New research suggests that curcumin may have yet another health benefit—that of boosting cognitive performance in older, healthy adults. The study, published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, administered 400 mg of Longvida®, a supplement containing 80 mg of curcumin, to participants between the ages of 60 and 85. Researchers measured the effects of curcumin on cognitive function and mood when administered acutely (1 and 3 hours after a single dose), chronically (following 4 weeks of supplementation), and both acutely and chronically (1 and 3 hours after a single dose, following 4 weeks of supplementation). Here are the benefits the researchers uncovered:

• Performance on tasks that required sustained attention and working memory significantly improved 1 hour after a single dose of curcumin.
• Working memory, mood, energy levels, and feelings of calmness all improved significantly after 4 weeks of supplementing with curcumin.
• Alertness and contentedness significantly increased after a single dose of curcumin, following 4 weeks of supplementation.

This is among one of the first studies to examine how curcumin affects cognition in healthy, older adults; nevertheless, other research has already shown that curcumin offers a wide range of health benefits, incuding for depression, inflammation, and arthritis.

Source: Journal of Psychopharmacology