Memory loss is a common part of aging. This is manageable and it does not majorly interrupt in our daily life.
Memory loss could be casual forgetfulness or it could be short-term or long-term memory loss that influences everyday life. Memory loss associated with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and other related disorders is severe and it disrupts the activities in our daily life.
Early symptoms of memory loss related to dementia and other related disorders:
- Sudden changes in behavior
- Trouble in completing familiar tasks
- Repeatedly asking the same questions
- Misplacing items
- Trouble in remembering common words while speaking
- Forgetting regular directions
Memory loss is the most recognizable symptoms of many disorders such as:
- Neurosyphilis
- AIDS dementia
- Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
- Huntington disease
- Parkinson disease
- Frontotemporal lobar degeneration
- Vascular dementia
- Alzheimer’s disease
In most of the cases, treatment can prevent further damage .
Causes of reversible memory loss:
- If a person is under medications, it may cause forgetfulness.
- Depression can result in memory loss.
- Tumors
- Hypothyroidism
- Deficiency of vitamin B-12
- Alcohol and drugs interacting with medications can cause memory loss.
- Minor head injuries may cause memory problems .
Table of Contents
How Turmeric Benefits In Memory Loss
Turmeric benefits in memory loss like conditions in following ways:
- Turmeric attenuates inflammation in brain.
- Turmeric prevents oxidative stress.
- Turmeric protects the brain from amyloid-beta neurotoxicity.
- Turmeric protects stroke or brain injury induced cognitive damage.
- Turmeric protects from degenerative brain disorders .
Read
Turmeric for Alzheimer’s disease
Best Ways To Take Turmeric For Memory Loss
Disclaimer – There is no particular prescribed dose of turmeric defined for memory loss. Based on the studies and reader’s reports we have summarized various ways of taking turmeric which could benefit in this disorder.
The dosage depends on the formulation of the turmeric supplement and severity of the health condition. Here is the recommended dose:
Fresh Turmeric roots
Turmeric roots are a great addition to diet and if consumed on a regular basis can benefit brain health. For a more therapeutic effect it is suggested to opt for Golden Paste which can be made from fresh roots as well.
Recommended intake: 1-3g or ½ inch long piece of root sliced or chopped. You can also juice it and take it with a pinch of black pepper. This can be a part of your fresh juices or taken individually. You can also make Golden Paste from fresh roots.
Further Read – Is fresh turmeric better then powder?
Turmeric powder
If you are including turmeric powder in cooking then 1 tsp daily is sufficient. Always opt for good quality organic turmeric powder (How to identify organic turmeric, Recommended Turmeric brands)
However if you take turmeric powder straight with black pepper then it would be 1-2 g of turmeric powder with a pinch of black pepper.
In terms of teaspoon that would be 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder with ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper powder twice a day
Start with small dose and increase gradually. Avoid taking it on an empty stomach. You can also prepare DIY Turmeric Capsules.
Maximum dose: 1 tsp of turmeric powder with ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper thrice a day
Golden Paste
Golden Paste combines heat, black pepper and healthy fats to increase the absorption of turmeric.
It is highly recommended to take this paste after/with meals and to avoid taking it close to other medications. (Read Does Turmeric cause acid reflux? Black pepper in GP: Does it cause drug interaction?) Here is the recipe.
You can also make Golden Paste from fresh roots.
Start with small doses such as 1/4-1/2 tsp and if you see no side effects then increase the dose by ¼ teaspoon every week. Continue till reach a dose of 1-2 tsp 2-3 times a day (precisely 1 tsp 3 times a day).
This is the ideal dose of Golden Paste where you should experience relief. However the ideal dose differs with every individual; some may need less some may need more.
Thinking of other ways to take Golden Paste read 10 ways to take Golden Paste
Maximum dosage: 1 table spoon 2-3 times a day only advised if you are comfortable taking it and not experiencing gastric side effects.
