Anyone using Curcumin for MM or SMM?

We have been reading about the curative properties of Curcumin for MM patients. As you can see from my other two posts today, my hubby is SMM, and maybe more at this point, we don't know until Freelite test comes in.

He also has high cholesterol, and he's stopped taking statins due to muscle pain, and high cpk levels.  We've read that Curcumin not only helps with the MM, but also lowers bad cholesteral, raises good cholesterol and lowers lipids! How great that would be!

I've read some blogs about Curcumin use, but they seem fairly complicated (powered Curcumin, mixed with something hot, to the right temp, etc). We've ordered some Doctor's Best Cucrumin 500 mg caps from Vitacost. How many of these should he be taking (I've seen reports that say optimum amount is 4000 mg/day (that would be about 8 pills), but then I've seen people say they take it in 'high doses' like 8000-12000 mg/day.

Anyone taking it? How much? Any good or bad stories to share?

Thanks!

My wife has been diagnosed with MM for 1 year and has taken high doses of curcumin from the beginning (along with other supplements) and only Thalidomide with no Dex. It has kept the MM in check and she is 100% functional with no side effects from the Thalid and little bone pain. Bio-availability and high dosages are key to curcumin. She takes 9 grams per day (3 grams prior to each meal). Currently, the best brand of curcumin is Life Extensions Curcumin - BCM95. It is a new formula that increases the bio-availability by 7x normal. Still ... it should be taken with fat or oil. My wife takes 3 grams of fish oil gels with every dosing of curcumin. The fish oil both helps the curcumin and reduces neuroapathies of the Thaldidomide. One word of caution though ... do not take curcumin with Dex because it appears they cancel each other out.

I hope this helps. Email me if you would like more details of her curcuimin and supplement protocol.

Best to  you and your family.

Craig 

On 10/9/2007 photog wrote:

My wife has been diagnosed with MM for 1 year and has taken high doses of curcumin from the beginning (along with other supplements) and only Thalidomide with no Dex. It has kept the MM in check and she is 100% functional with no side effects from the Thalid and little bone pain. Bio-availability and high dosages are key to curcumin. She takes 9 grams per day (3 grams prior to each meal). Currently, the best brand of curcumin is Life Extensions Curcumin - BCM95. It is a new formula that increases the bio-availability by 7x normal. Still ... it should be taken with fat or oil. My wife takes 3 grams of fish oil gels with every dosing of curcumin. The fish oil both helps the curcumin and reduces neuroapathies of the Thaldidomide. One word of caution though ... do not take curcumin with Dex because it appears they cancel each other out.

I hope this helps. Email me if you would like more details of her curcuimin and supplement protocol.

Best to  you and your family.

Craig  (cbpersel@sympatico.ca)

Thank you!! I had read something about the fats helping the body to absorb the curcumin rather than pass it through. The fish oil is a great idea, easy to do, and it will help his cholesterol, too! He does not like the' burp up' taste of it, but he'll get over it.! I did not know if he should take all pills at once, or what. I did read that one hour before breakfast is best, because they work best on an empty stomach. Had you read that?

Based on what I read, I was going to have him start with 4/g day, but now I see that is clearly not enough. Is there any reason to start small and work up, or just start at 8-9/g day? I had not read about Life Extensions either, but will check it out. We just ordered tons of Doctors Best, and will use that up first, but at this rate it will go fast!

When you say that it has kept the MM 'in check' can you share some numbers with me? The whole 'stable' or 'in check' idea is something the docs won't define for me.

My hubby is not on dex yet. He's at 2612 IgG, and Mprotein of 2.2. Waiting a correct Freelite test to see the kappa/lamda ratio. No anemia or hypercalcemia yet (13.0 and 9.5 respectively), and only muscle pain from a statin (which we hope we're not confusing with bone pain, see my other post about that).

Thanks!!!

1WorriedWife

Yes, fats help with the bioavailability of curcumin. The fish oil helps with that .. and .. Omega 3's are a very strong anti-cancer substance. I definitely recommend the fish oil. Life Extension are the highest quality supplements you buy and highly recommend their curcumin bcm95.

http://www.lef.org/ 

It is recommended to take 8-10gms per day. My wife takes 3 gms prior to each meal with 3 gms of fish oil gels. You can work up to that level so the body can adapt.

My wife's various protein levels have stayed level or decreased since diagnosed. Nothing has increased and her overall health and quality of life have increased tremendously. We are still "dialing-in" some of the alternative treatments combined with traditional and now have a doctor who works with and coordinates the two approaches.

Good news that your husband does not have anemia or hypercalcemia. Very important, plus the health of the kidneys.

Keep us/me posted.

Craig 

On 10/9/2007 photog wrote:

Yes, fats help with the bioavailability of curcumin. The fish oil helps with that .. and .. Omega 3's are a very strong anti-cancer substance. I definitely recommend the fish oil. Life Extension are the highest quality supplements you buy and highly recommend their curcumin bcm95.

http://www.lef.org/ 

It is recommended to take 8-10gms per day. My wife takes 3 gms prior to each meal with 3 gms of fish oil gels. You can work up to that level so the body can adapt.

My wife's various protein levels have stayed level or decreased since diagnosed. Nothing has increased and her overall health and quality of life have increased tremendously. We are still "dialing-in" some of the alternative treatments combined with traditional and now have a doctor who works with and coordinates the two approaches.

Good news that your husband does not have anemia or hypercalcemia. Very important, plus the health of the kidneys.

Keep us/me posted.

Craig 

Thanks again! We've received the Curcumin, and he will start taking it today, with a fat (fish oil, most likely). He plans to start out at 4g/day (which is 8 capsules), and work up to 8 or 9g a day.

How fast might this have an effect on his numbers? At this time, he is on no meds or tx of any kind, since he is asymtomatic, and kidney health is fine, too.

We're also hoping the Curcumin will help his cholesterol any triglicerides, too. Anyone know anything about that?

Your husband is in the perfect situation. No meds, no kidney problems, etc. The combination of curcumin and fish oil should have tremendous positive effects on cholesterol and other related issues. I would give it 3 months to start seeing significant changes. Supplements work a little slower because they are changing the whole body in a healing way vs. the big-bang approach of medications ... which of course ... also cause side-effects and unintended consequences along the way.

Here is another useful resource regarding myeloma and curcumin. My wife has had contact with her. Good information and you can email here with questions.

http://margaret.healthblogs.org/ 

Keep us posted.

Craig