Hi,
I found this rather alarming post by someone in another forum & have copied & pasted an excerpt of this blog. The full article & the subsequent discussions can be found in this link; Please let me know if this topic has been talked about here before.
http://www.reddit.com/r/Nootropics/comments/1nrmsk/most_curcumin_brands_unsafe_containing_high/
When Curcumin is extracted from the turmeric rhizome, there are a number of different ways this can be done. Most manufacturers use "Solvent Extraction" methods. It is also a well known fact that almost all the major Curcumin manufacturers use this as this the most effective and cost effective method. However, these solvents are known to be the highly toxic & are classified as class 1 solvents!
Furtherer, independent lab results have shown that every single Curcumin capsule & pill contained levels of harmful residual solvents far beyond the legal limits. As we all probably know, there are many companies, pretty much all of which are located in China. Most of them do not specify anything beyond "solvent extraction" & whether they were class 1 or 2!. A few of them did say they use "ethanol" extraction. The cost of their product was not higher and ethanol extraction would be much more ineffective and timely, so it does not add up. Some of them offer free samples so that you can send them to a lab to be tested, but who is to say that they do not keep a separate pile of "sample product" for which they use the safe ethanol extraction, and then use the cost effective solvents for their real sales. However, it is widely known that Co2 extraction is the most safest method of extraction, extremely pure and leaves absolutely nothing in the product... Not even turmeric, it's basically straight Curcumin.
According to another contributor many manufacturers use dichloroethane as the solvent because it is a highly effective solvent and it is inexpensive. The problem is that some of this still remains in the finished product, at far too high levels! Acetone (the stuff in nail polish) and ethyl acetate & ethanol too are used as alternatives. Also, I'm wondering if anyone else has found a good wholesaler of curcumin, that uses safe extraction methods and is 100% reliable and reputable, provides COAs, etc. This is especially important to me and I'm sure to many of you because I am taking a high amount of Curcumin. If there is anything bad in one pill, than taking many pills beyond the recommended use of the product multiplies the level of toxins. So the most cost effective and safe way to consume moderate to high doses of Curcumin is to find a supplier using only CO2 or the next safest method of extraction!
Thanks.
Forums
9 posts
• Page 1 of 1
Re: Dangerous solvents in curcumin?
I've since found a website listing almost all the "Curcumin" brands which are available in the market & all the additives & active ingredients these contain. However, I will not publish the link as I don't want to be banned for promoting products!
Re: Dangerous solvents in curcumin?
Hi Aurat51,
If you're unsure whether the link you found will be considered legitimate or promotional, feel free to login and send us the link via private message. We'll review it and if it's okay, we'll add it to your posting.
We've found over time that the vast majority of Beacon forum participants appreciate our efforts to keep the forum free from spam and other promotional activities. It's part of our effort to ensure that The Beacon remains a balanced and objective resource for the myeloma community.
Not surprisingly, just about the only complaints we get in regard to our "spam" policies are from forum users who are, in fact, primarily interested in using the forum to promote specific products, websites, or the like.
If you're unsure whether the link you found will be considered legitimate or promotional, feel free to login and send us the link via private message. We'll review it and if it's okay, we'll add it to your posting.
We've found over time that the vast majority of Beacon forum participants appreciate our efforts to keep the forum free from spam and other promotional activities. It's part of our effort to ensure that The Beacon remains a balanced and objective resource for the myeloma community.
Not surprisingly, just about the only complaints we get in regard to our "spam" policies are from forum users who are, in fact, primarily interested in using the forum to promote specific products, websites, or the like.
Re: Dangerous solvents in curcumin?
Yes, I understand your concern with regard to some trying to promote their products in this forum under the guise of sharing vital & useful information with us!. I do agree & support your decision, so would many I am sure.
Re: Dangerous solvents in curcumin?
Thanks for understanding our concerns, Aurat51.
