[0:00]Hello, I'm Dr. Stephen Goldberg. I'm a medical doctor specializing in integrative medicine. And today I want to tell you about the benefits of one of my favorite supplements, curcumin. What is curcumin? Curcumin is a derivative of turmeric, the spice and herb that's very popular, especially in Indian cuisine. And there are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of studies showing the health benefits of curcumin. And the reason it has so many health benefits is primarily because it's a very potent anti-inflammatory. Most chronic diseases that we have today, whether it's heart disease, cancer, diabetes, arthritis, neurological problems, even obesity, have an underlying inflammatory cause. So if you have a very strong anti-inflammatory like curcumin, it can help almost any element. It is an antioxidant, it's also a powerful immune booster. It can help modulate blood sugar and cholesterol, it can help improve cognitive function, improve memory, help with depression, and it's even been shown to help prevent and treat cancer. One of the problems with curcumin is it's not very bioavailable, meaning if you take it by mouth, you don't absorb it very well. So it's important that when you take curcumin, you take a bioavailable form, meaning it's combined with something to help improve its absorption. One of the most popular forms is curcumin combined with black pepper extract, which is called piperine. Another form is called micellar curcumin, where the curcumin is in a micelle to help improve absorption. Curcumin also comes in a form where it's attached to phospholipids, which also help improve absorption. It's important to take curcumin every day and for most people, 500 milligrams once or twice a day is a good starting dose. It's very safe, has virtually no side effects, and can be taken with or without food. However, if you're on a blood thinner or if you have gallstones, you should check with your doctor before taking curcumin. Curcumin is one of those supplements that I recommend to most of my patients because of its wide variety of health benefits and safety. If you want to live a long, healthy life, I encourage you to take curcumin every day. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below.