New Studies from a Nutrition Conference by Jerry Brainum 6/23

 

In past issues of Applied Metabolics, I've written short summaries of new studies presented at science conferences, mainly those pertaining to nutrition and exercise. As I noted in those prior articles, I used to attend the conferences but found them to be largely a waste of time for me. Most of the material presented at conference seminars were studies that had already been published in various journals that I was familiar with. It soon became clear to me that the true purpose of the conferences was to make money and also act as a social gathering. The only real benefit of the meetings was the new, unpublished studies posted on boards in one of the conference rooms. And you didn't need to attend in person to read them. So what I did in past issues was to select the new studies that were of most practical interest to readers of this publication. Many of the studies posted were just thinly disguised commercials for various supplements that were sponsored or paid for by supplement companies. I try to avoid writing about such studies because they are often flawed and also because I'm not an unpaid shill for supplement companies.

Keeping all that in mind, here are the best studies I could find that was presented as poster presentations at the 18th annual conference of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN).

Case report shows curcumin could produce negative effects

 

 

 

Curcumin is a yellow substance derived from the turmeric plant. It is a popular spice that produces the yellow color of curry, which is a popular spice in Indian cuisine. India has among the lowest incidence of Alzheimer's disease in the world, and some scientists think this effect is due to the consumption of curry with its content of curcumin. Studies show that among the effects of curcumin is the ability to prevent and decrease the accumulation of abnormal proteins in the brain that is thought to be the primary cause of Alzheimer's disease. Curcumin is difficult to absorb when ingested orally, but greater uptake results when it's consumed with a higher fat meal. In India, curry is cooked with oil, which provides the necessary fat for curcumin uptake.

As a food supplement, curcumin is best known as an effective anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant. These properties of curcumin produce a wide range of health benefits, according to a large body of published research. Among these benefits are pain reduction; possible prevention of cardiovascular disease; Treatment and prevention of certain types of gastrointestinal illness; and even possible prevention of some types of cancer, since cancer usually has an inflammatory component. 

From the point of view of sports and exercise, curcumin can offer a number of benefits. However, much of the research in this area is . . .