Smarter Curcumin

What Is Smarter Curcumin?

Smarter Curcumin is a dietary supplement that is intended to help you experience a wide variety of benefits such as pain relief, better brain function, and enhanced immunity.

More specifically, SmarterNutrition claims that SmarterCurcumin can offer:

• Better joint comfort and flexibility
• Better skin and hair health
• Better immune function
• Enhanced heart health
• Better digestion
• Enhanced brain

The company states that you can experience these alleged benefits by taking just 2 softgels daily.

In this article, we’ll highlight any available scientific support for SmarterCurcumin’s active ingredients to help you determine if this supplement can provide the proposed benefits.

Smarter Curcumin Ingredients: Do They Work?

SmarterNutrition claims that just 4 ingredients are responsible for SmarterCurcumin’s alleged benefits.

Each 2-capsule serving contains the following:

• Curcumin C3 Reduct 400 mg
• Black Cumin Seed Oil 400 mg
• Ginger 100 mg
• AstraGin (extract of Panax notoginseng & Astragalus membranaceous) 50 mg

Curcumin

Turmeric has been used for both food preparation and medicinal purposes for thousands of years. Many of the proposed benefits of this spice are likely due to curcumin, a molecule produced by turmeric plants.

C3 Reduct is a proprietary ingredient manufactured by Sabinsa that uses the major active metabolites of curcumin extract obtained from turmeric.

Turmeric is suspected of boosting heart and brain health. Also, its proposed anti-inflammatory action is why SmarterNutrition considers it to be the key ingredient in their blend.

Inflammation is a vital part of healing, though chronic activation can lead to conditions like arthritis.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin, provide relief by blocking the action of cyclooxygenase (COX), enzymes that help mediate the inflammatory response. In a laboratory study, curcumin inhibited the same enzymes.

In a recent review of 8 studies, curcumin doses that ranged from 500-1500mg daily were effective in relieving symptoms associated with arthritis. They also concluded that more studies are needed for a definitive conclusion.

Black Cumin Seed

Black cumin seeds have been used for medicinal purposes all over the world as they may offer a number of health benefits.

In a laboratory study, 300mg of black cumin seed inhibited the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, a common infection-causing bacteria.

The digestive benefits of black cumin seed were investigated in mice with inflammatory bowel disease. Doses ranging from 5-25mg/kg reduced inflammation and improved diarrhea.

In elderly individuals with knee pain, topical black cumin seed oil applied 3 times each week for 1-month was effective in decreasing pain severity.

Ginger

Ginger has been used in both diet and medicine for thousands of years. It may offer a wide variety of health benefits.

This review highlighted support for numerous benefits related to ginger. Researchers found ginger to be effective in reducing muscle pain after exercise and promoting immune function.

Over the span of 11-days, 2g doses of ginger were reported to reduce muscle pain with physical activity.

Keep in mind that this is 20x the dose found in a serving of Smarter Curcumin.

AstraGin

Ginseng is obtained from the roots of plants found in Eastern Asia. It has been included in natural medicine blends for centuries, as it may offer a wide range of health benefits.

Like the other SmarterCurcumin ingredients, ginseng may have anti-inflammatory capabilities. A recent laboratory study suggests that ginseng may offer this benefit by inhibiting mediators of the inflammatory process.

Ginseng may also be responsible for SmarterCurcumin’s alleged brain-boosting benefits. The mental effects of this extract were demonstrated in a randomized trial; 400mg of ginseng improved calmness and math skills in college-age subjects.

Lastly, ginseng may also support immune function. This review summarizes the available laboratory, animal, and human research that supports the anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and anti-viral actions of ginseng.

Are There Any Potential Side Effects?

Much of the available support for SmarterCurcumin’s blend of ingredients is found in laboratory and animal studies. While these studies can imply safety in human subjects, they do not guarantee it.

The studies that did investigate the active ingredients in human subjects found that they were well tolerated at much higher doses than those found in a single serving of SmarterCurcumin.

For example, turmeric was safe even up to 1500mg doses. Ginger was safe at doses 20x larger than what is included in SmarterCurcumin.

Mild digestive symptoms like nausea and diarrhea can occur, though these are typically relieved by discontinuing use.

To minimize the chances of experiencing side effects or medication interactions with Smarter Curcumin or any other dietary supplement, make sure you have an in-depth discussion with your doctor beforehand.

How Much Does Smarter Curcumin Cost?

If purchased directly from the manufacturer, the supplement will cost you:

• 1 Bottle (1-month supply): $39.95
• 3 Bottles: $29.95 per bottle
• 6 Bottles: $24.95 per bottle

SmarterCurcumin is also available through subscription. With this option, you’ll save 15% of your 1, 3, or 6-bottle order.

All direct orders come with a 60-day money back guarantee, less S&H, which you can request by calling customer service at 800-976-6118 or sending an email to support@smarternutrition.com.

Single-bottle orders are also available through Amazon for the same price point. Keep in mind they offer just a 30-day return policy.

SmarterCurcumin vs. the Competition: How to Choose a Turmeric Supplement

Just to give you an example of how many curcumin and turmeric supplements are out there competing for your money, hundreds of results pulled up on popular search engines as of this writing.

Here’s just a handful of the top listings:

As SmarterCurcumin falls short of the range of doses found beneficial in treating joint pain. Thus you may want to opt for a supplement that packs more punch.

Terry Natural Curamed is comparably priced but offers dosing 350mg larger.

The Bottom Line

Smarter Curcumin offers a blend of ingredients that do have some support for the many proposed benefits of this supplement. Much of the support is found in laboratory and animal studies, however.

While some research in human subjects is available, strong support demonstrating the long-term benefits is currently lacking.

Nonetheless, more than 4,100 customers rate SmarterCurcumin 4.6 stars. Those happy report experiencing reduced back and joint pain.

The positive reviews are promising, though SmarterCurcumin may lack the punch necessary for results when compared to the dosing found effective in the limited human studies that are available.

The competitive pricing and favorable return policy means that trying SmarterCurcumin relatively low risk, however.

Still, it is best to speak with your doctor to first identify the source of your symptoms prior to attempting to treat them.