Anyone who has suffered from food poisoning can testify that this ailment can truly ravage the body, but there are certain contaminants that – as well as inducing a gastrointestinal response – can also impact brain health as well. Okadaic acid (OKA) is a marine-based toxin that, in addition to causing Diarrheic Shellfish Poisoning, may even induce bouts of memory loss in specific cases. However, a new study has revealed that curcumin – the bioactive ingredient in turmeric that is already well known for its brain support properties – could combat this adverse effect.
"Curcumin a natural antioxidant has demonstrated neuroprotection in various models of neurodegeneration," scientists from the Central Drug Research Institute in India wrote in the study abstract. "However, the effect of curcumin has not been explored in OKA-induced memory impairment."
Using an animal model, the researchers sought to determine if taking curcumin supplements could preserve brain function and provide memory support for mice that had been exposed to OKA contamination. Over the course of 13 days, the researchers observed that animals who consumed curcumin were better able to retain memory function, and did not exhibit the same neuroinflammatory symptoms of the control animals.
Based on these findings, they concluded that curcumin's demonstrated neuroprotective effects had been confirmed, and the "use of Curcumin should be encouraged in people consuming seafood (contaminated with dinoflagellates) to prevent cognitive impairment."
In addition to facilitating memory retention, curcumin has also been shown to prevent the spread of various cancers and mitigate pain for people with rheumatoid arthritis, among its other health benefits. Click here to read more about Nutrivene Longvida Curcumin.