Does Curcumin Require Black Pepper for Absorption?

Holli Lapes RD, LD/N

Curcumin is an active constituent found in the turmeric root and is one of the most beneficial compounds, responsible in part for the health benefits of turmeric. ¹

When choosing a turmeric supplement, one would want to ensure that it is standardized to guarantee a certain amount of curcumin per capsule in order to obtain the health benefits of the root.

The dilemma is that historically, curcumin has been poorly absorbed when taken as a supplement. This is where piperine comes into play. Piperine is the major biologically active substance found in black pepper.

Although research has …read more