YES, turmeric can be taken in the diet along with antibiotic treatment. Turmeric and curcumin exhibit strong antimicrobial activities against pathogenic microbes and several antibiotic-resistant strains. Turmeric can also alleviate the side effects of some antibiotics. Thus, it can be used in combination with antibiotics for better results and also reduce their side effects.
However, due to turmeric’s ability to interfere with the process of drug metabolism, as a precaution, a gap of 3-4 is recommended when taking turmeric or curcumin in supplemental doses.
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Turmeric Benefits along with Antibiotics
Here are some scientifically proven benefits of taking turmeric with antibiotics.
1. Turmeric has potent anti-microbial properties
Numerous studies have shown turmeric and curcumin as promising anti-bacteria, antifungal, and anti-viral agents.
They have demonstrated their efficacy in inhibiting the growth of various pathogenic species of microbes that cause infections and deadly diseases in humans. [1]
Microbes like Escherichia coli, Streptococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Klebsiella pnemoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, Helicobacter pylori, periodontopathic bacteria, and Candida species are successfully inhibited by turmeric. [2] [3] [4]
Thus, turmeric could assist in the prevention and treatment of several microbial infections.
2. Turmeric may be better than antibiotics
Depending on the type of bacteria, turmeric and curcumin may be better at inhibiting bacterial growth compared to commonly used antibiotics like amoxicillin, ampicillin, pantoprazole and metronidazole. [5] [6]
Turmeric works against antibiotic-resistant strains
Bacteria which can biofilms are able to withstand severe conditions and antibiotics. These strains tend to develop antibiotic resistance and thus become difficult to treat, even by large antibiotic doses.
Turmeric can inhibit the formation of biofilms and decrease motility of these bacteria, which makes it a useful agent against antibiotic-resistant strains. [7] [8]
Studies have reported its potential to treat several antibiotics (including methicillin, carbapenem and vancomycin) and multi-drug resistant bacteria. [9] [10] [11] [12] [13]
It could also reverse the resistance of bacteria to antibiotics. Treatment of such microbes with curcumin can significantly disrupt the cell wall, membrane and cytoplasm contents, making it more vulnerable to antibiotics. [14]
Thus, its combination with antibiotics may help in preventing and treating bacterial infections in a better manner.
3. Turmeric is safer than antibiotics
Antibiotic treatment poses a risk of several side effects including gastrointestinal symptoms, diarrhoea and allergic reactions.
High doses may result in more severe consequences.
Turmeric, on the other hand, is entirely well-tolerated, has no serious side effects and safe to use even at high concentrations. [15]
4. Turmeric alleviates side effects of antibiotics
Prolonged or overuse of antibiotics may damage organs like liver and kidneys and result in hepatotoxicity, renal toxicity, and neurotoxicity.
Turmeric is a potent antioxidant which can scavenge free radicals and reduce oxidative stress in these organs.
Several studies have shown its protective effects against toxicity caused by antibiotics like rifampicin, isoniazid, pyrazinamide, gentamycin, erythromycin, polymyxin, colistin, and antitubercular drugs, to count a few. [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21]
5. Turmeric can supplement antibiotic therapy
Several studies and clinical trials have administered turmeric with antibiotics only to find an increased anti-bacterial effect. [22]
In one such study, curcumin used to treat methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus helped in lowering the concentrations of antibiotics like oxacillin, ampicillin, ciprofloxacin, and norfloxacin. It was also proposed that curcumin, in combination with antibiotics may assist in developing a better treatment measure for resistant strains. [23]
In other studies, curcumin has shown synergistic effects with other antibiotics including, but not limited to amikacin, gentamicin, cefepime, cefaclor, cefodizime, and cefotaxime. [24] [25] [26]
Thus combining turmeric with antibiotic treatment may help lower dose of medicines and their possible side effects.
However, more extensive studies and trials need to be conducted to ascertain the safety of turmeric with antibiotics at appropriate dosage levels.
Precaution while taking turmeric
Dietary turmeric is safe to consume with antibiotics. However, care should be taken during intake of turmeric/curcumin supplements or golden paste with antibiotics.
Golden paste incorporates black pepper with turmeric.
Recipe for Golden Paste
Recipe for Turmeric Milk
Black pepper contains piperine which increases turmeric’s bioavailability.
Piperine, being a bioenhancer can also improve drug absorption. Over a more extended period, this could also increase the side effects, toxicity and damage caused by these drugs. [27]
Read: Black Pepper and Turmeric’s Absorption
Curcumin inhibits the Cytochrome P450 enzyme and P-glycoprotein, both of which play a vital role in drug metabolism in the intestines. Thus, it could alter the absorption and therapeutic effects of the drug. [28]
Thus, turmeric, concomitantly taken with antibiotics could affect drug pharmacokinetics. However, larger human studies are needed to prove the significance of these effects. [29]
Therefore, when taking large doses of turmeric or curcumin in the form of supplements or golden paste along with antibiotics, it is better to maintain a gap of 3-4 hours in between.
Turmeric Dosage and Recommended Brands
If you have decided to take turmeric powder, know its ideal dosage here>
It is important to buy a good turmeric brand if you already know one, geat otherwise you can check out the list of recommended brands from our side
If you want to take supplements, here are the main types of supplement types and best supplement brands. Make sure you choose wisely.
Have you used turmeric/ curcumin along with antibiotics? If yes, do share your experience with others by commenting below, it would be of great help!
for some reason, your comment portal will only allow caps to be typed….?
I tried a non-pharmaceutical approach, which included turmeric and curcumin daily, but was unable to kill of the h.pylori bacteria, and after losing more and more energy to fighting the bacteria I Began a triple therapy approach with Amoxicillin and clarithromycin as the two antibiotics. In searching for a method of using curcumin along with the antibiotics, I came across a study that has shown that the effectiveness of amoxicillin is compromised by the use of turmeric/curcumin concurrently with the antibiotic. Here’s a link to the study:
You might like to see the study, and possibly change your article to include a warning to cipeople using the antibiotic, as it is the most effective for killing h.pylori when used in triple therapy. I plan on returning to a maximum daily turmeric/curcumin treatment when the 7-day triple therapy is finished, and pair it with maximum safe amount of Mastic gum just in case the strain of the bacteria i am fighting is resistant to the antibiotics. if you have any ideas of regimes or other anti-bacterials that are effective against h.pylori could you please send them to me?
Thank you!
Thank you so very much !
My dog has skin infection started to taking amoxicillin 3 rd days, no change. I checked inter net if I can add turmeric along with anti biotic and I saw your site “YES” !!! I used to have pylori bacteria but treatment was taking 3 antibiotics for 2 weeks, one of them is amoxicillin which I took too many times when i was young, it’s no longer works for me, but out of desperation I tried anyway in 3rd day I got really sick, so I stopped. And I tried clove oil 10 drops in a capsule for probably 2-3 weeks and took test result came out negative. halleluyah !!! it’s a long story but i got covid from my friend and moment i realized i got it i took clove oil 10 drops in a capusule right away next day my sore throat and running nose stopped. God already provided healing plant for us.
I love that you talk about the benefits of using turmeric with antibiotics and also the things to watch out for. Even natural ingredients have their side effects and interactions. It’s never enough to assume something is safe simply because it is natural.