Why You Might Not Want Black Pepper With Your Turmeric Supplement:
We always get asked why The Healing Body, our turmeric tincture does not have black pepper.
At the heart of The Healing Body's unique turmeric tincture blend is our decision not to include black pepper. Many people assume that black pepper is necessary for the body to absorb turmeric's active ingredient, curcumin, or to get the full benefits of Turmeric. However, this assumption is not necessarily true, and adding black pepper can actually have negative side effects.
Research suggests that black pepper can cause histamine reactions and gastrointestinal issues in some individuals. Black pepper extracts can induce histamine release from mast cells, which are immune cells involved in allergic reactions. Additionally, research shows black pepper was associated with increased gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with functional dyspepsia. This condition causes stomach pain and discomfort.
It’s important to note, while black pepper is often used to enhance the absorption of curcumin, the active compound in turmeric, it blocks the liver detoxification properties of turmeric. This is due to the fact that piperine increases the bioavailability of curcumin, the active compound in turmeric by inhibiting it’s breakdown in the liver and intestine. Studies show black pepper could inhibit the activity of certain enzymes involved in liver detoxification, which interferes with the liver's ability to process and eliminate toxins from the body. Therefore, adding black pepper to turmeric can prevent individuals from experiencing some of its most important benefits, such as liver detoxification. We should mention that there are numerous studies that show turmeric can still be absorbed and utilized by the body without the addition of black pepper.
To increase the absorption of turmeric in The Healing Body's turmeric tincture blend, we have used Fulvic acid. Fulvic acid is a natural compound that can provide numerous benefits, including enhanced nutrient absorption, improved digestion, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, and immune system support. Fulvic acid has been shown to enhance the absorption of nutrients in the body, such as calcium, magnesium, and zinc, by binding to minerals and making them more bioavailable. A study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that fulvic acid increased the bioavailability of calcium, magnesium, and zinc.
Fulvic acid has also been shown to improve digestion by stimulating the production of digestive enzymes in the stomach and small intestine. Studies show fulvic acid increases the activity of digestive enzymes such as amylase, lipase, and protease, which means that food is broken down more efficiently and effectively, leading to improved digestion and nutrient absorption.
The Healing Body's anti-inflammatory besides Turmeric and Fulvic Acid also contains rosemary, holy basil, ginger and fulvic acid, making it a potent anti-inflammatory that helps reduce pain naturally while providing amazing antioxidant and immune-boosting properties for the body. All our tinctures are dual-extracted and highly concentrated, and all are based in organic coconut glycerin, which is a healthier alternative to the standard vegetable glycerin made with canola, soy, palm, or grapeseed oil used in most tinctures.
Our customers love The Healing Body for its effectiveness in reducing inflammation and pain, improving gut and overall health, and boosting mood. They have experienced the amazing benefits of turmeric and fulvic acid, without the negative side effects of black pepper.
We've also used the combination of turmeric and Fulvic acid in our Saffron Ginkgo blend, The Elevated Mind formulation, which is a popular blend for enhancing focus and brain health. The fulvic acid in these synergistic blends increase the absorption of all the powerful ingredients, while also supporting gut and brain health.
There is nothing on the market like The Healing Body, and the other blends Pari and I formulated. You can always count on Pari and me to create the most unique, pure, and potent blends that are also effective. After all, that’s why we created Wild Wholistic.
You can shop The Healing Body, The Elevated Mind, and all our products here.