Turmeric tincture
Turmeric tinctures are beneficially for pain relief but not much is known about its benefits in memory loss. You may consult an herbalist about this.
Take 10-30 drops 2-3 times a day depending on the condition. It can be added to teas, juices or smoothies.
Maximum dosage: 20-30 drops 3 times a day
Turmeric tea
This is a good option for tea lovers and who want to skip the taste of turmeric paste. Here is the recipe for Turmeric Tea.
Recommended intake: 1-2 cups a day
Turmeric Milk
This is just perfect when it comes to combating pain naturally. You can find the recipe for Turmeric Milk here.
Recommended intake: 1-2 cups a day
Turmeric supplements
The recommended dosage for supplements is 300-400mg 2-3 times a day for standardized 95% curcumin extract.
However the dose would differ based on the formulation, hence it is best to consult a doctor before taking turmeric supplements.
Avoid taking supplements on an empty stomach and close to the time of taking medicines. Consult a health practitioner before taking turmeric supplements.
Precautions
Turmeric in diet is absolutely safe. Turmeric supplements should be taken with care. (Read Side effects of Turmeric)
If you are taking blood thinners, turmeric supplements should be avoided. Turmeric can be included in diet in small doses. If suffering from a bleeding disorder consult a doctor and herbalist or naturopath before taking turmeric.
Turmeric supplements should be avoided in case of pregnancy and lactation. Discontinue use of turmeric supplements 2 weeks prior to surgery.
Turmeric supplements should be avoided in case of gall bladder obstructions. (Should you take turmeric if you have gallstones?)
Turmeric may interact with certain medications like stomach acid reducing drugs, diabetes medications, blood thinners. Avoid taking turmeric supplements at the same time as medicines.
If suffering from gout or kidney stones, limit intake of turmeric as a spice. (Read Does turmeric cause kidney stones? Is turmeric safe in gout?)
Consult a health practitioner before taking turmeric supplements.
If harrowed by turmeric stains here is how you can take care of them.
Research Studies
Pre-diabetic patients face cognitive impairment, with dementia as a serious complication.
A double-blind metabolic study to understand the effects of natural products like turmeric and cinnamon on the underlying biological mechanisms of postprandial working memory impairment in post diabetes was published in December 2014 in the Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
This research was conducted on recently diagnosed but untreated pre-diabetic 48, 60-year-old patients. They were randomly given a placebo, turmeric (1g), cinnamon (2g), or both (1 and 2 g respectively) with white bread (119g) breakfast.
The patients were then observed for 6 hours for parameters like-
- Pre and post working memory (WM)
- Glycaemic and insulin responses
- Biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease (0, 2, 4, 6 hours) such as Amyloid precursor protein (APP), gamma-secretase subunits presenilin-1 (PS1), presenilin-2 (PS2) and glycogen synthase kinase (GSK-3beta)
Differences between natural product users and non-users and between pre-test and post test WM were recorded. Interactions between cinnamon and turmeric were also studied.
It was found that there was no interaction between Turmeric and cinnamon.
While there was no observed change in the WM of cinnamon consumers, it enhanced significantly from 2.6 to 2.9 (out of 3.0) with 1 g of turmeric.
Also, Alzheimer’s biomarkers had no connection with turmeric and WM.
It was therefore concluded that a mere 1 g addition of turmeric to an otherwise nutritionally-bland white bread breakfast can significantly enhance the postprandial working memory independent of body fatness, glycaemia, insulin or AD biomarkers.
Summary
It is amazing that how a commonly available spice is remarkably effective in fighting several disorders which involve loss of working memory such as dementia. Start including it in your diet today.
Conclusion
Turmeric has got many medicinal properties like anti-oxidant property neuroprotector property which is helpful in treating memory loss problems.
There is increasing evidence that turmeric is helpful in preventing the progression of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases.
Dietary inclusion of turmeric can alleviate memory loss problems and improve cognition.