Is Your Turmeric Supplement Toxic?

Curcumin, the active compound in turmeric, has been widely researched for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. However, its clinical effectiveness is limited by poor bioavailability - meaning very little of what you ingest actually reaches your bloodstream and tissues in an active form. Even at high doses, most curcumin is rapidly broken down and eliminated before it can exert its beneficial effects. Because of these factors, turmeric supplements have recently been in the news for their likelihood to cause toxicity.

But is this toxicity due to the curcumin itself...or all the fillers and solvents used to make it absorbable?

Recently, we received this insightful question from a potential customer:

"I wondered if you all could comment on possible liver toxicity from using turmeric? Just read an article about the increase in liver toxicities in people taking various supplements. One of the top 5-10 mentioned was turmeric. I’m interested in your combination product, but would like to hear your thoughts on the above question. Also, if you already have BrocElite, could you just use it with some well-regarded turmeric supplement to achieve the same increased absorption? Thank you!"

CurcElite from Mara Labs is specifically formulated to minimize the risk of toxicity commonly associated with high-dose or poorly absorbed turmeric supplements. Unlike many curcumin products that rely on synthetic additives or piperine (black pepper extract) to boost absorption, both of which can irritate the gut and increase the risk of liver toxicity, CurcElite uses a proprietary process that binds curcumin to an organic carrier protein. This approach, developed by physicians and scientists from Johns Hopkins and Duke, enhances bioavailability naturally, allowing for effective absorption at lower, safer doses. As a result, CurcElite delivers the therapeutic benefits of curcumin without overwhelming the liver or gut, significantly reducing the risk of adverse effects seen with other high-dose or additive-heavy formulations. 

Read on to discover why we know CurcElite works...and what benefits it provides because of this combination of high bioavailability and no toxicity.

When Curcumin is Bioavailable + NOT TOXIC, you get these benefits and more:

- Anti-Inflammatory Effects: Curcumin modulates inflammatory signaling pathways, reduces pro-inflammatory cytokines (e.g., TNF-α, IL-6), and inhibits NF-κB and other inflammatory mediators. PMID: 34251185, 36834734, 36804260

- Antioxidant Activity: Curcumin enhances antioxidant capacity, reduces oxidative stress markers, and increases total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. PMID: 36834734, 36804260, 35381757

- Metabolic Health Support: Curcumin improves insulin sensitivity, lowers blood glucose and lipid levels, and may help manage type 2 diabetes, obesity, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). PMID: 36834734, 3535097, 5664031

- Cardiovascular Protection: Curcumin supports heart health by reducing inflammation, improving lipid profiles, and potentially lowering blood pressure. PMID: 3535097, 5664031

- Neuroprotective Effects: Curcumin exerts antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic effects in the brain, supporting neuroprotection in conditions like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and cerebral ischemia. PMID: 34251185, 3535097

- Cancer Prevention and Adjuvant Therapy: Curcumin inhibits cancer cell proliferation, induces apoptosis, and may serve as an adjunct in cancer therapy and for managing side effects of chemotherapy/radiotherapy. PMID: 35381757, 3535097, 5664031

- Liver and Digestive Health: Curcumin protects against hepatic conditions, supports detoxification, and has beneficial effects in inflammatory bowel diseases and gastrointestinal inflammation. PMID: 3535097, 5664031

- Arthritis and Joint Health: Curcumin reduces inflammation and pain in arthritis and other inflammatory joint conditions. PMID: 3535097, 5664031

What Is Bioavailability and Why Is It Important?

Bioavailability refers to the proportion of a nutrient or compound that is absorbed and available for use or storage in the body. For curcumin, low solubility in water, rapid metabolism, and quick elimination all contribute to its poor bioavailability. This means that most standard curcumin supplements deliver only a tiny fraction of active curcumin to your cells, limiting their therapeutic potential.

How Do Formulations Improve Curcumin Absorption?

To address this, supplement manufacturers have developed various strategies to enhance curcumin absorption. These include:

• - Using adjuvants like 🧂 piperine (black pepper extract) to slow down metabolism

• - Encapsulating curcumin in 🧬 liposomes or nanoparticles 

• - Adding emulsifiers such as ☢️ polysorbate 80 (Tween 80) to create stable, water-soluble mixtures

Each approach has different levels of effectiveness and safety profiles.

CurcElite: A New Standard in Curcumin Bioavailability

CurcElite, developed by Mara Labs, uses a patented natural carrier molecule to dramatically improve curcumin absorption. In direct comparisons, CurcElite achieved up to 14–21 times greater bioavailability than a leading competitor, as measured by curcumin metabolites in urine. This enhanced absorption translates into more curcumin reaching target tissues and producing measurable anti-inflammatory effects.

Why Did We Test Urine?

