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On the left, an arm extends with the hand holding several turmeric tablets. On the right, a different arm drops turmeric tablets. In the middle, a bottle of turmeric tablets is set against ground turmeric behind it.

Can Turmeric Benefit IBS Patients?

Laura Kiesel's avatar image

By Laura Kiesel

2 min read

As a longtime chronic pain patient with several autoimmune-related illnesses, I have heard a lot about turmeric--an herb that has been used for centuries in cooking and healing.

Turmeric is an anti-inflammatory

My most intimate familiarity with turmeric is its involvement in some of my favorite meals --specifically that in Indian cuisine (turmeric is native to Southeast Asia). It's somewhat similar in taste and composition--and is a cousin--of a more ubiquitous spice, ginger. Turmeric contains a compound known as "curcumin," which is a powerful anti-inflammatory. It's been boasted as a potential treatment for a host of ailments, including cardiovascular disease, arthritis, diabetes and yes, irritable bowel syndrome.

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Does turmeric aggravate symptoms of IBS?

However, I've also seen reports that too much turmeric can actually aggravate symptoms of IBS, as its possible side effects (especially if taking higher amounts) tend to include stomach upset, nausea, and diarrhea. For instance, I have posted myself here how eating spicy foods (as in "hot" spicy) actually instigates IBS flares--so if and when I eat certain cuisines--including Indian foods--I tend to request that my meal be made "extra mild."

A meta-analysis published last year on the impacts of curcumin from across three separate studies that analyzed a total of 326 IBS patients concluded that it had "...a beneficial albeit not statistically significant effect on IBS symptoms."1 So in other words, it may help IBS patients, but it didn't seem to be very significant in its positive effects. Of course though, this meta-analysis wasn't particularly extensive or robust and more studies would be needed to come to a firmer conclusion.

My experience with turmeric

All of this being said, I haven't personally delved too deeply into curcumin or its parent spice turmeric as an option for my IBS or other health complaints. The few times I tried it, it did actually instigate my reflux and made me feel a little queasy. Also, I do occasionally take its cousin herb ginger, and while it does help quite a bit with nausea, I try to not take it too often as I find it messes with my menstrual cycle and can bring on my period sooner than I want (and since I have endometriosis, my periods are very painful; being able to accurately predict when it will be arriving helps me better manage the pain). Turmeric has similar emmenagogue-like qualities, so I am wary of it for that reason as well.

If you are considering taking turmeric or curcumin for IBS or another ailment, please talk to a medical professional first, as it can interfere with the effectiveness of some medications and may contain certain risks for those with certain disorders.

Have you tried taking turmeric or curcumin for your IBS? Did it help or hurt? Please feel free to share in the comments section below!

This article represents the opinions, thoughts, and experiences of the author; none of this content has been paid for by any advertiser. The IrritableBowelSyndrome.net team does not recommend or endorse any products or treatments discussed herein. Learn more about how we maintain editorial integrity here.

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