Ingredient 5 of 6
Turmeric for Memory: Curcumin in Synaptril, Line by Line
Turmeric extract is the yellow root spice concentrated to 95% curcuminoids, and the evidence on turmeric for memory is thin: one small 18-month trial of a high-absorption curcumin at 180 mg a day found modest gains. Synaptril lists a standard extract fifth of six in its 575 mg blend, so a capsule likely holds under 44 mg.
Written by the Synaptril label deskUpdated
First things first01
What is turmeric extract with 95% curcuminoids?
Turmeric extract is a concentrate of the Curcuma longa root, the spice that turns curry yellow. "95% curcuminoids" means nearly all of the extract's weight is curcumin and its close relatives.
Curcumin is the best known of those compounds and the one most studied. Products vary a lot in how much curcumin they deliver, and some add piperine from black pepper to help absorption (NCCIH, Turmeric).
Synaptril prints the line as "Turmeric (Curcuma longa) Rhizome Extract 95% Curcuminoids". It is fifth of six in the proprietary blend. No piperine or other absorption aid is listed.
| Name on the label | Turmeric (Curcuma longa) Rhizome Extract 95% Curcuminoids |
|---|---|
| What it is | Curcuma longa rhizome |
| Place on the label | 5 of 6 in the 575 mg proprietary blend |
| Amount per capsule | Not listed; #5 of 6 in the 575 mg blend, so at most 115 mg, and likely under 44 mg |
| Amount used in research | 90 mg twice a day of a high-absorption curcumin in one memory trial |
| Strength of evidence | One small positive trial; poorly absorbed |
| Marketed or traditional use | Yellow spice; studied for inflammation |
| Main caution | Rare liver injury, mostly with high-absorption products; may be unsafe in pregnancy. |
Evidence02
Does turmeric for memory have research behind it?
A little, and it is mixed. One small trial of turmeric for memory found modest gains, while NCCIH calls the curcumin trials few and inconsistent (NCCIH, Supplements and cognition).
The trial most often quoted gave 46 adults aged 51 to 84 either Theracurmin or a placebo for 18 months. Theracurmin is a high-absorption curcumin, dosed at 90 mg twice a day. The curcumin group did better on one verbal memory test and one attention test. Other memory tests showed no difference (Small 2018, Curcumin memory RCT).
Only 40 people finished. The authors called the sample small and asked for larger trials. A 2016 trial of 96 healthy older adults found limited effects over 12 months (NCCIH, Supplements and cognition).
NCCIH says there is not enough evidence that turmeric or curcumin helps any health purpose, though early knee arthritis data look positive (NCCIH, Turmeric).
| Study | People | Product and dose | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small 2018 (Small 2018, Curcumin memory RCT) | 46 adults, 51-84, no dementia | Theracurmin, 180 mg curcumin a day, 18 months | Small gains on two tests; others unchanged |
| 2016 trial (via NCCIH) (NCCIH, Supplements and cognition) | 96 healthy older adults | Curcumin, 12 months | Limited effects |
| Synaptril | No trial | Standard extract, amount not listed | Not studied |
Absorption03
Is curcumin absorbed well by the body?
No. Plain curcumin is poorly absorbed, which is why the memory trial used a special high-absorption form.
In one human study, a 2 gram dose of curcumin alone gave blood levels that were very low or could not be measured. Adding 20 mg of piperine raised blood levels by about 2,000 percent (AARM, Piperine and curcumin).
Synaptril lists a standard extract with no piperine. So the curcumin it holds is both smaller in amount and, on paper, harder to absorb than the trial product. Piperine has its own catch: it changes how the liver handles some drugs (AARM, Piperine and curcumin).
With piperine
Much higher blood levels, but piperine can raise levels of some medicines (AARM, Piperine and curcumin).
Theracurmin
A high-absorption form; the one used in the 18-month memory trial (Small 2018, Curcumin memory RCT).
Blend math04
How much turmeric is in a Synaptril capsule?
The amount is hidden, but it is small. As the fifth of six blend ingredients, turmeric can weigh at most about 115 mg, and likely under 44 mg.
Blend lines run from heaviest to lightest (eCFR, 21 CFR 101.36), so the fifth line holds no more than a fifth of 575 mg. Then the magnesium takes its share. Pure magnesium glycinate is about 14% magnesium (Magnesium glycinate, Mg content), so the 80 mg printed on the label needs about 570 mg of it. That leaves around 8 mg for five ingredients.
In a generous case, where the glycinate is a buffered grade at 20% magnesium, the five share up to 175 mg and turmeric gets at most 44 mg. At 95% curcuminoids that is about 42 mg, of a standard form. The memory trial used 180 mg a day of a high-absorption form.
