Sally Harper

  Senior Editor

  Health & Wellness Advice

  [email protected]

With each latest health supplement trend, manufacturers very quickly begin to create products that they claim are the best on the market or the most effective, even manipulating the facts to claim that it is the leading consumer choice.

These wild claims are often not backed up with scientific support and with no real explanations as to why they have formulated their version of a Turmeric supplement in the way that they have or how exactly they work to help boost health and well-being. To say the least, they are very vague.

It can be beyond confusing for consumers, not knowing which Turmeric products are worth buying and which are worthless fakes. We felt it was time to carefully examine some of the products available, to discover more about which ones may be telling the truth and those that clearly you need to stay away from.

What We Uncovered

Immediately, we were able to spot those that were simply out to make a quick return and cash in on the latest trend versus the products that we consider to be high quality and effective supplements that will bring positive results.

1. In short, many Turmeric supplements contain ingredients that have no scientific or clinical support for how effective they are.
2. What’s more, their standardized proprietary formulas do not contain the same potency as they claim on their labels. Many companies even hide their labels or supplement facts which prevent consumers from better understanding what is contained in the formula.

This is disheartening and quite frankly, misleading. Some companies think that by sticking a label on their bottle with the words, ‘Turmeric Supplement’, without even stating exactly what is inside each pill and why certain ingredients have been added or not, is enough for consumers to want to buy their products. It simply is not the right thing to do.

Turmeric Versus Curcumin

Turmeric contains 3 bio active compounds called curcuminoids which are natural polyphenols that provide strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. They include Curcumin (or diferuloylmethane), Demethoxycurcumin and Bisdemethoxycurcumin with Curcumin offering the best health benefits. Turmeric curcumin provides a more concentrated dose of helpful compounds than just Turmeric powder. The higher the dosage of the Curcumin extract, the better.

A good quality effective Turmeric supplement will be standardized to contain 95% curcuminoids (the active ingredient) which is derived from Curcumin extracted from the Turmeric rhizome (root). Oftentimes, Turmeric manufacturers pack their pills with cheap Turmeric powder derived from simply the root which are in fact exactly the same as you can buy from the spice shelf paying way over the odds for something that is available at a fraction of the cost.

Our Research

Our research identified key areas that we felt raised concerns when purchasing a Turmeric product. With so many products out there, we felt that we needed clear parameters as to what to look out for when investing in a Turmeric supplement.

• Will it be effective? This is perhaps the main concern for consumers, after all, why waste your money on something that is useless? Unfortunately, there are many products that simply don’t work, which is a real concern for many would-be potential buyers. Consumers need to be aware that there is a precise science in creating an effective formula.

• Will it be too expensive for me to purchase? Our research uncovered many manufacturers selling Turmeric products for well over $100. People often think that by paying more, they will get better quality. This is not always the case. Don’t risk your hard-earned money on something that has a price which is over inflated and unrealistic.  

• Is the company open and transparent? For you to understand whether a company is simply exploiting the latest health trends, or whether the manufacturer is all talk and no action, you need to be consumer savvy in order to establish which are the best companies to purchase products from and which ones to skip. This means manufacturers have to be transparent and open, providing you with as much information and guidance as they can.

Finding Effective, Quality Turmeric Supplements

OK, so….there are several key elements to look out for that can pretty much guarantee the product’s authenticity.

1. Monitoring by a Third Party: There are organizations that will independently monitor and track the reputation of a company and assess their customer satisfaction levels. A company’s reputation is incredibly important within the health industry, make sure you select a top provider, one that has an impeccable reputation and one that is backed by an independent third party monitoring organization.
2. 100% Money Back Guarantee: Many companies offer you a money back guarantee if their products do not bring the results that you are looking for. Some are better than others. Choose a company that has a solid satisfaction guarantee. A strong guarantee demonstrates the confidence that manufacturers have in their products.
3. External Testing: This is not the same as a monitoring company. Third party testing substantiates and verifies the quality of the manufacturer’s product. It can be very expensive for manufacturers to undertake and even disqualify entire shipments of products that don’t reach the correct standards. That said, when manufacturers don’t have independent quality control and testing, there is no way of knowing if their products are effective, or indeed, safe.

Research On Turmeric Products

Thorough research takes time and money, which most people don’t have an endless supply of. So, we did the work for you, saving you both. We researched numerous Turmeric products to ascertain an in-depth analysis of what is out there on the market.

To determine those products that we could rate as beneficial, we looked to see if they contained the correct concentration and ingredients, how potent they were and their grade of purity. We eliminated products that we found to contain synthetic fillers, unnecessary ingredients and those that each pill showed inconsistency with each other.

However, that was not all, we didn’t stop there. We understand that facts and figures don’t always tell the whole story. So, we looked for real consumers who had purchased and used the products and asked them for their feedback. Their testimonials helped us to establish a list of the best possible products currently available based on the experience of real consumers.

Our Research Results

Basically, we found that an effective Turmeric formula should contain top quality, clinically proven ingredients in significantly potent doses for optimal effect. Several clinical studies have linked a significant standardized potency of curcuminoids to be beneficial for improving health and well-being. 

Most products failed to pass our specific criteria.

There were some manufacturers who actually include some good ingredients in their formulas, however, fail to include the most effective and clinically-proven key concentrations and ingredients for boosting health. While other manufacturers simply failed by using a weak potency of certain ingredients than what has been proven effective in scientific studies. Others filled their pills with unnecessary or synthetic ingredients, binders, additives or preservatives. All but a few of them avoided quality control testing.

We are very confident in the brands that we did pick. Given our stringent parameters and reasons for choosing our recommendations, we are sure our suggestions will help you achieve the results you are looking for.

