly from good fat. 

What you might not know is that you can also use these healthy fats to overcome the shortcomings of curcumin absorption so we can maximize the effects. Using fats to improve curcumin absorption does require a bit of finesse, but you can do it with the right resources and dedication.

Fats are a useful carrier for curcumin because of how our bodies absorb fats compared to other foods. Ordinarily, ingested curcumin would have to go through the liver to purge toxins and other unnecessary compounds from our bodies. More often than not, the liver purges most of the curcumin before our bodies feel the effects. This is why the theory that piperine suspends the liver's ability to purge curcumin is a popular one. However, there are ways to bypass the liver so the curcumin can enter our bloodstream.

Mixing curcumin with coconut oil or something similar will allow the curcumin to bind to the fatty molecules. This is because curcuminoids like curcumin are lipophilic, meaning they attach to fats and remain bound to them during digestion. The fat molecules are absorbed by the body's lymphatic nodes and do not traverse the liver to reach their destination. By binding the curcumin molecules to the fat molecules, the curcumin can bypass the liver completely, so less is lost.

Conversely, curcumin has a lower solubility in water, which is the transmission device used by the digestive system. As a result, most curcumin does not survive contact with the digestive system, which is why we cannot gain the same benefits. However, since the fat molecules enable us to absorb the curcumin in a manner that bypasses the weaknesses of curcumin, combining the two has become a popular choice.

Between healthy fats and black pepper, there are more options for enhancing the use of curcumin than the average consumer might have guessed. However, there is still one more tool you can use to make curcumin consumption more viable. Soon, you will be able to make a fully informed decision on how to introduce turmeric to your body and improve your physical health.

Turn Up the Heat

The final tool for improving curcumin absorption might surprise you since it is not the most obvious method. However, no matter what you do, consuming any supplement or compound is a chemical process. The more variables introduced to the process, the more different it will be from the normal scenario. 

Heat is one of the most common ways of adjusting the way a chemical process is completed, and the consumption of curcumin is no exception. Heating spices can radically change their composition and how our bodies react to them, and since turmeric is a spice, heating affects our body's curcumin absorption.

The method of heating turmeric, and by extension the curcumin within, has become a common practice due to how the heat affects the substance. By heating the turmeric, the curcumin becomes more soluble and easier for the body to absorb and introduce to the bloodstream. Heat-solubilized curcumin is more common than you might realize since turmeric has been used in cuisine for centuries. Turmeric is a spice that provides a little extra flavor, and the root is predominantly found in India, which is known for spicy foods like curry.

While using heated turmeric will not improve the overall concentration of curcumin found in the root, it will help the body absorb it. Heat-solubilized curcumin has been studied since 2009, and most research suggests that the heating of curcumin makes it more accessible to our bodies and eases the journey of curcumin into our bloodstream. 

The studies on heat-solubilized curcumin were so enthused by the results that it was recommended the process be considered for clinical use. The biggest trick to turmeric use is making the curcumin easier to absorb, and heating it helps dissolve the molecules so they can travel through the water in the body.

However, improving the viability of a turmeric root still does little to overcome the biggest issue of the root. The curcumin content of turmeric is remarkably low despite being the best natural source of curcumin on the planet. This has fortunately been rectified via the creation of curcumin supplements. A supplement can easily replace the need for a standard turmeric root, and they are far more convenient. The only real issue is finding a trustworthy curcumin supplement that manages the low bioavailability for which curcumin is known.

The Nu Healthier You

For all its benefits, turmeric suffers from substantial pitfalls that can make it difficult to use. However, it remains the best naturally occurring source of curcumin on the planet, which has led to many trying to make its consumption viable. While the bioavailability of curcumin is low and the concentration of the curcuminoid in the root even lower, there are techniques you can employ to enhance its viability. The only option on this list that borders on mandatory is using piperine to improve the bioavailability of the curcumin. However, heat and fat solubility are highly effective tools for bypassing the body's attempts to purge the substance.

Despite the fact we can improve the viability of turmeric roots, they remain a poor source of curcumin overall. The low concentration of the substance in the roots has led to the development of nutritional supplements that maximize the curcumin concentrations, so not a single serving is wasted. However, you will still need to find a supplement you can rely on should you choose to employ this method. Fortunately, we at NuVitality can help provide that supplement. 

Our turmeric curcumin supplements provide a daily dose of curcumin without fail and are also made with piperine. This makes every dose from our supplement bottle viable since the bioavailability and concentration issues are simultaneously resolved. If you want to take advantage of what curcumin offers, visit our website today and give our product a try. Let today be the day you start the journey to the Nu, healthier you.