Green tea and bio avialable curcumin- pros and cons
 

Green tea and bio available curcumin are known to display several potential health benefits. The problem is that these compounds have not been completely tested with case studies to prove their benefits without doubt. That will take years to accomplish in my opinion. I think it is possible that some of these purported benefits could be useful for people suffering from PN.

I am more concerned about the potential risks as they are less published due to marketing and hype of these supplements.

My main question is in regard to the chelation process of these items.

1. Both are know to reduce absorption of iron in the body. Is the best solution to take these together separate from the other supplements? Maybe before bed? I take a multi-mineral with a small amount of iron chelate in it.
2. Do these products also absorb calcium, magnesium and other vital minerals? Green tea and curcumin are both purported to help deal with certain types of neurotoxic issues associated with heavy metals by chelating them from the body, but do other essential items get removed as well?
3. Do you think grape seed extract would be a better than using green tea?

That is my main concern. The potential benefits of these items ( especially curcumin) are hard not to ignore.
Thanks!

What I am finding on PubMed is only 14 papers on this subject of green tea and chelation of iron. They discuss neurodegenerative diseases and that the active flavinoids in green tea cross the blood brain barrier and help remove iron from the brain, which is thought to be a cause of PD and Alzheimer's.

If you use the keyword "green tea chelation" you'll see those papers. None more recent than 2010...so not much action going on with this topic.

Curcumin has quite a bit of evidence as a protector of endothelial damage of blood vessels, and all sorts of other antioxidant benefits.

I think in moderation, both are probably okay for most people.
I am using green tea to block bradykinin receptors, myself.
I only have one large mug a day. I don't drink coffee.
All of the polyphenolic compounds are mentioned as bradykinin blockers. (bradykinin is a biogenic amine involved in angioedema)

We've used grapeseed extract for years in this house. I find it helpful during allergy season.

Much of the research involves in vitro and animals. So it is difficult to be precise about these products in great detail. There is therefore alot of speculation, and not much in the way of warnings.

Yes, the clinical studies are still in the early stages.

Here is one investigating the effects of curcumin on cognitive decline of older adults and also change in inflammation markers. Hopefully they are using the more active forms during these trials. I have heard that Alzheimer's disease has a very low occurence in India which could be attributed to their use of tumeric.

http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT01383161


I take one capsule of green tea extract and one capsule of bio-curcumin with food. I probably don't need to be concerned with effects of these supplements on other vitamins & minerals.

Edit: They are using theracumin in the trial which should provide an excellent bio available source.

If you search curcumin on our PD forum, there are lots of
posts. The Parkinson's patients here are very active in finding
helpful interventions and scientific papers about them. They also discuss iron, some times.

Use their search on their title page
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum34.html

Many of their topics are germane to all of us. ;)