Curcumin supplementation improves vascular endothelial function in healthy middle-aged and older adults by increasing nitric oxide bioavailability and reducing oxidative stress

Abstract

We hypothesized that curcumin would improve resistance and conduit artery endothelial function and large elastic artery stiffness in healthy middle-aged and older adults. Thirty-nine healthy men and postmenopausal women (45-74 yrs) were randomized to 12 weeks of curcumin (2000 mg/day Longvida®; n=20) or placebo (n=19) supplementation. Forearm blood flow response to acetylcholine infusions (FBFACh; resistance artery endothelial function) increased 37% following curcumin supplementation (107±13 vs. 84±11 AUC at baseline, P=0.03), but not placebo (P=0.2). Curcumin treatment augmented the acute reduction in FBFACh induced by the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor NG monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA; P=0.03), and reduced the acute increase in FBFACh to the antioxidant vitamin C (P=0.02), whereas placebo had no effect (both P>0.6). Similarly, brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (conduit artery endothelial function) increased 36% in the curcumin group (5.7±0.4 vs. 4.4±0.4% at baseline, P=0.001), with no change in placebo (P=0.1). Neither curcumin nor placebo influenced large elastic artery stiffness (aortic pulse wave velocity or carotid artery compliance) or circulating biomarkers of oxidative stress and inflammation (all P>0.1). In healthy middle-aged and older adults, 12 weeks of curcumin supplementation improves resistance artery endothelial function by increasing vascular nitric oxide bioavailability and reducing oxidative stress, while also improving conduit artery endothelial function.

Metabolic benefits of curcumin supplementation in patients with metabolic syndrome: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials

“…Curcumin can effect on blood pressure through different mechanisms such as (a) decrease oxidative stress (Panahi et al, ) (the oxidative stress can effect on the sympathetic activity and cause neurogenic hypertension). (Wu et al, ); (b) reduce inflammatory markers (Jurenka, ; Lee et al, ; Panahi et al, ); (c) increasing nitric oxide bioavailability (improves resistance artery endothelial function) (Santos‐Parker et al, ); (d) inhibit angiotensin‐converting enzyme (Rachmawati et al, ). But in this review, curcumin did not show significant improvement in SBP between intervention and placebo groups.…”

Effects of curcumin supplementation on markers of inflammation and oxidative stress among healthy overweight and obese girl adolescents: A randomized placebo‐controlled clinical trial

“…There are several studies that assessed the curcumin supplementation effects on oxidative stress and inflammatory markers among adults (Mohammadi et al, ; Panahi et al, ; Sahebkar et al, ; Santos‐Parker et al, ). However, clinical trials that have been done on children and adolescents are rare (Suskind et al, ; Zuccotti et al, ) and no study performed in overweight and obese adolescents.…”

Effect of Curcuma longa on vascular function in native Tamilians with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A randomized, double‐blind, parallel arm, placebo‐controlled trial

“…Effect of curcumin on adiponectin and leptin has shown contrasting results with a study by Chuengsamarn et al () showing that administration of curcumin increases adiponectin and reduces leptin significantly at 3 and 6 months (Chuengsamarn et al, ). However, a study by Santos‐Parker et al () did not show any alterations in the levels of inflammatory markers including adiponectin and leptin after 12 weeks of treatment with curcumin (Santos‐Parker et al, ).…”

“…The possible reasons for the difference in the two studies could be that the study by Chuengsamarn et al () was done in diabetic patients (Chuengsamarn et al, ) whereas the study by Santos‐Parker et al () was done in healthy participants, where all inflammatory markers including adiponectin and leptin levels did not have any significant effect after 12 weeks of curcumin administration (Santos‐Parker et al, ).…”