Turmeric extract may alleviate knee osteoarthritis pain

A clinical study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine suggests that a concentrated turmeric extract may help alleviate pain associated with knee osteoarthritis. The study involved 70 participants living with the condition, who were divided into a group receiving two Curcuma longa capsules daily for twelve weeks and a control group receiving a placebo.

Results indicated that those taking the turmeric extract reported lower pain levels compared to the placebo group, with a difference of approximately nine points on a hundred-point scale. Additionally, participants using the extract required less supplemental pain medication. However, the study noted that the extract did not reverse cartilage wear or significantly improve inflammation or cartilage condition according to imaging tests.

In Hungary, joint cartilage wear is estimated to affect between 1 and 1.5 million people. Management of these musculoskeletal issues typically involves medical intervention, physical therapy, or laser therapy, the latter of which has been researched in Budapest since the 1960s.