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Does Curcumin Benefit My Vision?

Vision health is an incredibly important aspect of our daily lives, as it influences everything from work to leisure activities. With the rise in interest towards natural remedies for maintaining and improving health, there's growing curiosity about the potential benefits of curcumin for vision.

Curcumin is an active molecule produced by plants. It’s the main component of turmeric, a spice known for its ability to help with rheumatological disorders, rhinitis, gastrointestinal disorders, cardiovascular disorders, stroke, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and various cancers.

As part of the ginger family, this yellow/orange coloured spice, other than being used in Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian cooking for thousands of years, is also used in ayurvedic and Chinese medicines to clear infections and inflammation inside and outside the body.

Properties of Curcumin

• Is an antioxidant that may attack free radicals like ROS and RNS and inhibit ROS-creating enzymes.
• Is an anti-inflammatory, helping reduce oxidative stress and potentially alleviating conditions that lead to discomfort and impaired vision. It closely matches some anti-inflammatory drugs in its power.
• Is an antimicrobial.
• Is an antimutagenic.
• Is an anti-oedema, in that it prevents oedemas.
• Is an anti-angiogenic, in that it prevents the formation of new blood vessels.

As for curcumin and eye health, curcumin has been effective in treating eye diseases like glaucoma, cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, corneal neovascularisation, corneal wound healing, dry eye disease, conjunctivitis, pterygium and anterior uveitis.

How does our vision degrade over time?

In our eyes, our retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and photoreceptors are vulnerable to oxidative stress which can cause reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI) production. Factors like aging, irradiation, inflammation, air pollutants and cigarette smoke can also produce ROI.

ROI, including free radicals, singlet oxygen and hydrogen oxide, along with the various types of free radicals, all add to oxidative stress, causing an imbalance in the antioxidant system (vitamins A, C, E, beta carotene, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, catalase, zinc and selenium). This can lead to issues like lipid peroxidation, DNA fragmentation, protein cross-linking, fragmentation, proteolysis, cell necrosis and apoptosis, as antioxidants are found in photoreceptors and the retina. The retina consumes a lot more oxygen than any other tissue, so it is vulnerable to oxidative stress.

The imbalance in ROS is often involved in several retinal diseases, like uveitis and age-related macular degeneration.

Scientific Research about Curcumin’s Eye Benefits

Can turmeric cure eye problems?

Curcumin can potentially be used in treating and preventing retinal diseases in humans. In a review of curcumin studies, curcumin was found to reduce ROS and block apoptosis creating proteins and cell genes that cause inflammation in age-related macular degeneration. It was also found to delay structural defects in genes that cause retinitis pigmentosa, while also preventing many other eye conditions.

As it prevents inflammation, curcumin can also help lower blood pressure, with high blood pressure causing stress in the eyes. In this way, it’s possible to use turmeric for eye inflammation.

Uveitis is an autoimmune or infectious inflammation of the central areas of the eyes. This condition, sadly, blinds tens of thousands of Americans each year. A study had oral curcumin given to uveitis patients and each one showed improvements that were comparable to corticosteroid therapy, but without any side effects.

This caused a larger study to be conducted, which had similar encouraging results. So, once you’ve consulted with your doctor, perhaps try using turmeric for eye infection.

Another small study on five patients with serious eye inflammation, like idiopathic inflammatory orbital pseudotumours, found all five had a regression of eye dislocation and swelling, with four of the five experiencing a complete recovery with no residual signs or symptoms — one had some residual effects.

Glaucoma is a condition where the optic nerve in the eye becomes damaged due to the pressure of fluid. It can lead to permanent sight loss if left too long without treatment. Scientists have found a way to contain curcumin in a stabiliser so it can be used in an eye drop as a replacement for other eye drops. On rats, it was found to reduce the early stages of glaucoma and showed no signs of eye irritation or inflammation.

Curcumin even has potential to help treat diabetic retinopathy, one of the common complications of diabetes — curcumin is also effective in preventing and treating diabetes. Other natural products like carotenoid, saffron and ginkgo biloba can also normalise diabetes-induced changes.

Using turmeric for eye floaters also has potential, as substances rich in antioxidants, like curcumin, have provided relief for many with eye floaters.

Future Developments with Curcumin

Other than new research being conducted about the benefits of curcumin, another area of research is being conducted in the area of helping our bodies absorb the compound.

As mentioned with the curcumin eye drops above, there are various new ways being developed to help the body absorb curcumin. Another of these are curcumin enhancers, in which curcumin is combined with compounds to improve its bioavailability. Piperine is one of black pepper’s components, and when taken together with curcumin, it can increase its oral bioavailability. In humans, taking 2g of curcumin alone couldn’t be detected, but when taken with 20mg of piperine, it increased its bioavailability by 2000%.

Here at Xandro Lab, we’ve created a patented ingredient, called BCM-95®, which is a highly bioavailable form of curcumin. It’s a 100 per cent turmeric extract that combines curcumin with turmeric essential oil, helping increase the absorption of curcumin into the body, and is the only extract that is FDA GRAS-affirmed. Check out Xandro Lab’s Turmeric Curcumin supplements, here.

Researchers are also trying to develop new curcumin carriers, and, in particular, are delving into nanotechnology. This is essentially a nanocarrier delivery system where nanoparticles help deliver compounds directly into the body or bloodstream to help with bioavailability, solubility and stability. Recent studies have found that proteins are a great option as nanoparticles for delivering curcumin. Many of these haven’t yet been tested in the eye, so these studies will be undertaken in the future.

Curcumin Supplements

Wondering how to use turmeric for eyesight? While turmeric is a culinary spice, obtaining therapeutic amounts of curcumin through diet alone can be challenging.

Due to curcumin’s poor bioavailability, or its ability to be absorbed into the intestine, it requires high doses (generally more than 3.6g per day), to achieve therapeutic effects.

This is where curcumin supplements come into play. These supplements provide a concentrated dose of curcumin for improved absorption.

The optimal dosage for curcumin to prevent eye disorders is still debatable as not enough human studies have been conducted to produce the same results found in animals, so keep an eye out for future research.

Curcumin has shown no toxicity when taking up to 8000mg for up to three months. Curcumin side effects may include diarrhoea, headache, rash or yellow stool.

When choosing a curcumin supplement, take into consideration its bioavailability enhancement, such as lookingfor supplements that incorporate black pepper extract to enhance curcumin absorption. Also look for products tested for purity and potency by third-party independent laboratories, like how Xandro Lab’s products have undergone.

Make sure to also talk with your healthcare professional before introducing any new supplement to your routine, especially if you have underlying health conditions or are taking medications.

There are various lifestyle changes you can make to support healthy vision, too. While incorporating curcumin, make sure to:

• Consume a balanced diet rich in antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids.
• Book in regular eye exams to detect and address any potential issues promptly.
• Shield your eyes from harmful UV rays by wearing sunglasses.
• Avoid smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, both of which can negatively impact eye health.

Incorporating curcumin into your lifestyle might hold the key to supporting your vision health naturally. Its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties present promising benefits for ocular well-being, so talk with your healthcare professional if its right for you. By combining curcumin consumption with a healthy lifestyle, you can take proactive steps towards maintaining optimal vision health and enjoying clearer, more comfortable eyesight.

Be sure to check out Xandro Lab’s patented Turmeric Curcumin Supplements today!