The link you've suggested for inclusion in this thread seems like it could be helpful to our readers. So here it is:
http://www.toxinless.com/turmeric
We're not certain, however, that the information at the above page really clarifies which turmeric / curcumin supplements are produced using solvents, and which ones are not. Instead, the information on the page seems to focus on identifying additional ingredients included in the supplements that might not be desirable.
Or are we missing something?
The link you've suggested for inclusion in this thread seems like it could be helpful to our readers. So here it is:
http://www.toxinless.com/turmeric
We're not certain, however, that the information at the above page really clarifies which turmeric / curcumin supplements are produced using solvents, and which ones are not. Instead, the information on the page seems to focus on identifying additional ingredients included in the supplements that might not be desirable.
Or are we missing something?
Re: Dangerous solvents in curcumin?
Yes, I agree with your observation. However, although I did mention that this website specified the additives in each brand of turmeric / curcumin, perhaps I wasn't precise enough by not mentioning about the absence of values for solvents / etc! However, I believe that this information too is equally valuable, since we can at least be aware of, or avoid, any additive that may be harmful or known to cause any adverse effects on prolonged users.
I am doing further research to see if any published data is available & will post if & when I find this!
I am doing further research to see if any published data is available & will post if & when I find this!
Re: Dangerous solvents in curcumin?
Thanks for the follow up, Aurat51. And do let us know if you find any additional information that might be relevant to the claims in your original posting that started this discussion.
One thing to keep in mind when reading postings like the one you shared with us at the start of this discussion is that such postings often are made as a subtle way to promote a particular product or brand. In this case, the posting may have been made with the knowledge that there really are only one or two brands of curcumin that are produced without the use of solvents.
So the posting is really just a way to convince people that Brand X or Brand Y, which do not happen to be produced with solvents, are "the best." The technique being used is: Get people to accept an innocent-sounding (but unproven) assumption, then use the assumption to promote a particular product.
In reality, the question that has to be asked is: "Are the solvents that are being used as bad as is implied in the posting? What research supports that view?"
For example, The Beacon just recently published a news article reporting on a study that found a common industrial solvent could have noticeable anti-myeloma activity.
So should we really just assume that it's bad to use solvents to create curcumin supplements?
One thing to keep in mind when reading postings like the one you shared with us at the start of this discussion is that such postings often are made as a subtle way to promote a particular product or brand. In this case, the posting may have been made with the knowledge that there really are only one or two brands of curcumin that are produced without the use of solvents.
So the posting is really just a way to convince people that Brand X or Brand Y, which do not happen to be produced with solvents, are "the best." The technique being used is: Get people to accept an innocent-sounding (but unproven) assumption, then use the assumption to promote a particular product.
In reality, the question that has to be asked is: "Are the solvents that are being used as bad as is implied in the posting? What research supports that view?"
For example, The Beacon just recently published a news article reporting on a study that found a common industrial solvent could have noticeable anti-myeloma activity.
So should we really just assume that it's bad to use solvents to create curcumin supplements?
Re: Dangerous solvents in curcumin?
Thank you for raising your concerns with regard to manufacturers & retailers trying to promote their products in "subtle ways" or rather crudely put " trying to get through the back door! Let me try to clarify this as I've understood the industry in a comprehensive way as possible.
I have rarely come across a single medical or health website which is neither sponsored, funded, promoted nor heavily dependent on advertisement revenue from a either a pharmaceutical or a health organization! I bet even the FDA is funded by the pharmaceutical industry! I am also well aware of how expensive & difficult it is to maintain, let alone run a "forum" like this! I do understand your standpoint on not promoting any products even unintentionally. However, this in fact may actually prevent patients & sufferers like me from either finding safe & well proven products or even sharing these findings with fellow sufferers! Even strangely, even if I or someone else did find or discover a miracle "brew" or cure, there's no way I/ we could share this in this forum; a real catch 22 situation indeed!
However, I have a few suggestions that you may want to consider;
Allowing published lab test & evaluation reports from any independent source
Allow comparison charts of products carried out either by an individual or a company (as long as this doesn't promote one particular product)
Recommendations by a fellow forum member or an individual user....( after thoroughly wetted by the administration of course)
I am sure there may be better or more sensible suggestions from other forum members as well!
