Turmeric Supplements: Amounts, Ingredients and Safety Information

Turmeric supplements vary in their extract, concentration and added ingredients. Comparing the front-of-pack number alone can miss these differences.

Compare like with like

Find the amount of extract per capsule and per recommended serving. If a percentage of curcuminoids is listed, distinguish that from the total extract weight. For example, a 500mg extract standardised to 95% contains 475mg curcuminoids.

Read the directions and warnings

Follow the specific label rather than copying a serving amount from an article about a different preparation. Do not assume that concentrated botanical extracts are free from side effects.

Make an informed choice

If you take medicines, have a medical condition, are pregnant or are breastfeeding, seek professional advice about suitability. Turmeric food supplements are not a replacement for prescribed treatment.

For an independent overview of research and safety, see NCCIH’s turmeric information.