A Gram Of Turmeric A Day Could Enhance Memory

First Posted: May 30, 2016 05:07 AM EDT

Researchers discovered that adding one gram of turmeric to breakfast could enhance the memory of people who are in the early stages of diabetes and also have a risk of cognitive impairment.

Science Daily reports that the study was published in the Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical. It was led by researchers from Monash University.

The study involved men and women aged 60 or older who had been diagnosed with untreated pre-diabetes. The researchers tested their working memory. The participants were given one gram of turmeric with white bread for breakfast. Then, their working memory was tested before and some hours after eating.

The study led by Emeritus Professor Mark Wahlgvist found out that the addition of one gram of turmeric to their breakfast had improved their working memory for more than six hours in older people with diabetes. He further explained that working memory is widely thought to be one of the most significant mental faculties, which is critical for cognitive abilities such as problem solving, planning and reasoning.

The evaluation of working memory is simple, but it is also helpful in appraisal of cognition and in predicting future impairment and dementia. He added that their findings with turmeric are coherent with these observations, as they appear to influence cognitive function where there is disordered energy metabolism and insulin resistance.

In some studies involving rats that were published in the journal Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology, the findings showed that curcumin extracts can help improve learning and spatial memory, according to Livestrong. Turmeric is a plant that grows in South India and Indonesia. Its extract that comes from turmeric root is known as curcumin. It has antioxidant properties that could decrease swelling and inflammation. It can also improve some medical conditions, including Alzheimer's disease.