Turmeric is a bit of an 'it' product these days and you'll find influencers and
healthcare professionals alike recommending it for a variety of health concerns. If you are
thinking of using turmeric and trying to conceive at the same time, then you are definitely in the
right place! There's a few important things that you should know before taking turmeric if
you are trying to conceive. To receive all of my fertility and pregnancy nutrition updates,
don't forget to subscribe to my channel by pressing the red subscribe button below.
Hi there and welcome! I'm Melanie McGrice, an advanced, accredited practising dietitian
who specialises in fertility, pregnancy and infants. Whether you're just starting
out your fertility or pregnancy journey, or are a seasoned veteran with a house-full,
with me and my team of specialist dietitians, you're in good hands. After watching this video,
jump over to my socials to say hi. You'll find all the details in the description box below.
What usually springs to mind when you think of turmeric, is delicious golden curries or
in more recent years, the trendy turmeric latte. But there is more to it than that. For centuries,
turmeric has also been used to treat a variety of ailments. In its whole form,
it looks a little like a ginger root but you can also buy it in powdered form or as a supplement.
Turmeric's main claim to fame is that it acts as a powerful antioxidant that may be able to
help control chronic inflammation, which seems to be the root of many modern chronic diseases.
For most populations, it is considered to be a safe health food and supplement
when taken in the short term. Unfortunately it does not seem to be safe for all populations though,
particularly women who are trying to conceive. One of the reasons why you need to be cautious,
is that turmeric affects how oestrogen is taken up by various tissues in your body. This is
important when you're trying to conceive because oestrogen is one of the hormones responsible for
the thickening of your uterine lining and having a thick enough lining is important for a successful
implantation and subsequent pregnancy. Although concrete research is lacking in this regard,
there are a few case studies that point to the fact that a high intake of turmeric in
women undergoing assisted reproductive therapy, can cause a thinning of the uterine lining.
To add to this word of caution, research conducted in mice found that when mice were fed turmeric
during the very early stages of pregnancy that the blastocyst (or very early embryo) didn't make it.
Basically, in these mice, taking turmeric did not support a healthy and viable pregnancy.
Unfortunately there are no human studies to support this evidence,
but as you can imagine, conducting these experiments on real women trying to conceive
would not only be unethical but heartbreaking for all involved. So, although animal and case
studies are not the golden standard of research, based on these outcomes I would recommend against
taking high doses of turmeric or curcumin until we have solid evidence telling us otherwise.
In these case studies, the women were taking high doses of turmeric in the form of supplements
and loose leaf tea and so it may be a case of the dose making the poison. In general,
using small amount during cooking shouldn't pose a problem. The safest way to make sure
that you are getting an antioxidant boost is to eat a varied diet rich in plant-based foods.
All of your fruits, veggies, wholegrains, nuts and seeds are packed with nutrients that work
together to improve your health and increase your chances of falling pregnant. If you're not 100%
sure where to start with your diet, why don't you go ahead and download my free fertility meal plan
which will help you on the road to boosting your fertility with the power of good food!
Alternatively, if you feel that you need more targeted advice, you're welcome to
book a nutrition assessment with one of our highly skilled dietitians at melaniemcgrice.com/BookNow.
Our dietitians see clients from all over the world! Remember that it's always best to chat
to your dietitian before starting any type of supplement because at the end of the day,
not all supplements are appropriate and in some cases can even be harmful.
Feel free to post any questions below. I look forward to seeing you in my next video!