Is your turmeric latte worth it?

The link between inflammation, autoimmune and allergic conditions (such as rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease and asthma) are par for the course in the media. But what most of us don’t understand is that inflammation is involved in the development of a broader range of chronic diseases (including metabolic conditions like cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes). In medical terms, this type of inflammation is known as ‘chronic low-grade inflammation’. It is most commonly identified by high levels of inflammatory markers in the blood, which remain elevated over long periods of time. This may leave you wondering, ‘how does inflammation contribute to the development of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease (CVD)?’

Let’s look at atherosclerosis to illustrate this link. When trauma to the cells that line our blood vessels (in this case, the mechanical stress caused by high blood pressure) causes them to become inflamed, a knock-on effect results in an increase in the release of pro-inflammatory signalling molecules. This triggers another response - an increased uptake of cholesterol into the wall of our blood vessels. Immune cells, known as monocytes, are triggered and travel to the site of inflammation. This accumulation of cholesterol and immune cells (which become trapped in the blood vessel wall) result in the formation of plaque, causing atherosclerosis. Over time, the plaque hardens (and narrows) the opening of the blood vessels, restricting blood flow. If these plaques rupture, a blood clot can form with the potential to cause heart attack or stroke.

Chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and CVD account for around 63% of deaths world-wide¹ and is the leading cause of death and disability in Australia.² These staggering statistics illustrate the likelihood of each of us being touched by the devastating impact of chronic diseases. Ergo, research into the field of non-pharmacological preventative and management strategies to alleviate the burden on chronic disease are growing.

Researchers have become increasingly interested in the potential to modify low-grade inflammation to prevent and limit the progression of chronic diseases. Modifiers that have been shown to influence levels of inflammatory markers include age, gender, smoking status, physical activity, medication use and the microbiome diet. As diet is easily manipulated (relatively speaking) we believe that it plays a central role in altering the inflammatory state. We recognise that with the rising popularity of ‘antioxidant rich’ products, there is increasing demand for appropriate food sources (cue the turmeric latte you had on the weekend). But is it that simple? Should we replace the adage of an ‘apple a day’ with the latest ‘super food’? Never minding that apples have higher levels of antioxidants.

We typically obtain nutrients through the consumption of whole foods in contrast to supplements or powders. Yet most of what we know about diet and inflammation has focused on individual nutrients, often consumed in mega-doses (far beyond that consumed in whole foods). We understand that higher intakes of certain nutrients and bio-active compounds are linked to lower levels of inflammation in the body. These compounds include omega-3 fats found in fatty fish,³ fibre,⁴ antioxidants like vitamin C,⁵ carotenoids (plant pigments) such as beta-carotene⁶ and polyphenols such as resveratrol, found in red wine.⁷

Herein lies the problem. These nutrients/compounds are never eaten in isolation to one another in a typical diet. Instead, they are consumed as whole food. With the wealth of supplements on the market, questioning the problem of this scenario is understandable. When nutrients are taken via the diet, they act to either help or hinder each other’s actions in the body. To demonstrate this, consider turmeric, a food that has garnered a considerable reputation for its purported anti-inflammatory benefits. Curcuminoids (the active ingredient in turmeric) are thought to provide anti-inflammatory benefits.⁸ However, when turmeric is consumed on its own, its actions in the body are limited by poor uptake/absorption from the gut into the bloodstream. When turmeric is consumed with piperine (an alkaloid found naturally in black pepper) the rate of absorption is greatly increased, amplifying its actions in the body. Here, the combination of turmeric and black pepper is superior to consuming turmeric on its own.

With the need to rely less on supplements (and more on whole foods), researchers are investigating the inflammatory response at meal times to different food combinations. This type of research aims to identify whether a potent anti-inflammatory diet is superior to a well-balanced diet in minimising inflammation.

Image credit: Osha Key

More Information

This research is being conducted by Stephanie Cowan, Dr Aimee Dordevic, Dr Simone Gibson and Prof Helen Truby.

Stephanie Cowan is a PhD Candidate at the Monash University Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food. Her main area of research investigates the effect of using a whole diet approach to modify subclinical inflammation. If you are interested in participating in this research, you can read more about the study here or contact the research team via Stephanie.Cowan@monash.edu or 9902 4199.

You can follow Stephanie on Twitter via @stephflocowan.

Stay up to date with the Monash University Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food on Twitter via @MonashNutrition

References:

1. World Health Organisation. 10 facts on noncommunicable diseases. 2013, March; http://www.who.int/features/factfiles/noncommunicable_diseases/en/.
2. Health AIo, Welfare. Australian Burden of Disease Study: Fatal Burden of Disease 2010. 2015.
3. Ferrucci L, Cherubini A, Bandinelli S, et al. Relationship of plasma polyunsaturated fatty acids to circulating inflammatory markers. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 2006;91(2):439-446.
4. Ma Y, Griffith JA, Chasan-Taber L, et al. Association between dietary fiber and serum C-reactive protein–. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2006;83(4):760-766.
5. Wannamethee SG, Lowe GD, Rumley A, Bruckdorfer KR, Whincup PH. Associations of vitamin C status, fruit and vegetable intakes, and markers of inflammation and hemostasis–. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2006;83(3):567-574.
6. Erlinger TP, Guallar E, Miller III ER, Stolzenberg-Solomon R, Appel LJ. Relationship between systemic markers of inflammation and serum β-carotene levels. Archives of Internal Medicine. 2001;161(15):1903-1908.
7. Bonaccio M, Pounis G, Cerletti C, Donati MB, Iacoviello L, Gaetano G. Mediterranean diet, dietary polyphenols and low grade inflammation: results from the MOLI‐SANI study. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. 2017;83(1):107-113.
8. Panahi Y, Hosseini MS, Khalili N, Naimi E, Majeed M, Sahebkar A. Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of curcuminoid-piperine combination in subjects with metabolic syndrome: A randomized controlled trial and an updated meta-analysis. Clinical Nutrition. 2015;34(6):1101-1108.