5 best turmeric supplements to help ease joint pain and fight inflammation

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Touted as one of the most effective spices for reducing inflammation and pain throughout the body, turmeric has experienced a surge in popularity over the past few years: but does it live up to the hype?

The anecdotal evidence overwhelmingly suggests that it does, with turmeric fans espousing its ability to soothe joint pain and aid mobility, as well as maintain women’s reproductive health, support the gut, and encourage internal healing.

One such proponent is make-up artist and author of Eat Beautiful, Wendy Rowe. She uses turmeric to remain limber and aid movement, while clinical aesthetician Pam Marshall reveres its ability to foster overall health, saying that “it reduces inflammation throughout, hence it being a rare occurrence for a client with a diet high in turmeric to present to me with inflammation within their skin. I personally take it for my arthritis as it really does reduce my level of pain.”

So far, so good. But don’t think that introducing a daily turmeric latte and a sprinkling of it in your curry will be enough to reap the rewards. For the full benefits, you’ll want to turn to supplements.

This is where it gets complicated. Turmeric supplements aren’t all created equal, with a vast majority containing either curcuminoids, aka the isolated active compounds that are responsible for turmeric’s effects, or simply powdered turmeric.

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The most efficacious and safe options take their cues from food by creating a hybrid of these forms to get the most out of the spice.

To pull together this list we trialled each product for a week, keeping notes on niggles like prevalence of acne (which is exacerbated by inflammation), achy joints and energy levels, before leaving a gap between trying the next one. We also read up on the science and ingredients behind each product. Here are those that passed the test.

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