Read the panel yourself: the blend line shows 575 mg, and turmeric is the fifth name in it. Only the magnesium carries its own number.
More on the arithmetic sits on the ingredients page.
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See packsLiver safety05
Can turmeric supplements harm the liver?
Rarely, yes. LiverTox calls turmeric the most common cause of herbal liver injury in the United States, at roughly 1 in 10,000 to 1 in 100,000 users (LiverTox, Turmeric).
The injury usually shows up after 1 to 4 months of use. Most people recover within 1 to 3 months of stopping, but some cases have led to liver failure, transplant or death, mostly when use went on after symptoms began (LiverTox, Turmeric).
NCCIH links the cases mainly to highly bioavailable curcumin products (NCCIH, Turmeric). A gene variant, HLA-B*35:01, turned up in over 70% of cases (LiverTox, Turmeric).
Unusual tiredness, nausea, poor appetite, dark urine or yellowing of the skin or eyes (NCCIH, Turmeric). Do not restart the product after a liver reaction (LiverTox, Turmeric).
Who should skip it06
Who should avoid turmeric supplements?
Pregnant women should avoid them, since turmeric supplements may be unsafe in pregnancy. Anyone on medicines should talk with a provider first (NCCIH, Turmeric).
The Synaptril label goes further. It rules out anyone under 18 and pregnant or nursing mothers, and it asks people on any medication or with a medical condition to see a physician before use.
Turmeric can also cause nausea, acid reflux, stomach upset, diarrhea or constipation. It is likely safe in usual amounts for 2 to 3 months (NCCIH, Turmeric). Drug cautions for the whole formula are on supplements and medicines.
- Pregnant or nursing, or under 18: the label says do not use
- A past liver problem: the label's medical-condition line applies, so ask a doctor
- Taking prescription medicine: ask a pharmacist about every ingredient
Do not stop or change any prescription because of a supplement. If your memory is changing, a doctor visit comes first: many causes, such as thyroid problems or low vitamin B12, can be treated (MedlinePlus, Memory loss).
Our read07
Is the turmeric in Synaptril enough to matter?
Probably not for memory. The amount is a fraction of the trial dose and the form is not the high-absorption one that was tested.
That does not make the line harmful. It means turmeric is a small supporting name, not the engine of the capsule. Take the one capsule a day the label allows, with a meal if you like, as covered in how to take Synaptril.
FAQ08
Turmeric and curcumin questions
Does curcumin improve memory in older adults?
The evidence does not show that it reliably does. One 18-month trial of 46 adults found small gains on two tests with a high-absorption curcumin (Small 2018, Curcumin memory RCT), but NCCIH calls curcumin trials few and inconsistent (NCCIH, Supplements and cognition). Larger trials are still needed.
What does 95% curcuminoids mean?
It means the turmeric extract has been concentrated so that about 95% of its weight is curcuminoids, the group of compounds that includes curcumin. The label number tells you purity, not how much of the extract is in the capsule.
Is turmeric well absorbed on its own?
No. A 2 gram dose of plain curcumin gave very low or unmeasurable blood levels in volunteers. Piperine from black pepper raised levels sharply in that research (AARM, Piperine and curcumin). Synaptril lists no piperine or other absorption aid.
Is turmeric safe with blood thinners?
Ask your doctor. NCCIH advises anyone on medicines to talk with a provider before taking turmeric (NCCIH, Turmeric), and piperine, often paired with it, can change drug levels (AARM, Piperine and curcumin). In Synaptril the clearer warfarin flag belongs to CoQ10 (MSKCC, Coenzyme Q10).
How much curcumin did the 18-month memory study use?
It used 90 mg of curcumin twice a day, 180 mg in all, as Theracurmin, a high-absorption form (Small 2018, Curcumin memory RCT). A Synaptril capsule likely holds under 44 mg of standard turmeric extract, so the two are not comparable.
Can turmeric upset the stomach?
Yes. NCCIH lists nausea, vomiting, acid reflux, stomach upset, diarrhea and constipation (NCCIH, Turmeric). In the 18-month trial, four people on curcumin and two on placebo had stomach complaints (Small 2018, Curcumin memory RCT).
What are the warning signs of turmeric liver injury?
Watch for unusual tiredness, nausea, poor appetite, dark urine and yellow skin or eyes (NCCIH, Turmeric). Problems usually appear after 1 to 4 months (LiverTox, Turmeric). Stop the product and contact a provider right away if any of these show up.
Who wrote this09
Written and reviewed by
Pages built from the label, the sales page and linked NIH, FDA, CDC, FTC and peer-reviewed sources.
Last updated . See our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is run by Getsynaptril, a stocked U.S. Synaptril counter, not by the manufacturer or the distributor. We are paid when you buy through our order links.
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