Plant atlas Short
Turmeric & Memory: The 18-Month Trial
Turmeric · ขมิ้น · Curcuma longa
Turmeric — ขมิ้น (kha-min) — Curcuma longa.
In an eighteen-month controlled trial, a lipidated curcumin supplement improved memory and attention scores in older adults. The study tested a formulated curcumin supplement. The edible rhizome provides manganese, iron, and fiber. Southern Thai cooks use it in yellow curry, Gai Tod Khamin, and Khao Mok Gai. Fat and black pepper can increase curcumin absorption. A curry produces a different exposure from the tested supplement. Talk to your doctor before taking high-dose curcumin supplements; ordinary cooking uses much smaller amounts. Follow Longevity Biome for a new Thai plant every day.
Gai Tod Khamin — ไก่ทอดขมิ้น (gai-tod-kha-min)
Khao Mok Gai — ข้าวหมกไก่ (khao-mok-gai)
Source: Small et al. (2018). Memory, mood & amyloid/tau effects of curcumin: 18-month double-blind placebo-controlled RCT, n=40 non-demented adults. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry 26(3):266-277. PMID 29246725. Meta-analysis: 9 RCTs (501 subjects), Front Nutr 2025, DOI:10.3389/fnut.2025.1549509
Educational content, not medical advice! Consult your doctor before changing diet or medication.
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Food and nutrients
Rich in: manganese, iron, fiber
Research context
Curcumin improved memory and attention over 18 months in a small controlled trial of older adults — Am J Geriatr Psychiatry, 2018