The Potential of Turmeric in Treating Indigestion: Natural Supplement Shows Promise in Reducing Stomach Acid Comparable to OTC Medication

Turmeric may work just as well as a common over-the-counter medication in relieving gastrointestinal issues, a new study suggests.

A plant in the ginger family, turmeric has long been used as a culinary spice and in traditional medicine, mainly in India. It has also become a popular supplement that’s promoted to improve a host of conditions, including allergies and arthritis.

People also consume turmeric to ease indigestion symptoms like bloating and abdominal pain. However, little research has examined whether it works as well as conventional medication in combatting gastrointestinal issues. 

For the new study, published earlier this month in the journal BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine, researchers from Thailand set out to compare the effectiveness and safety of curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, to the acid reducer omeprazole, sold under the brand names Prilosec and Zegerid.

The team recruited 206 people with functional dyspepsia, or chronic indigestion, and assigned them to one of three groups. One group took 250 milligrams (mg) of curcumin four times daily. Participants in another group took 20 mg of omeprazole once a day. The third group took a combination of curcumin and omeprazole. Some participants were given a placebo instead of curcumin or the medications.

The researchers instructed participants to take the assigned treatment for 28 days. In the end, 151 people completed the study. 

At the beginning of the study, the participants filled out two of questionnaires about their symptoms, the Short-Form Leeds Dyspepsia Questionnaire and the Severity of Dyspepsia Assessment (SODA). On days 28 and 56, they repeated the SODA questionnaire. They reported an overall improvement in symptoms on both days, with no major differences in symptom relief between participants in the three groups.

None of the participants reported significant side effects.

Researchers don’t know how curcumin might work to aid digestion, Peyton Berookim, MD, a gastroenterologist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Beverly Hills, CA, who is unaffiliated with the study, told Health. He said it may have something to do with its anti-inflammatory properties. Some research on rodents also suggests that curcumin could bring relief by changing the gut microbiome, but more research is necessary to know for sure.

Taking turmeric capsules could be a safe, go-to remedy for indigestion, lead author Krit Pongpirul, MD, MPH, PhD, an associate professor at Chulalongkorn University in Thailand, told Health.

But whether curcumin or turmeric can help improve symptoms depends on what you’re feeling, he explained. He said curcumin may help with bloating but omeprazole would likely be better for heartburn. “A relatively healthy person could try both,” he added.

However, Berookim said that while “the study demonstrates that curcumin is safe and well-tolerated,” there “is no clinical evidence to conclude curcumin as a first line treatment.”

Berookim explained that unlike omeprazole, curcumin may take a few hours to kick in and shows promise as a preventative measure rather than as a way to address acute symptoms.

“Over-the-counter medications such as Mylanta, Pepcid, and Tums are probably better for instant relief of indigestion,” he said. “Curcumin can be an alternative choice for patients with chronic dyspepsia where immediate relief is not necessary.”

If taken for chronic indigestion, “turmeric would provide the best relief if taken regularly, at the suggested dose, and with food,” he said.

For effectiveness, Pongpirul said that traditional medicine practitioners would recommend consuming turmeric or curcumin capsules over eating fresh turmeric. That’s because relative to supplements, fresh turmeric contains fewer curcuminoids—the compound family that includes curcumin.

He said about 1,000 mg of fresh turmeric equates to 200 mg of powder, which likely contains only about 2 mg of curcuminoid extracts. (For reference, participants in the new study took 2,000 mg, or 2 grams, of pure curcumin daily). 

Turmeric capsules, on the other hand, contain a high dose of curcumin, added Berookim.

If nothing does the trick and indigestion persists for a day or two, Pongpirul suggested seeking medical care.

Because the United States doesn’t regulate supplements, there’s no formal guidance on how much curcumin or turmeric is safe to take—though research suggests turmeric is generally safe at doses up to 8 grams (g) a day.

When taken in high doses, curcumin can interact with some medications, such as pain relievers, blood thinners, immunosuppressants, and chemotherapy treatments, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.

Berookim also warned that taking curcumin or turmeric can increase your risk of developing stomach ulcers. That’s because curcumin inhibits an enzyme called cyclooxygenase, or COX, which creates a chemical that coats the stomach to prevent acid from triggering ulcers.

“For this reason, it’s important to take curcumin with food to minimize risk of upsetting the stomach,” said Berookim, who added that he takes turmeric for its anti-inflammatory properties.

If you’re considering taking turmeric or curcumin supplements—for any reason—the National Institutes of Health recommends speaking to a healthcare provider to determine the best approach.