Problems with aches and pains used to mean standing in front of the medicine cabinet and reaching for a bottle of painkillers. But in recent years, curcumin has become a popular choice, with more individuals seeking it out.

Curcumin (Curcuma longa) isnt a newly discovered ingredient, though. Its roots grow deep: Its been used for centuries in traditional medicine. Curcumin has, however, experienced a resurgence of interest in recent years. More people are looking to this ingredient to potentially improve their health while hoping to reduce the effects of chronic pain, inflammation and other maladies.

Curcumin delivery formats

Capsules, and tablets, and gummies, and drinks … oh my! The world of supplement varieties continues to grow. As noted in the Natural Products Insider article "Supplements get personalized with new technology and delivery formats," from the Council for Responsible Nutritions (CRN) Brian Wommack, senior vice president of communications, age seems to be the biggest influencer on which delivery method is preferable. While tablets and caplets remain the most popular among supplement fans as a whole, users in the 18- to 34-year-old demographic prefer gummies. Manufacturers who are aware of this and other trends are more easily able to respond to consumer demands.

EuroPharma offers a chewable curcumin supplement in its suite of CuraMed products, as well as its clinically studied BCM-95 ingredient. "Our curcumin is combined in a patented process with turmeric essential oil and has 700% better bioavailability than standard curcumin extracts, which are difficult for the body to absorb," explained Cheryl Myers, chief of scientific affairs and education at EuroPharma Inc.

Natural Remedies offers Non-GMO Project-certified Turmacin in traditional dosage forms like capsules and tablets. Abey Thomas, head of global marketing at Natural Remedies, added the ingredient can also be formulated in functional food and beverages due to its self-affirmed GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status.

Dessert doesnt usually come to mind when thinking of immune support, but cookies are on the menu at ProbioticSmart. Prafulla Kumar, an advisor for ProbioticSmart LLC, noted the companys patent-pending TurmiZn-OS curcumin-zinc complex empowers a wide range of nutraceuticals, foods and beverages, including an immune-positioned cookie dough product.

Curcumin used in novel ways

The ability to use an ingredient in novel ways helps companies that want to grow with the times and spur consumer demand. Myers said EuroPharmas CuraMed Acute Pain Relief—a combination of BCM-95 curcumin and BOS-10 Boswellia [serrata]—was shown to deliver up to 10 times more acetyl-11-keto-B-boswellic acid (AKBA) than unstandardized forms.

The product employs an emulsified matrix of black sesame extract oil in a small and easy-to-swallow liquid gel. "Black sesame seed oil has been traditionally used in ayurvedic medicine to aid in carrying and dispersing fat-soluble ingredients," Myers explained. "Plus, it is an anti-inflammatory in its own right, which makes it doubly valuable in this formula."

A 2020 study examined the potential of the delivery mechanism."Emulsifying curcumin and Boswellia in black sesame seed oil appeared to help disperse both fat-soluble herbs in the intestines and into the bloodstream even more quickly," Myers reported.