Now, as for your final bone of contention,quote "In reality, the question that has to be asked is: "Are the solvents that are being used as Bad as Is I'mplied in the posting? What research supports that view?" Yes, I've in fact read numerous lab test reports Including this one* which I've sent for your approval show that many of the these solvents & EDC included actually leave high levels of toxic residue in the final product rendering this more lethal than intended! The only completely safest mode of extracting "curcumin" is acknowledged to be the CO2 method, which doesn't leave any harmful residue what so ever! However,this process is supposed to be very expensive & time consuming, resulting in a very high pricing of these products!.
Sadly, Theree's''s no escape from the fact, that as long as manufacturers are only in it for the money & profits & absolutely not for any altruistic reasons, they would always resort to utilizing alternative cheaper methods such as using ethenol, EDC, etc even if its detrimental to the health of it's users! We all know only well what the food industry has already done to us, dont we?
I have rarely come across a single medical or health website which is neither sponsored, funded, promoted nor heavily dependent on advertisement revenue from a either a pharmaceutical or a health organization! I bet even the FDA is funded by the pharmaceutical industry! I am also well aware of how expensive & difficult it is to maintain, let alone run a "forum" like this! I do understand your standpoint on not promoting any products even unintentionally. However, this in fact may actually prevent patients & sufferers like me from either finding safe & well proven products or even sharing these findings with fellow sufferers! Even strangely, even if I or someone else did find or discover a miracle "brew" or cure, there's no way I/ we could share this in this forum; a real catch 22 situation indeed!
However, I have a few suggestions that you may want to consider;
Allowing published lab test & evaluation reports from any independent source
Allow comparison charts of products carried out either by an individual or a company (as long as this doesn't promote one particular product)
Recommendations by a fellow forum member or an individual user....( after thoroughly wetted by the administration of course)
I am sure there may be better or more sensible suggestions from other forum members as well!
Now, as for your final bone of contention,quote "In reality, the question that has to be asked is: "Are the solvents that are being used as Bad as Is I'mplied in the posting? What research supports that view?" Yes, I've in fact read numerous lab test reports Including this one* which I've sent for your approval show that many of the these solvents & EDC included actually leave high levels of toxic residue in the final product rendering this more lethal than intended! The only completely safest mode of extracting "curcumin" is acknowledged to be the CO2 method, which doesn't leave any harmful residue what so ever! However,this process is supposed to be very expensive & time consuming, resulting in a very high pricing of these products!.
Sadly, Theree's''s no escape from the fact, that as long as manufacturers are only in it for the money & profits & absolutely not for any altruistic reasons, they would always resort to utilizing alternative cheaper methods such as using ethenol, EDC, etc even if its detrimental to the health of it's users! We all know only well what the food industry has already done to us, dont we?
Re: Dangerous solvents in curcumin?
I am reading the discussion of the possibility of solvents being present in supplements such as curcumin with interest. I am taking some curcurmin with a small percentage of biopiperine mixed in (i.e. IMO, turmeric with pepper). When I look at the capsules, which are made of gelatin and thus not vegetarian, it does look like turmeric spice in the capsule.
Also in our kitchen, we use turmeric powder, which is certified USDA Organic. It is from an Indian grocery store. The spice was grown in India. I should also add that you may purchase organically grown turmeric roots, frozen in Asian or Indian grocery stores.
Hope that adds to this interesting discussion!
Also in our kitchen, we use turmeric powder, which is certified USDA Organic. It is from an Indian grocery store. The spice was grown in India. I should also add that you may purchase organically grown turmeric roots, frozen in Asian or Indian grocery stores.
Hope that adds to this interesting discussion!
-
Nancy Shamanna - Name: Nancy Shamanna
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Self and others too
- When were you/they diagnosed?: July 2009
9 posts
• Page 1 of 1
Return to Treatments & Side Effects