Non-bioavailable curcumin that stays in the gut is excreted in feces. Bioavailable curcumin is able to pass through the gut barrier and enter the bloodstream. Once it’s used by the body, this curcumin is processed through the kidneys and excreted in urine, thus making urine levels the perfect way to test exactly how much curcumin made it through the gut barrier.

In this study, we compared CurcElite to the Leading Brand to measure the impact on inflammation and relative bioavailability. We never expected to find that the leading brand INCREASED INFLAMMATION by 7x!

Summary Table: CurcElite vs. Leading Brand

CurcElite not only delivers more curcumin but also reduces inflammatory markers, while the leading brand using synthetic emulsifiers actually increased inflammation in testing.

☢️ Why Did the Leading Brand INCREASE Inflammation?

The short answer is ☢️ Tween 80. One of the most common emulsifiers used in pharmaceutical and supplement formulations is polysorbate 80, also known as Tween 80. Tween 80 helps oil and water mix, stabilizing emulsions and improving the solubility of hydrophobic compounds like curcumin. This property makes it attractive for increasing the bioavailability of poorly soluble substances.

☢️ How Tween 80 Works

• - Emulsifying: Lowers surface tension between oil and water, allowing them to mix

• - Solubilizing: Helps dissolve hydrophobic substances in water-based solutions

• - Stabilizing: Prevents particles from clumping and settling, keeping mixtures uniform over time

☢️ Known Side Effects and Concerns with Tween 80

Although generally recognized as safe in small amounts, Tween 80 can have unintended effects, especially with frequent or high-dose exposure:

• - Alteration of Gut Microbiota: Tween 80 may change the composition and growth of gut bacteria, potentially impacting digestive and immune health

• - Increased Permeability: It can increase the permeability of cell membranes, which may disrupt normal cell function and nutrient absorption

• - Reduced Antimicrobial Efficacy: Tween 80 can decrease the effectiveness of certain antibiotics and natural antimicrobials

• - Potential for Allergic Reactions: Some individuals may experience hypersensitivity or allergic responses

• - Possible Gastrointestinal Disturbances: High intake can cause digestive upset in sensitive individuals

Conclusion

Curcumin’s health benefits are limited by its poor bioavailability. While many supplements use synthetic emulsifiers like Tween 80 to improve absorption, these additives can have unintended effects on gut health and immune function. CurcElite stands out by using a natural and organic carrier molecule that not only delivers dramatically higher levels of curcumin but also avoids the potential risks associated with synthetic emulsifiers. As a result, CurcElite sets a new benchmark for both safety and effectiveness in curcumin supplementation.

References

1. Mara Labs. (2023). CurcElite Bioavailability and Inflammatory Marker Study [White paper]. Mara Labs, Inc.

2. Mara Labs. (2023). Urinary Curcumin Metabolite Comparison: CurcElite vs. Leading Brand [White paper]. Mara Labs, Inc.

3. Hewlings, S. J., & Kalman, D. S. (2017). Curcumin: A review of its’ effects on human health. Foods, 6(10), 92. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods6100092

4. Nelson, K. M., Dahlin, J. L., Bisson, J., Graham, J., Pauli, G. F., & Walters, M. A. (2017). The essential medicinal chemistry of curcumin: Miniperspective. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 60(5), 1620–1637. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jmedchem.6b00975

5. Gupta, S. C., Patchva, S., & Aggarwal, B. B. (2013). Therapeutic roles of curcumin: Lessons learned from clinical trials. AAPS Journal, 15(1), 195–218. https://doi.org/10.1208/s12248-012-9432-8

6. Schiborr, C., Kocher, A., Behnam, D., Jandasek, J., Toelstede, S., & Frank, J. (2014). The oral bioavailability of curcumin from micronized powder and liquid micelles is significantly increased in healthy humans and differs between sexes. Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, 58(3), 516–527. https://doi.org/10.1002/mnfr.201300724

7. Prasad, S., Gupta, S. C., Tyagi, A. K., & Aggarwal, B. B. (2014). Curcumin, a component of golden spice: From bedside to bench and back. Biotechnology Advances, 32(6), 1053–1064. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biotechadv.2014.04.004

8. Gildea, J., & Roberts, D. (n.d.). BrocElite reduces the pro-inflammatory marker IL-6 by 28% in 24 hours [White paper]. Mara Labs, Inc.

9. Mara Labs. (2020). CurcElite® - 1 Bottle [Product information]. Mara Labs, Inc. https://mara-labs.com/products/curcelite

10. Chin KY. The spice for joint inflammation: anti-inflammatory role of curcumin in treating osteoarthritis. Drug Des Devel Ther. 2016 Sep 20;10:3029-3042. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5036591/
11. Chowdhury I, Banerjee S, Driss A, Xu W, Mehrabi S, Nezhat C, Sidell N, Taylor RN, Thompson WE. Curcumin attenuates proangiogenic and proinflammatory factors in human eutopic endometrial stromal cells through the NF-κB signaling pathway. J Cell Physiol. 2019 May;234(5):6298-6312 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6344303/