Our Turmeric Product Recommendations

Our Turmeric product recommendation stands tall against its competition, we think you will agree. The company’s excellent reputation, top quality products, external independent monitoring, and testing, coupled with an incredible money back guarantee policy, makes this a good product to consider if you are looking to boost your health in the most natural way possible.

 

Rating: Excellent ✓ Effectiveness ✓ Potency ✓ Money Back Guarantee ✓ Value ✓ Consumer Feedback ✓ Company Reputation

Turmeric MD If you understand the positive health benefits of turmeric, and are looking for a high quality supplement, then Turmeric MD is something that deserves your undivided attention. Of all the turmeric supplements currently available on the market, this is the one that deserves a closer look and very likely, the one that will change your life! Containing the highest potency of 95% bio active curcuminoids and formulated with the patented Curcumin C3 Complex®, this maximum strength turmeric curcumin supplement provides a 1500 mg daily serving for optimal health benefits.  Its formula also contains 20 mg of BioPerine® which has been shown to enhance the positive health benefits of turmeric by over 2000%.*  Additionally, this product does not contain any additives or preservatives and is totally 100% safe to use with no long-term side effects. Quality: Turmeric MD contains high-grade, 100% natural, clinically-verified ingredients that are cGMP certified. Reputation: Its reputation is top quality. This manufacturer has several third-party monitoring services, including buySAFE, Norton, and Trustee, as well as an A+ rating from the quality monitoring company QualityTrusted. Money Back Guarantee: Every item sold, is supported by a 60-day 100% Money Back Guarantee. Such guarantees from manufacturers show strong confidence in their products’ ability to deliver results. Great news for consumers. What’s more, they are well known in the industry and an established company that provides great customer support service, secure and easy checkout as well as prompt, efficient delivery. Their commitment to the health industry and consumer is excellent, providing further qualification of efficacy by producing their products in an FDA registered laboratory. If you are looking for a top quality turmeric product from an established reputable company with an excellent money back guarantee, this is the supplement for you. It would be good to note that, due to high demand, Turmeric MD is often sold out. To avoid having to back order, don’t hesitate to make that purchase when you see it in stock. See the full review

Rating: Good

Nature Made Turmeric Curcumin Nature Made Turmeric Curcumin offers a product that they claim is made from the roots of the Curcuma longa plant, offering a daily serving of 500 mg. We like this manufacturer and know that generally, they have a great reputation in the industry.    Additionally, we appreciated the fact that they included standardized root extract (and not just the powdered root) however, they only include 50mg of the bio active curcuminoids which is significantly lower than our recommended choice and falls short in what effective results you will experience. Unfortunately, they chose not to include BioPerine® which is definitely a disadvantage as research shows that it increases the bioavailability of the turmeric significantly. It’s a shame that they didn’t have the foresight to include this ingredient in their formula.  We find that the price reflects the quality of the ingredients inside. We have no doubt that this company have used a turmeric of good quality, however, they have not used a high potency or dosage of the more effective bio active compound of turmeric curcumin, so you can expect to pay a more modest fee. On the one hand, it makes the product affordable, but on the other, it is unclear how powerful these pills really are and you may be tempted to triple the dosage to get the same effects as a more powerful pill. While we always look for and appreciate a 100% money-back guarantee, we are cautious with this one. The instructions for actually claiming any money back don’t apply to every product and it was not clear if it includes this turmeric supplement. There is no mention of a time limit or what the procedure is on this return policy. Because of this vagueness, we are skeptical as to its authenticity or how well the product will work. As a side note, another small blow to this product is that is comes in a gelatin capsule, which limits a large section of the population, we much prefer vegan or at least veggie options where possible. Click here to read the full review

Rating: OK

Nature’s Way Turmeric Review Nature’s Way Turmeric stands out for containing 95% standardized curcuminoids, the active part of turmeric. However, the dosage is lower than we would have expected. Furthermore, it was puzzling that BioPerine® was excluded from this formula as it is proven in clinical studies to enhance the absorption of curcumin by 2000%!     A clear indication of the efficacy of any nutritional supplement is to analyze consumer reviews and reports. After sifting through many reviews we found common complaints. Some consumers found Nature’s Way Turmeric made no difference after taking it for a while. Others experienced severe gastrointestinal distress and had to stop the pills immediately.    Our main concern is centered on the manufacturer itself. We were unable to find a return policy on this product. That always makes us feel uneasy and takes away our confidence in a dietary supplement. Had the quality and quantity of ingredients been based on clinical studies, we would be more forgiving about not having a return policy. Unfortunately, because this product does not have the highest quality of ingredients, we are hesitant to wholeheartedly recommend it. Click here to read the full review

References

1. 1. J., Susan, et al. “Curcumin: A Review of Its’ Effects on Human Health.” MDPI, Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, 22 Oct. 2017, www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/6/10/92/htm.
   2. Rahmani, Arshad Husain, et al. “Role of Curcumin in Disease Prevention and Treatment.” Advanced Biomedical Research, Medknow Publications & Media Pvt Ltd, 28 Feb. 2018, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5852989/.
   3. Nagpal, Monika, and Shaveta Sood. “Role of Curcumin in Systemic and Oral Health: An Overview.” Journal of Natural Science, Biology, and Medicine, Medknow Publications & Media Pvt Ltd, Jan. 2013, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3633300/.
   4. Xu, Ying, et al. “Curcumin Reverses the Effects of Chronic Stress on Behavior, the HPA Axis, BDNF Expression and Phosphorylation of CREB.” Brain Research, Elsevier, 3 Oct. 2006, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0006899306027144.