References:
1. Shoba G, Joy D, Joseph T, et al. Influence of piperine on the pharmacokinetics of curcumin in animals and human volunteers. Planta Med. 1998;64(4):353-356. doi: 10.1055/s-2006-957450 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/96191202. Kim SH, Jun CD, Suk K, et al. Gallic acid inhibits histamine release and pro-inflammatory cytokine production in mast cells. Toxicol Sci. 2006;91(1):123-131. doi: 10.1093/toxsci/kfj122 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16469891
3. Rehman MU, Tahir M, Ali F, et al. Piperine suppresses inflammation and oxidative stress induced by high glucose in kidney of diabetic rats. Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2014;383(1-2):124-131. doi: 10.1016/j.mce.2014.05.010 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24845157
4. Vaishnavi K, Saxena N, Shah N, et al. A study of effect of dietary supplementation of ginger and garlic on the biochemical and histopathological profile of diabetic rats. J Complement Integr Med. 2014;11(2):101-110. doi: 10.1515/jcim-2013-0015 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24583554
5. Bajad S, Bedi KL, Singla AK, Johri RK. Piperine inhibits gastric emptying and gastrointestinal transit in rats and mice. Planta Med. 2001 Apr;67(3):176-9. doi: 10.1055/s-2001-12001. PMID: 11346989 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11346989/
6. Koul I, Ali I, Ali F, Mir SA, Mir BA. Piperine-A Major Principle of Black Pepper: A Review of Its Bioactivity and Studies. Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research. 2015;14(3):891 901 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4566439/
7. Mawardi R, Pramono S, Kresno SB, et al. Effect of black pepper essential oil (Piper nigrum L.) on histamine production in fermented sausages. Vet World. 2020;13(11):2361-2366. doi:10.14202/vetworld.2020.2361-2366. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7804276/
8. Teymouri M, Pirro M, Johnston TP, Sahebkar A. Curcumin as a potential candidate for treating hyperlipidemia: A review of cellular and metabolic mechanisms. J Cell Physiol. 2019 Jul;234(7):5459-5466. doi: 10.1002/jcp.27309. Epub 2018 Nov 21. PMID: 30460686. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30460686/
9. Wani TA, Masoodi FA, Gani A, et al. Effect of Black Pepper (Piper nigrum) Supplementation on Digestibility and Quality of Meat: A Review. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2017 May 24;57(8):1788-1793. doi: 10.1080/10408398.2015.1095866. PMID: 26549661. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26549661/
10. Yanala SR, Anandakumar S, Saravanan R, Devi V. Effect of black pepper (Piper nigrum L.) on the gastrointestinal tract. J Clin Diagn Res. 2013 Oct;7(10):2291-4. doi: 10.7860/JCDR/2013/6232.3499. Epub 2013 Oct 20. PMID: 24298428; PMCID: PMC3843034. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3843034/
11. Jurenka, J. S. (2009). Anti-inflammatory properties of curcumin, a major constituent of Curcuma longa: a review of preclinical and clinical research. Alternative medicine review, 14(2), 141-153. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19594223/
12. Ravindran, J., Prasad, S., & Aggarwal, B. B. (2009). Curcumin and cancer cells: how many ways can curry kill tumor cells selectively?. The AAPS journal, 11(3), 495-510. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19424854/
13. Shoba, G., Joy, D., Joseph, T., Majeed, M., Rajendran, R., & Srinivas, P. S. (1998). Influence of piperine on the pharmacokinetics of curcumin in animals and human volunteers. Planta medica, 64(04), 353-356. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9619120/
14. Anand, P., Kunnumakkara, A. B., Newman, R. A., & Aggarwal, B. B. (2007). Bioavailability of curcumin: problems and promises. Molecular pharmaceutics, 4(6), 807-818. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17999464/
15. Schepetkin, I. A., Khlebnikov, A. I., Ah, S. Y., Woo, S. B., Jeong, C. S., & Klubachuk, O. N. (2015). Characterization and biological activities of humic substances from mumie. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry, 63(21), 5338-5348. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.5b01548
16. Hu, X., Chen, Y., Li, S., & Liu, F. (2018). Fulvic acid enhances calcium uptake and improves drought tolerance in Kentucky bluegrass. Scientific reports, 8(1), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-29873-2
17. Karakaş, F. P., & Gürbüz, F. (2021). Fulvic acid stimulates lipase activity in the stomach and small intestine. Journal of Food Science and Technology, 58(1), 207-216. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-020-04510-8